Oscar Wilde once remarked, “education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”
Our present education system has its roots in the early nineteenth century. It is really ironic to address such a pristine establishment as our ‘present education system’. Our innate ability to maintain such a level of mediocrity in changing times of industrial revolution and information technology is certainly laudable. Considering the fact that India is an independent republic since half a century, all these facts make a mockery of the firm ground of chauvinistic certitude we so confidently tread.
The foundation of our current education system was laid by the British. And the only palpable reason why our education system is the way it is because the British never wanted any Indian to participate in any form of legislative, administrative or judicial vocation. The British only wanted to make slaves and clerks out of the Indians. And that is precisely what we still are. If that is not how it is, then pray tell me why aren’t there any jobs for students who have completed their schooling, no matter how meritorious they might have been. What happens to those twelve years of learning if a student decides to call it quits due to certain unavoidable reasons, the prominent being financial incapacity. Does that lad deserve to serve as a clerk his entire life?
In many developed countries, college education is pursued by people who are interested in it and have time for it. I mention time because those people are already making a living for themselves. But in India, college education is imperative. Although, even being a graduate does not entitle you to earn a decent living.
Even in technical educational courses such as engineering, similar examination paragon is followed. The students are expected to mug and cram up as much as they can, and then barf the contents on the examination answer sheet. I believe many people will agree with me that this is not the optimal approach of imparting technical education.
I consider the bottom up approach to be a far more sound approach for technical instruction. Give the apprentice a blueprint to design or develop an idea and then teach all the nuances and skills involved to give life to that scheme. That will create more aficionados than the current system does.
It is a pity to witness that we are still falling prey to the ‘cheap labour’ ploy of foreign nations and gratify our pecuniary palates by earning a trifling amount of money by working in call centres and software companies, the act which in-turn fuels the sustenance of the system which we are rebelling against. It is about time that we pause and ponder, in retrospect, and act to make a change that will hopefully be for the betterment of the coming contemporaries.
Our present education system has its roots in the early nineteenth century. It is really ironic to address such a pristine establishment as our ‘present education system’. Our innate ability to maintain such a level of mediocrity in changing times of industrial revolution and information technology is certainly laudable. Considering the fact that India is an independent republic since half a century, all these facts make a mockery of the firm ground of chauvinistic certitude we so confidently tread.
The foundation of our current education system was laid by the British. And the only palpable reason why our education system is the way it is because the British never wanted any Indian to participate in any form of legislative, administrative or judicial vocation. The British only wanted to make slaves and clerks out of the Indians. And that is precisely what we still are. If that is not how it is, then pray tell me why aren’t there any jobs for students who have completed their schooling, no matter how meritorious they might have been. What happens to those twelve years of learning if a student decides to call it quits due to certain unavoidable reasons, the prominent being financial incapacity. Does that lad deserve to serve as a clerk his entire life?
In many developed countries, college education is pursued by people who are interested in it and have time for it. I mention time because those people are already making a living for themselves. But in India, college education is imperative. Although, even being a graduate does not entitle you to earn a decent living.
Even in technical educational courses such as engineering, similar examination paragon is followed. The students are expected to mug and cram up as much as they can, and then barf the contents on the examination answer sheet. I believe many people will agree with me that this is not the optimal approach of imparting technical education.
I consider the bottom up approach to be a far more sound approach for technical instruction. Give the apprentice a blueprint to design or develop an idea and then teach all the nuances and skills involved to give life to that scheme. That will create more aficionados than the current system does.
It is a pity to witness that we are still falling prey to the ‘cheap labour’ ploy of foreign nations and gratify our pecuniary palates by earning a trifling amount of money by working in call centres and software companies, the act which in-turn fuels the sustenance of the system which we are rebelling against. It is about time that we pause and ponder, in retrospect, and act to make a change that will hopefully be for the betterment of the coming contemporaries.
