What Are We Learning in Schools Today?
by Kanaka Pednekar
Grade 10
While the
contemporary man busies himself envisioning the future and in upholding his
responsibilities, this is what the country makers of tomorrow have got on their
plates, memorizing the standard format for essays and research papers. You
don't need to walk a mile in their shoes to realize how tiring and irrational
it can be.
We tend to
forget that language is meant to adapt to our needs not the other way round. If
the meaning is accessible to the reader, then congrats, language served its
primary purpose. But that is not the case today with so many linguistics
constraints imposed on a student who is just looking to express their thoughts.
This is, but one
example of many wherein our current standard of education has failed us as
individuals.
There are set
rules and codes of conduct in all spheres of our life. Be it in our workspace
or in our domestic interactions. They can range through various levels of
simplicity. For example, not burning the midnight oil on weekdays as kids, or
some politically questionable ones like women having to mandatorily wear heels
in the office as a part of their formal attire.
Yet bringing the
policies of the academic setting to the forefront, some of the policies which
are now severely out of date and demand a thorough reexamination and revision,
becomes vital in this day and age of innovation.
Today,
information is just one click away. It's no rocket science then, to realize the
fact that the rote based learning that is rampant internationally is of little
to no actual use to our students. While political, financial, social and
professional illiteracy exists, the main focus of most of the educational
institutions remain on academics. "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge
a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing
that it is stupid. " [Einstein, Albert (1936)].
This was never
the intention of education, if now it even is worthy to be deemed as such. A
purpose of education is to advance social mobility, rather than perpetuate the
status quo [Aims of Education - Oregon State University (1999)]. In brief,
education should be helping us become aware individuals, ones who can be
independent and not influenced by others, in order to move up in the social
strata and to diminish the existing inequalities amongst social affairs.
An apt example
to portray the inefficiency and conversion of education today would be of the
revered and ancient Nalanda University of the 5th Century. One of our former
Presidents, Mr. Mukherjee, said that the ancient Nalanda was known for the high
level of debate and discussion it nurtured. It was not a mere geographical
expression but it reflected an idea and a culture. Nalanda conveyed the message
of friendship, cooperation, debate, discussion and argument. Discussion and debate
are part of our ethos and life [Courtesy : PIB]. Some of the most famous alumni
of Nalanda University were Aryabhata, Nagarjuna, Shilabhadra, Xuanzang, and
Yijing (the latter two were Chinese Buddhist travelers).
Upon its ruin,
the University resurrected in Bihar today has let down the sentiments of
admiration it once harbored. In 2017, at least half a dozen students quit
Nalanda University in Bihar, abandoning their studies midway; a majority of the
reason was that both curriculum and culture had changed drastically [Choudhary,
Shreya (October 2017)]. Bihar, by itself, is bringing the rear. Its literacy
rate (61.8%) is the country’s lowest; and the female literacy rate (51.5%) is
second lowest, according to Census 2011.
It's not just
one University or State but the system as a whole that is in ruins. The current
form of education system is not adept at accepting that different children have
different needs and have formed a standardized path which it reckons will lead
to success. All it has achieved in all these years is the suppression of a
child's individuality.
In India itself,
the once prevailing Gurukul system which taught its students the true way of
living, has long been replaced with factorial institutions, manufacturing
workers not leaders, leading bright and potential carrying children of six to
having no individualness whatsoever by their twenties. Few foreign countries
have had copied and improvised on India's ancient teaching method of Gurukul
and, as a result of which, they are more developed in their thinking. There's
large scale migration and brain drain is also a related phenomenon here.
To expand more
on the Gurukul system of teaching, it was a style of teaching where the
students lived with their teachers and learnt important life lessons throughout
their stay. It helped build character and discipline among the students. The
education was completed when the Guru said so and the end product was a Guru
itself.
Then the
Finland's adaptive teaching for the 21st century has been proven to be fruitful
too. The students and teachers there are unburdened and actually spend time on
vocational and other points of focus which are required to rear self sufficient
individuals.
The education
system we have is right. Sorry, it was right. Majority of the practices
still prevalent in schools across the globe today, from the graded tests to the
school bell ringing, indicating the end of the class, were formed in the
industrial age. They were the need of the hour then, but not anymore. Still,
the practices continue as education is no more for the welfare of the country's
future, it's a business. So even though there were pre-existing aware masses,
and yes, they have always been, not much could be done when facing off against
capitalism.
But it won't be
the case for long. From tackling misogynistic ideas, racist beliefs, climate
change, a pandemic and everything in between, the current generation has
continually waged war against all that threatens peace, equality and
individuality. Time itself has shaped them to desire for a better world, to
desire for change. By not hesitating to question the elephant in the room we
have blown the world away with our revolutionized thinking. There had always
been light at the end of the tunnel, and we are just now reaching it.
It is a late
start, but it's a start nonetheless.
