“The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future” –
Plato
Picking on this quotation by Plato, I will speak my mind onthe reasons, why majority of our kids are not utilizing their true potential tothink, learn, grow and become creators, innovators for our future.
Problems we face
Address the problem at the grassroots level wherein, when akid gets a direct admission in class 1st of a government school, the intellectof that kid doesn’t make him eligible to put him in it without proper groomingand through basic education prior to the commencement of this long formaleducation.
Secondly, I have found out that in government schools thereis no policy of detainment which allows the children to be promoted to the nexthigher classes even if they fail in their unit and annual examinations. This Isee as a big problem when we know that the intellect of the failed childdoesn’t befit him to be promoted and needs more time to grow their logic andcreative, critical thinking capabilities with respect to the classes they arein.
This is rather strange when it’s certain that the childwon’t really do the justice to the studies if they are to be promoted andconsidering there are high chances that the child will fail again and therebymaking it a continuous process till he reaches the 8th standard and here he hasto compete with the rest of students of the valley. Moreover, the questionwhich we should be actually asking is that, has the child really grown hisintellect to the extent, for him to be in this standard?
Solutions to the problems
As for the first problem I talked about, I see the poor andimproper utilization of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)programme which is centrally sponsored where not only the pre-school educationis provided but also food, primary healthcare, immunization, health check-upsare provided to children below the age of 6 years. So, if this scheme isutilized to the maximum the kids who sought the admissions in 1st class wouldhave had the prior grooming and got the basic education to make themintellectually eligible to get an admission and thereby making them grow theirminds more with each passing class.
The second problem of detainment I mentioned, I see itco-related with the solution I provided for the first problem. If there is aneffective utilization of the ICDS scheme, then there are less chances of achild failing in their examinations because their intellect would have grownwell for them to understand their lessons and passing them. Also, I think thepolicy on detainment should been revisited and thought over again to ensurethat we breed minds who really have the potential to become creators andinnovators of tomorrow and not that we see children who can’t simply think.
More suggestions
The suggestions I will put forth would be achieved well ifthe teachers utilize their funds efficiently under the Teaching LearningMethods (TLM) programme. To enlighten you, this programme allots funds yearwise to every individual teacher to buy stuffs which would make teaching andlearning more easy and effective. Though, I must mention the funds allotted aremeager and I urge the government to raise it, so that the kids are taught moreeffectively and efficiently without any constraints.
Here are some of things we need to focus more on:
• Use oftools that will stimulate creativity. Inclusion of playful games and visualexercises excite young minds and capture their interests.
• Inclusionof audio and video tools to supplement textbooks.
• Relatingand demonstrating through real-life situations will make the material easy tounderstand and learn.
• Brainstorming,which will put all the minds focus on a single idea and will result indiscussions in the classrooms.
I hope, I have touched and addressed the issue in a mannerwhich it demanded and I seek more suggestions and involvement from you peopleto make our education system more effective.