seasonal

I Let’s celebrate
t was a dream come true. I
cherished the fact that I was
going to work for one of the
reputed newspapers and with
one of the best journalists. It
was day one, and I walked into the

development!
office, with head held high. I was
excited to meet my colleagues. I was
introduced to them. They were great
fun to be with, I thought.
I felt honoured to work with those
people whose writings I have
enjoyed. They stroke conversations
with me asking about my education
and career. These were attempts to They enjoy the
make me comfortable in the new luxury of 21st
place, I found.
Alas! The delight did not last long,
century but live
as the blow came in few minutes, with the attitude
“What’s your caste?” “Excuse me!
Why the hell you wanted to know
of 50s.
that?” I wanted to shout. But didn’t. I
tried hard to hide my disappointment
and anger that slipped as tears,
without help. I did not expect that
‘caste’ would bother the journalists
of this national newspaper, who
propagate caste as a social evil in
their writings. The feel of honour
was totally shattered.
The feel of honour and pride about
my people has let me down many
times and that was not the first.
When people kill each other over
religion, when they ill treat the other
over caste, when they discriminate
over gender and when they suppress
the other over power, I lost hope in
my people. And when I bribed the
quality education and high paid jobs. development, when our fundamental
traffic policeman for violating traffic
These educated Indians are still in the rights of civil liberties such that all
rules, I lost respect for myself.
50s, where the country was divided by Indians can lead their lives in peace
In 60 years of Independence, India languages, caste and creed. They enjoy as citizens of India is enjoyed by
brought heaven into the country in the luxury of 21st century but live with every citizen. Let us believe that
the name of luxury, quick heals and the attitude of 50s. the six fundamental rights of right
fast money. But these years had not to equality, right to freedom, right
The education we offer should
changed people. Don’t you think I against exploitation, right to freedom
not only take our people to a high
am referring to the innocent people of religion, cultural and educational
standard of living, but also to a high
from any remote village who have rights and right to constitutional
standard of thinking. That’s what I
not seen a bit of these ‘development’, remedies are not just in papers.
call as true development.
defined by the first world countries. I
am referring even to those in the urban, Let us hope when we step into the
who had the privilege to get the first 61st Independent year, we see true Keerthana Raj
32 ed matrix august 2008
seasonal
I Something is missing!
ndia’s education system is
considered to be one of the
best. We have produced great
scientists, economists, and
businessmen who are admired
world over.
We have one of the best institutions,
under the names, IIT and IIM, whose
students are in demand among the
prominent MNCs. We produce the
finest engineers and doctors who
comprise most of the Indians working
abroad. A lot of foreign students take
India as their education destination.
These milestones mark the happy
side of the system. We
have another side too,
in fact a larger one, the
sad side.
Education and
access to education
is restricted only
to the creamy layer
of the society. Almost
53% of children in India
do not go school according to
a June 2008 statistics, which is
certainly not a happy news for a
developing nation like India. The
number is more than half the total
population!
With most of the enthusiastic and
energetic student mass turning to
engineering, we have only a meager
mass that turn to teaching. There are
about 350 universities and 18,000
colleges providing higher education
to just 10% of the relevant age
group in the country. The cities have
schools in every nooks and corners
while the villages have schools
that require children to travel a
considerable distance.
Well, these issues have been dealt
at length from all angles in the past
decades and government bodies like
National Knowledge Commissions
are trying every means to fill
this gaps.
Our concern here, in this article, is not
the reach but the quality. India has
32
The thing that is missing is not just access to
education, but also our understanding of education
Education should
teach children how
to face a failure,
how to cope up
with a problem, how
to lead a team and
how to carry oneself
forward.
business. While parents
see education as a means to see
their children as doctors and
engineers, children see it as a
burden of childhood.
There are a lot of short comings
from the government side and a
institutions
lot more from the parent-teacher-
sporadically
children triangle.
spread and a
huge human The boy who has the will power to
resource; but, score first mark in all examinations
they are either does not have the courage to address
incompetent or a mass. A parent who fulfills a
wrongly placed. child’s material dreams is not able
to understand his interest in fields
We have school
other than text books. A teacher
buildings, but with no
who can motivate a child to reach
toilet facilities. We have classroom
higher altitudes in studies is not able
facilities, but with many dropouts.
to help another child to get over his
We have staff but they are either
psychological problems.
not interested in teaching or they do
not teach to the extent of developing Education should teach children how
an interest in the subject for the to face a failure, how to cope up
students. with a problem, how to lead a team
and how to carry oneself forward.
Government see education as a
It should concentrate on the overall
department that needs an allocation
development of a child and not just
in budget. While private schools
on how to score marks.
concentrate on marks, private
colleges see educating as a good Keerthana Raj
ed matrix july 2008
seasonal

