Education needs accountability

by Jemma Barsby Content Writer

In 2017, not too many changes took place in the Education Sector, other than the wave of digital education which has been good for the students as it brought study materials and question papers at a click of the button.

But to have a larger impact, we need to have the right infrastructure and people who know how to best use the technology. Who will teach those parents who don't know how to operate the Internet? There has to be a platform for them to get trained in using digital platforms for the convenience of their wards and themselves.

On the flip side, early intervention of gadgets into our children's lives is also bringing harm to them as they get access to gaming and social media platforms which are not meant for them at this age. Thanks to the overuse of the gadgets, the students' academic performance has come down drastically despite private tuitions after school. Parents need to understand that children have a short span of attention and they need to be fostered to become capable individuals. Providing them gadgets which keep them busy and reduce the attention payload of parents is not a good parenting measure.

It is imperative that parents communicate with their children about what careers they would want to pursue and help them achieve their dream. It is crucial that the young ones socialise offline and have a comprehensive spiritual, physical, emotional and intellectual development.

The first principle of education is nothing can be taught. Students should be self-taught. Once we bring out their potential, they will start realising the importance of education and use it accordingly for our and their benefit.

Inculcating values of honesty and integrity are mores that start at home. Parents fooling schools and giving fake Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates is a widespread corrupt practice which schools the child into believing that it is okay to lie.

A lot was done by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to streamline nursery admissions to private schools. All in good stead but at school, we saw many parents submitting EWS certificates. When we investigated their background, we found out that they earned Rs 5-Rs 10 lakh per annum through renting their houses and other means of work. When we refused them admission, they complained to the administration which, in turn, said to us that when parents have the EWS certificate, what is the issue in giving them admission? Getting an EWS certificate made is very easy. Now the nursery admissions are starting from today onwards (December 27), we will be getting many such cases. To identify and filter the genuine EWS category children, we need a mechanism for auditing and monitoring such cases.

Our Education system continues to be skewed with many deformities, including the totally juvenile CBSE Board. Our teacher pool is short and nothing is being done to spruce up faculties across the nation. The most important pillar of education is primary education which has continued to be ignored with much of the Government focus is on higher education, the IITs, the IIMs etc.

While the Government school infrastructure and teachers were under constant scrutiny, private education got more and more commercial with moneybags hijacking agendas in their bid to earn as much as possible and without any accountability. The earlier crop of education magnates who knew the sector well became a dying race.

If we talk about higher education, students who can afford quality education are opting to study abroad at renowned universities. And those who cannot afford are aiming for not less than IITs, IIMs, AIIMS etc. The biggest concern is students who are doing well in their various fields in India are aspiring to work in the foreign countries, leading to brain drain. These people innovated in other countries and only a handful of them researched and innovated in India. After 70 years of establishment of the institutions which are meant for research and development, we are unable to develop our strength in R&D or retain talent and workforces within India.

Education needs to be totally revamped. We need the right kind of education, run by genuine teachers and educators who are deeply involved in the sector. People who run this sector should understand all the four aspects of education primary, upper primary, secondary and technical education. We have to be accountable, strict and have mandatory teacher training capsules.

Education needs accountability - Education needs to be totally revamped We need the right kind of education, run by genuine teachers and educators who are deeply involved in the sector More info visit: http://www.dailypioneer.com/