Education in India

Education in India needs to improve on 2 parameters – the no. of people who have access to education needs to go up and those who get education need to get a better version of it. The first area is where Government and Public-Private collaboration of a massive scale needs to be undertaken. The second area is where I want to make a difference. In the current system, it is enough for students to read the chapters of their text book, learn answers to the questions at the end and regurgitate them in exams that move them to the next level. There is little being done to spur curiosity, to inspire discovery and to develop well-rounded individuals. Educational qualifications and knowledge bear little correlation.

We lack a vision of an ideal student – he is described more in terms of his behavior than his capabilities. The absence of the right vision means no clear definition of the means needed to achieve it. If we define our ideal student in terms of:

I. Capability
1. Multi-faceted skills
· Knowledge beyond text books
· Active in sports
· Can appreciate fine arts (music, dance, painting, sculpting etc)

2. Perspicacious
· Can analyze information and develop an independent point of view

II. Appearance

1. Civil Behavior
Makes the world around him a better place to live in. This is a wide ranging area that spans from respecting social hygiene (garbage, spitting, urinating at appropriate places) to social interaction (traffic rules, queues, courteous conversations)

2. Personal hygiene

Cleanliness in clothes and body (Body odor, Bad breath)

This needs efforts on 4 fronts –
1. Curriculum improvement to make it more well-rounded and experiential.
2. Teacher training to enable them to instill a sense of curiosity in students and help them discover vs. learning by rote
3. Parent education to enable a learning environment beyond school.
4. Supplementing school curriculum with after-school and holiday activities.

Credit: Picture on top from Getty Images