The current education you can say, is simply examination-oriented.
Students' aim is how to score high marks than how better understand the
subjects taught. The guiding light of student - teacher is locked up in mediocrity. Majority of teachers
do their teaching jobs as a routine with no creativity. They don't read
beyond the subjects they teach. The fate of our educational system is
better explained by technocrat and former chairman of Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda. He says that our teachers do not do research
and our researchers don't teach.
People in different walks of life have varied
backgrounds with individual strengths/ experiences. If they are
channelized and create a platform , they could brilliantly give gripping
lessons to students of advanced learning say for 11th, 12th and
graduation and post-graduation levels.
We need to create a structure immediately where such liberal minds get a
chance to teach/share their ideas/experience with students across streams -
Humanities & Sciences. An online databank of such volunteers who wish to
teach students with subject, date and time and location would give new fillip
to institutions which must act to allot those slots to schools nearby in a
time-bound action plan. This way the students are exposed to real world with
latest inputs received directly from concerned domain experts in the
society.
When those good times come, I register myself to
teach to students/like minded. Dr. Kalam with his post-retirement life has
ignited me enough by teaching children/students across the world. I continue to
draw my inspiration from this towering personality. His books always lift me to
unimaginable heights.
When it comes to education reforms, I feel that
science must be kept compulsory. It must be an added subject to Humanities
at +1 and graduation level so that children improve their learning curve.
When subject books are devised, stress should be laid to write in an
interesting tone to ignite students. I am telling these words after reading a
couple of lessons of my class 11 Geography
book of my daughter. It is time to write less technical jargon and more in an
understandable way.
When it comes to teaching, we have to strike a
balance between teacher and taught (student). Both their egos should not
clash in giving and taking process. The very process of teaching is explained
by Galileo in these immortal words : You can't teach a man anything; you can
only help him/her to find it within himself/ herself. Poet Alexander Pope
further refined it : Men must be taught as if you taught them not, and
things unknown proposed as things forgot.
If the teacher follows the Galileo and Alexander
Pope principle, teaching would turn into play and fun and a close bond between
a teacher and pupil would give education a creative thrust. It travels
beyond school subjects. Then teacher like a friend instantly connects with
student and this alchemy creates an unexpected wonders in their
lives.
I love to switch over to teaching profession as
soon as an opportune moment comes. I have devised my own methods and procedures
on knowledge front. May be it is not having a governmental vetting. If I
don't get an opportunity then I would love to settle as librarian so that I get
adequate time to read and derive maximum
benefit from the books I love.
Sharing of knowledge is synonymous with
teaching. This should be a new mantra to bring radical change in
education sector. When blogs grow into knowledge hubs, it gives a
different sort of education across age groups.
I am waiting for a day when volunteers come
liberally to teach students without expecting anything and students derive full
benefit from the lessons being taught. This task is simply not
left to government hands. Civil society, corporates and NGOs must plunge
into action to strengthen our education system to bring back the glory of
Indian Education System.
When education happens in this atmosphere, the
students blossom and choose their careers. When they choose their careers, they
do wonders in their lives. Parents must only play supportive role as guardians and facilitators so that the child's
creativity is allowed to flourish. This is what education in true sense with no
time limit set for learning and it should continue till last breath.
What is education is better described
by SwamiVivekananda: Education is
manifestation of perfection already man !
Let these noble ideas are translated into noble deeds !
