Primary education in the schools is the foundation of every child-life, on which strong higher education can be achieved. India has a very high population and quality primary education can only make these numbers as assets for the country. Every individual should be able to contribute to the economy, growth, and culture of the country.
India is a country with different mother-tongues, spoken in different states. Almost all states have their own unique language, which is being practiced in their house by all the family members. Even if they are residing in other states, they speak in their mother-tongues in their house. Children learn mother tongue from other family members very easily by day to day listening and watching them all around.
English medium learning has become difficult for most of the students, as it is not being spoken in their homes and in their neighbourhoods. So, additional tuition has become a must after school hours. The time available for other extracurricular activities, hobbies, entertainment, would be used up by these additional tuition classes. Ultimately stressful life for children and parents would result and they would not be able to come out of this vicious circle developed by Macaulay to keep Indians slave of British rule. Childhood and teenage may not be enjoyed by the majority of the children anymore, as even Sundays, Holidays and Vacation go in for additional tuition classes to learn all the subjects in English.
India had a very good GURUKUL education system in the early days, which was Bhartiya Paramparaa. MACAULAY education system introduced by British rulers for their gain in India and which is being followed even after independence till today. Higher education is not available in HINDI or in other Indian state languages, as TEXTBOOKs are not being written or translated in Indian state languages. This difficulty resulted in the killing of Indian languages slowly now and ENGLISH medium education is taking over. The new generation will not be able to read and write in their own mother tongue after a few years.
These days most of the students go to the school as well as go to the tuition classes for extra coaching of every subject, even from standard first itself. During secondary and higher secondary school, they would leave their hobbies, games, music, dance, and entertainment. They concentrate 24X7 on formal school curriculum based on the study of the textbook only. This has resulted in a loss of interest among students towards academics, including life values and respect for education and teachers. The exam system mainly checks the memory of students more than their understanding of the subjects. The focus has to shift from marks-based evaluation to knowledge-based evaluation.
The languages marks are not being included in merit marks for higher education admission to colleges and universities, so students and parents are not giving much importance to learning the languages. The students face difficulties due to poor command over languages, during higher education, presentation, communications, interviews, etc..
Ultimately students get certificates and degrees, but unable to get employment or unable to start their own business. Informative knowledge is now available with a click of a key/button, through the use of internet and computer technology. Information exploration has been made easy by search engines like GOOGLE. The correct spelling is made easy with the help of spell-check technology. Computation of difficult formulas is made easy with a calculator, customized software as well as excel-spreadsheet.
So, there is an urgent need to change the way education is being imparted. Along with informative theory education, additional practical and applied education needed. Life skills, as well as professional and vocational skills, are needed through practical hands-on experiences. Audio-visual technology can help a lot in making education very interesting with colors, images, and videos. Educational visits, out of the classroom to different places to understand the subjects by seeing, listening and experiencing can help a lot. Children are very fast to understand new things with the help of new technology. Education is not to be only focused on earning more money and having more and more materialistic wealth, but moral values, relationships, patriotism, art, and culture also.
So now, let us change the way education is imparted. Students should have a choice of how-to and where they want to learn to depend on individual capabilities and interest and financial resources. Government and all the political parties and the politicians should think of students’ life, although they are directly not the immediate vote-bank for them.
I request you all to support and promote MaaBole Shikshan Prakriyaa (Mother-tongue Education process) to replace Macaulay Education System in the interest of our children and our country. The soft copy of my book will be sent FREE on email to interested persons.
Author_ Dr. Jyot Mohan
Inidan Institute of Management Alumni & PhD in Marketing
doctorjyot@gmail.com