T
he first day of school

rises with the deafen-
ing alarm. The clock
had not cried for nearly
two months and you
prayed it never rang, when you slept
last night. The morning rises with a
mixed feelings – of excitement and
gloom. Excitement because of the
fact that you can meet friends and
show off all your new stuff to them
on the first day and gloom because
the summer holiday is over and you
are back to assignments and tests.
Same with the parents. In one way
they are happy because school hour
means peaceful home sans the glass
breaking cricket balls and com-
plaining neighbour kids. On the
other hand they are sad on the re-
turn of routine and the hustle bustle
morning hours.
Many enter the school with a number
of resolutions. It could range from:
‘study well’, ‘do home works regu-
larly’, ‘get good name from teacher’,
‘make many friends to not to sleep in
class’, ‘not to get caught while copy-
ing’, ‘not to do graffiti in the toilets’,
‘not to bunk classes’ and ‘not to leap
from the compound wall in a hurry
to go home’.
A good number of the students must
be going through the blues of transi-
tion. Transition from home to school,
elementary to middle school, middle
to high school, and high school to
college or work. Blues of additional
subjects, board exams, hostels, ca-
reer world, growing competition and
the subsequent pressure welcomes
the new academic year.
On the other side, back to school
means fun: new friends, new teachers,
new books and new attire. Here is yet
another chance to outperform your
last year performances. Exciting
assignments and subsequent
appreciation of good work. A chance
to participate in more competitions. If
you are moving to higher secondary,
you are luckier. It feels good to be a
32
BACK TO SCHOOL
senior. You could grab one of those
office bearer posts and spin around
accomplishing challenges.
If you are one who is moving
to college life, heave a sigh of
relief, that there is going to be less
control, and no more uniform.
Staying in hostel means thrill of
independent life.
Transition has a considerable
psychological impact on the human
mind. To the fearful it is threatening
because it means that things may
get worse. To the hopeful it is
encouraging because things may get
better. To the confident it is inspiring
because the challenge exists to make
things better.
In the coming academic year
• Study and develop new technical
and human skills.
• Seek out people; link up with
learners. Ask questions about how
people learned new ways.
• Push yourself beyond your com-
fort zone. Free yourself from the pull
of the old ways. Tell yourself that
there must be a better way.
ed matrix june 2008
• You can never be sure of every-
thing when you are going through
change. Cautious people want to
wait until they have all the informa-
tion. But you must take action now.
• Allow yourself to act on the
best information you have. Follow
your hunches. Go to a conference
or read something you do not usu-
ally explore.
The degree of adjustment depends on
the mindset. Manage the increased
pace of life by planning ahead, being
realistic, and maintaining a positive
attitude.
Change is constant. Change is a way
of life. Keeping yourself afloat in
the face of change demands new
skills, beyond what you learned in
school. You need to assess the ability
to respond quickly and flexibly
to new demands. As life becomes
more complex, adapting and
embracing new ideas, behaviours,
and thought patterns will become
increasingly important.
Keerthana Raj