BURDEN OF EDUCATION

If there is anything that needs to be drastically reformed in our country, apart from our politicians, it is our educational system. True education is that which leads human souls to what is best and also brings out the best in them. Not the present system, that emphasizes more on bookish knowledge, compromising and stifling the growth of a child, as an individual in his own distinct way.

The experience (of education) once considered as “Ennobling and Enlightening” has become more of an ordeal now. This ordeal begins as early as the age of three, when parents go through the elaborate process of admission including interviews, both for the child and the parent. What purpose these interviews serve is something that remains an enigma to this day because the child is too young to be judged by his intelligence and it is only obvious that parents put forth their best on such occasions. So why this fracas?

From here in starts the drilling of the child. Young and supple fingers are made to hold pencils double their size and practice pages of writing, the reasoning being ‘we have to catch them young’. Any child that refuses to go along with this regime is considered slow, making agitated parents to further pressurize the child in being part of the herd.

With slightly older children, the sight of those young shoulders being burdened by kilos of books is heart breaking. Apart from the tedious hours at school, the child has the Herculean task of tackling homework, not to mention the endless rounds of tuition classes. In yesteryears tuition classes were recommended for naughty kids who paid less attention in class or for those slow learners, needing the extra bit of coaching. Not anymore!

Tuition classes are the order of the day for all and sundry, not because the children are dull but more because the teaching is. Weekends are of course the only time the children get to indulge in sporting or cultural activities of their (is it really theirs?) choice. As a result we have a generation of drained out kids thrust with too much too early.

Education should be knowledge – based, being instrumental in stimulating and nurturing individual talents and liking. Exams these days are no more a yardstick to evaluate one’s intelligent quotient but the capacity to memorize and reproduce, giving no scope to imagination or understanding. Children are made to cram in totally uninteresting topics, which would serve them no purpose in practical life.

Parents and society are partly to be blamed for this depressing scenario. Society considers a person educated only if he or she completes a certain amount of education within a stipulated time, immaterial of his aptitude or suitability. Parents succumb to this pressure and feel ashamed if their child does not conform to these dictates. With the result that a child with exceptional talent in a different field is curbed totally to live up to societal expectations.

The formative years of every child is literally butchered due to these pre-conceived notions. The present system hardly leaves them any time to explore other avenues, allowing restlessness and boredom to creep in.

Formal education is no doubt, absolutely essential. But if the education a child gets does not help him progress in life, both personally and professionally, its purpose is totally defeated. We are thus left with a generation of frustrated and depressed youngsters, simply because they are unable to put their education to effective use.

Revamping our education system should be given top priority by the Govt., simply because the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow who will be the driving force behind the country’s progress. [ Guess this has been said 'n ' number of times before....even i feel sick as i write! ] If they have a happy and healthy childhood their contribution would certainly be all the better because learning in one’s youth is like engraving on a stone.

IDIOT = COFFEE

I seem to make friends in the strangest of situations. This happened in the recent past during a visit to the airport. I don’t know the reason but I particularly love the time spent on railway stations or airports when you hang around waiting to receive someone. You have all the time to observe the people around you and the way each reacts to any given situation.

This was one of those days when you start early from the house to reach the airport on time, anticipating heavy traffic en route, and to your surprise are blessed with an easy uneventful drive. And the worse part was that the flight was delayed by a good one hour!

And while I was waiting I had a call from a dear good friend who had had a bad day and decided to pour it all out to me. In the course of our conversation, I tried to put some sense into making him realize how he had messed up his day by being stupid and hasty. In the process I kept repeating,"Subbu, don’t be an idiot!”

Perfectly aware of the surrounding I was in, I had kept my voice pretty low…or so I thought!

But it seemed to have been clearly audible to a gentleman standing in close proximity…

After I finished my conversation he smiled at me and I smiled at him…I thought that it was one of those smiles that says,"Yeah I know how bugging it is to wait outside like this!"

But I was taken aback when, out of the blue, he said," I thought I wasn’t one …but you seem to be pretty sure that I am one. Now am having my own doubts"…and gave me one big smile!

For a moment I wasn’t sure what he was talking about! He then held out his hand and said," Hi. I am Subbu. Nice meeting you…..except that you seem to think I am an idiot"

Hahahahaha…in a flash it all came to light! His sense of humor really rocked and I couldn’t help laughing. And to my utter embarrassment he happened to hold one of the top portfolios with one of the IT giants in Chennai.

We got talking and the gentleman was kind enough to offer to buy me coffee while we waited.
And I jokingly told him that perhaps I was the first person to be treated to a hot cup of coffee for having called someone an idiot.

Strange are the ways of life… and how you meet people …or how you make friends with them! I may never meet this person again in my life but there was something very pleasant about the incident, which still brings a smile to my face!

Moral of the story: Never call any one by their name and scold them in public!