I recently read an article titled “Revamping education: Why we don’t learn from lectures” in The Hindu . It is pathetic to know that the pedagogical method of lectures, which became widespread in the 1700s, is still being followed without any radical changes. Academicians and leaders must take this seriously and bring in some pragmatic changes.
As a student, I would like to have interactive sessions rather than long monologues by teachers. These will prove to be highly effective. I yearn to have writing sessions, in which students have to come up with their own interpretation of a poem or novel instead of internals and semester exams, which only requires us to remember ‘chunks’ of literature.
Education, rather than being generalised and pre-defined, must cater to the interests of different students. It should hone an individual’s skills and bring out the latent potential. People like Einstein, Periyar, Charlie Chaplin and Anees Salim, a more recent example, were not part of the formal education system. Self-introspection, clarity about one’s passion and hard work helps one reach great heights. Education would be more fruitful if it stimulates such introspection.
For a change to take place, it is equally important that people and society as a whole do not view education in a materialistic sense. Education is something more profound.
Madhumitha C. is a I year student of M.A. English Literature at Ethiraj College for Women
