“3Idiots” is a super duper hit. It apparently talks of how the education system is killing the creativity and burdening students. Does the film really serves the students with solutions or is it just another film is a matter of debate.
But talking of education system and the reforms it must undergo, I think a section of the entire education system that should actually be considered its strongest pillar is the most neglected. I am talking of the teachers. How often have we heard that teachers are poorly paid in most schools and colleges.
And that’s not all, government, who seems to be keen on bringing about the reforms, does not pay salary to its teachers for months together.
In such a scenario is it any wonder that most of the teachers at all levels are perhaps into the profession not because of their love to spread knowledge but simply because they “got the job”, and a little deeper look into their life would reveal that they actually did not like what they were doing, but have a family to feed and responsibilities they cannot afford to overlook.
In times when one hears so much about pursuing a career of one’s liking, how many are lucky enough to be doing so? Insecurities in life outdo every creativity that a person might posses. We do not have the courage to say “NO” when it really matters.
An education system should teach this virtue also!
Also an education system anywhere in the world that does not teach basic human values fails its very purpose. My mother tells us how difficult it was in her time for women from respectable Muslimfamilies in our native place to go to a school. But my grandfather, convinced his mother, saying education polishes the soul.
However can an education system that creates clones of job-seekers also contribute to bringing about an improvement in the values, morals and principles that should govern life and be at the base ofeverything that one does in life.
And how many of us want our children to take up teaching as a profession?
I would also like to make another point here since the film mentions the flaws in the country’s education system, let us not conclude it provides real solutions too. First of all it talks of only the above-90%-lot, those who have already qualified to be in a prestigious Engineering College. It is another matter that some of them did not like engineering.
Let us realize the fact that between the completely dejected and the enviable toppers lies the majority: The average student. They are in majority. And it is basically their problems that should be discussed.That would in all probability provide solace to those who are at the lowest rung of the ladder too.
The essence of it all, I think is, for us to realize that our children are not machines. Neither are they indebted to us so much as to be striving forever to fulfill the desires and dreams of their parents. They are human beings, with their own personalities and preferences. Guiding them to be good human beings and invoking in them the spirit of healthy competition should be our role as parents.
Too idealistic to be true?
I believe in aiming high!
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This article first publised on TwoCircles.net.
The most disastrous aspect of our education system is that it is still tuned to produce Babus. The great legacy of the British that Indians are competent enough to be no more than Babus still continues. Sadly.
We have to keep in mind that India has been the home of the finest craftsmen, artisans and other such skilled persons who worked with their hands. Somehow, “working by hand” is now considered to be a degenerated work. It doesnt involve any social prestige. Everyone wants to become a Babu because it has social prestige.
Before we blaim our education system, our mentality and attitude towards skilled work should change. Instead of looking for jobs, we should be more looking towards creating our own small enterprises and a self-employed person should not be looked down upon by the society.
This cannot happen unless there is a basic change in the education system i.e. it becomes more vocational in training and education and lesser of general education. Of Course, general education is also necessary for building up the minds of the individual.
The ideal education system for India shall be a mix of general education( for building up of minds), vocational education( for making individual self-sustained in profession) and of course moral and ethical education(for making better human beings).
All this cannot happen overnight looking into the vastness of the country and sheer population size. But where there is a will ,there is a way.
“An education system should teach this virtue also!”
Agreed. Definitely.
I can tell you this, and every undergrad engineer/science student would confirm what I am saying – school and college in india did not teach me zilch. The only reason I have somewhat developed analytical powers is because of the extensive IIT-JEE preparation which taught me to think out of box. The kind of education I have received there taught me to focus more on how and why, rather than the who and what.
And I think that is helping me even now. I just hope that someday the education system becomes more about creative problem solving rather than blind reproduction of course material.
I can just hope.
@sanjay
It was rajaji then who asked the government to re-oreint the education towards vocation rather than bench clerk which was the design of the british to suit them.
Unfortunately it was thrown out as varnashram and today the youngster does not have the family skill nor the clerical job of government to survive.