"We need to de-traumatise it and reduce the burden on parents and children. We could, for instance, think of abolishing the class 10 board exam. Why does a child need to appear for a board exam in class 10 if he/she is continuing in the same school?"There a many things wrong in our education system - but eliminating competition in the name of "de-traumatising" is a huge mistake. In recent years, the world has woken up to the fact that India produces one of the largest numbers of technologists - scientists, engineers et al. In a U.S. Senate Committee Hearing on "Strengthening American Competitiveness", Bill Gates reportedly said:
"Unless we transform the American high school, we'll limit the economic opportunities for millions of Americans...we need to adopt more rigorous standards and set clear expectations. We must collect data that will enable students, parents and teachers to improve performance.And if we are going to demand more from our students, we'll need to expect more from teachers."Those in India who hold the US education system as epitomizing the best should keep in mind the statement by Senator Enzi made at the same hearing :
"A year ago I was in India. We were trying to find out why they graduate so many scientists and engineers. I did have one person that I thought had some great insight. They said that they didn't have any professional sports teams. (Laughter.) So the highest pay and the most prestige that they could get was being a scientist or an engineer or a doctor, something in that kind of field."Though almost farcical, there is a glimmer of truth in the statment that the votaries of "no stress" need to bear in mind.
The world does not seem to think there is much wrong with the Indian system. Japan has, seemingly, a cult following for "Indian" Maths.
A special reporter accompanying a business delegation from Japan in 2008 remarked
"After making a deep assessment of educational systems all over the world, particularly the developed countries, a majority of our educators have concluded that the teaching system in the Indian subcontinent can do wonders for Japan."A story erroneously attributed to Bill Gates is none the less correct in the extreme. Charles Sykes when writing an op-ed on dumbing down of school education commented:
Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. In some schools, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. Failing grades have been abolished and class valedictorians scrapped, lest anyone's feelings be hurt. Effort is as important as results. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.Is anyone listening?
5 comments:
We need to have more realistic system where a child is tought
about life improvement (protection) by knowing water conservation,soil conservation,or what so ever ecological need to improve life of his own village.
Education doesnt mean just obtaining a certificate or a degree(language+maths+science).Its incomplete without developing proper attitude,ability to understand and adaptability to accept changes.
We need some new system from begning to make a child more viabLe in indifferent situations,learn to live/fight with nature and above all "understand the value of time and money".
Your thoughts on the Indian education system are looking through a one eyed prism.
I will comment one the specific issue of abolishing 10th grade board exams which I support wholeheartedly. Creating competition just for its own sake serves no purpose. One can encourage competition without adding to stress.
Inidans need to understand that producing mediocre scientists and engnieers the best of whom get into banking and never into engineering to make big bucks does not constitute excellence.
Stumbled upon your blog. Hope you keep writing.
It is interesting that the Indian government is trying to remove the 10th board exam while at the same time the US Federal govt is trying to tie teacher compensation to their students' standardized test results (which is being met with huge resistance from teachers' unions in many states).
Also, interestingly, state wide standardized testing for children here is done every year. They are different from the board exams in India in that they don't test for each subject but for essentials like reading, writing, analytical and math. That said, they are state wide and kids get individual scores. However, neither the parents nor the children are stressed about them. Perhaps because they don't determine anything - choice of electives or admission to the right school or anything of that sort. Or perhaps because the average American parent doesn't obsess as much as the Indian parent. Although when it comes to college admissions, American parents do sort of approach that level of obsession.
Anand, I do not think removing exam stress at 10th standard level will necessarily reduce competitiveness of young Indians when they graduate and reach out on Earth.
Life, till at least 15 years of our age, should be as much stress-free as possible. After that, do what you have to.
It is not fair comparing India to US. Indians do well abroad not necessarily predominantly due to the fact that they have competed for marks when in school but due to their desperation and dedication to do be financially well off.
we wont have our own Bill Gates till he is relieved of bothering getting 90% in board, we have our own set of problem. Look at how we are doing in the sports arena except cricket. How much of our GDP comes from pure patent rights?
keep writing
Rahul Pareek
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