Everything Wrong with Our Education System - 2

First of all, I am really sorry for ending the last post abruptly. If you haven't read the first part, be sure to check it out by clicking here.

Well, continuing with the post, these are the phones that my mother used in the years 2006 and 2016 respectively.

As you may notice, in the past 10 years technology has enhanced rapidly and we need to keep ourselves updated if we want to be a part of the present world. So, why not our education system? Learning and memorizing the same things which were a part of the curriculum 10 years ago makes no sense. The curriculum is prepared by a group of people, deciding what millions of kids would be learning while sitting in a room, without any feedback from those whose life gets directly affected; the students.

Also, in the recent years, the trend of joining coaching centers for cracking entrance exams has seen exponential growth. The coaching industry in Kota was valued at Rs.300 crore in the year 2013. Parents pressurizing their kids to be like the toppers on the banners of each coaching center is considered normal, never realizing the burden of expectations they are placing on their child's shoulders.

I am currently 18 years old and I have spent on an average 6 hours a day 5 days a week of the last 16 years of my life, from pre-nursery to class 12, in school. Well, after so many years of education, I am still not eligible even for the job of a clerk or a peon. And yesterday, my friend sitting next to me spelled cousins as 'couzens'. So what's the point of so many years of formal education? In the words of the great poet Ralph Waldo Emerson,

"We are students of words: we are shut up in schools, and colleges, and recitation-rooms, for ten or fifteen years, and come out at last with a bag of wind, a memory of words, and do not know a thing." 

When I was a kid, I always wanted to read a lot of books from different genres; science fiction, adventure, action, etc. But as years went by, the thickness of textbooks kept on increasing and eventually I lost the interest and the curiosity to read or think anything beyond the curriculum.

I feel that quality education can be the solution to all of the world problems. Issues like global warming, poverty, overpopulation, gender inequality can be resolved if our schools teach students to become conscious citizens of the future.    

 

Some of the steps that can be taken for improving our education system are:

1. Finland's education system is considered to be the best in the world. Let's have a look at some of the things we can adopt in our education system:

• No child gets left behind. Growth and development of each student are given prime importance rather than competition.
• Kids have shorter school days, more recess time and no homework or standardized tests till they finish high school.
• Teachers get the same amount of respect as doctors, engineers, and lawyers. They also receive good salaries and are encouraged to conduct as many classes outside the classroom as possible.
• Problem-solving and learning things practically are given more importance than hours of lectures and memorization.

2. Students should be able to learn things at their own pace so that each and every student may have a brighter future rather than just the scholars.

3. Each and every student should be given equal opportunities and each talent should be equally appreciated.

4. The curriculum should be updated on a regular basis.

5. Finally, if students are allowed to explore their creativity they can live much happier lives and become successful individuals.

As Jean Piaget, a renowned Swiss psychologist quoted,

"The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered." 

So, that's all with the second and possibly the last part of 'Everything Wrong with Our Education System'. Don't forget to comment your views and suggestions.
Keep reading and keep smiling:)

References:
1. I JUST SUED THE EDUCATION SYSTEM | Prince EA
2. The interesting story of our education system | Adhitya Iyer | TEDxCRCE
3. The 3 Myths of the Indian Education System | Vijay Menon | TEDxThiruvananthapuram
4. 5 Reasons Why Finland Is A Global Education Leader | The Young Turks
5. Why School Makes Us Stupid | Freshtastical