EDUCATION - I

 

                                                          EDUCATION - I

                    Preamble:

 

                    The impetus to touch upon this theme came from a youngster, currently teaching in a college.  This prelude is not to imply that I have no desire to do this. For some not-so-clear reason, this theme had eluded me all along. I feel that, some clarity on the intricacies that go with the theme would help our understanding the concept. Quite often one hears the statement “Our education System needs thorough change”. Generally the statement emanates. Perhaps my ability to comprehend this idea is rather low and I have not perceived the justification. To me this is close to another reputed lofty statement issued by heads of states after a summit “We discussed issues of bilateral value in mutual interest to ensure peace and tranquility in the region” as if peace and tranquility can be so readily achieved. These utterances are more ritualistic than realistic. Possibly our graduates and post-graduates by their inept styles of functioning embolden the shameless politician to dwell on a theme that honest educationists dare not to dabble with unless absolutely warranted. Those advocating revamp fail to take cognizance of the purpose of education. In my humble opinion, any revamping has to address precisely the values being targeted. In this context, our examination system deserves being looked in to with a national policy. Also ours is the “bad” system whose products are flocking to west for greener pastures. If ours is a bad system, how is it that the west looks for our Engineers,

                      Medical/paramedical  personnel, Technocrats, Software solution providers, Scientists and other specialists? They may brand our youngsters as being lured by money. We are unable to hold them back. Why?

                      There is no honest accommodation for the merited or the talented. There is also the risk of the meritorious candidate for being casually humiliated in every possible way. No one talks of revamping these maladies. Education and law are the areas where “outsiders” will dictate terms and offer free advice when they have nothing else to dabble with. Why they are reckoned as “outsiders” is, they have not systematically practised these avocations for long years. They are not thorough with the prospects of dislocations that may emerge.  My lamentation is we have lost sight of the purpose of education. Without recognizing the purpose, it is futile to sit in judgment over an issue for its relevance. I deem it vital to look at the total philosophy of education if we sincerely wish proper reforms. In this attempt let me consider the broad purposes of education that have been significantly destroyed unconsciously by our ambience. Education has been mistaken as the job provider. At best it is a step to equip and not to provide. On this surmise of “providing the job” people tend to value the process of education. There is a clear lack of perception to understand the difference between the qualified and the educated. Often we come across qualified people who are not “educated” in the honest sense of the term. To perceive these we may have to understand the various steps and strategies that are in-built in an Education scheme. We have come into the habit of taking the chaff, leaving the grain. This is because people have value for education but not the respect it deserves.  

                

                    The origin.

                     Under the British rule, a system of education was formulated on the then model

                     in Britain. The rulers had to recruit local personnel on their administrative 

                    machinery. The then citizens were not “equipped” for the purpose. How much of 

                    time, money, labour and resources should have been devoted to create a formal

                   pattern of education? How did they surmount the language barrier between the 

                   teacher and the taught? It should have been a task to infuse the desired standard 

                  into our people with language as a barrier. Yet it was done with a missionary zeal. 

                 Once these locals found their berths in the government, the idea of education for 

                employment got registered.             

                     To continue                                                                    Prof. K. Raman