Our present system of education dates back to Charles Wood’s despatch of the mid-19th century. Since then several commissions of education — all headed by eminent educationists — have tried to tackle the problem of imparting to our students a good education (“ >Another brick in the wall ”, May 5).
The National Curriculum framework of 1995 has not been able to integrate the education system to make it more practical and fruitful. It is because too many States have their own myopic approach to education. Apart from the Bihar incident of March 18, I know of various unfair methods adopted to get around the Board examination. For example, answers to the questions are written on the black board in the examination hall with the connivance of the supervisor. When will we have education for wholesome learning and living and not education for testing?
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While the writer has highlighted several of the shortcomings, he stops short of providing an alternative model, which is disappointing. In this context, I am reminded of a film, “Pay it forward”, which focusses on a beautiful teacher-student relationship and the inspirational role that a sincere teacher can play in a student’s life. There is an urgent need for a serious rethink in terms of the goals of education.
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Navi Mumbai
No matter what grades one may get and no matter what position one might attain in life, it doesn’t guarantee the happiness of that individual and, consequently, those around him. A person can be happy only when he lives in balance and harmony with his environment, family and society. There are no tests in our present-day system of education to quantify and measure important virtues like empathy, compassion, sacrifice, integrity and kindness all of which play a significant role in living a meaningful life.
Monica Tripathi Shukla,
Mohali, Punjab
Education in India will remain mere ‘coaching for testing’ — and not even teaching — as long as our society continues to believe in career enhancement by means of degrees without education. The writer’s goals of autonomy, integrity and harmony, are not different from the age-old aim of education called character formation. Whatever labels we give it, that intangible dimension of value-based education has to be ensured for which society has to take education seriously. We need vision, commitment, planning and a strong resolve, failing which we will continue to scale more and greater heights in cheating and other such malpractices.
M.C. Sebastian,
Bengaluru
It is easier said than done when we criticise a system without offering workable suggestions. The writer bemoans the present system of education as “teaching for testing” without underlining a possible, practical alternative. Also surprising is his understanding of assessment based on grades and ‘ideal marks sheets’ gained through unfair methods. The procedure of selection in institutions of higher learning and decision-making in our country is still an uphill task for even the brightest minds nurtured in the best schools and colleges.
Aijaz Hussain Malik,
Baramulla, J&K