Children - Mark Making Machines???

The genesis of education system is undoubtedly the gurukulas where students stayed with their teachers, helping them in their household works, and in the same time practicing their vidyas. The gurukulas portrayed the real meaning and enthusiasm of education. Each student was biased on the basis of his skill in different fields. The inborn talents of each student was encouraged and digged out of him by the gurus. There was no weak student then, as each student excelled in one field or the other. THIS IS EDUCATION. Harnessing the strengths and weaknesses of each student and making him supreme in what he is good at.

But education has evolved in the past few centuries and has finally reached the present system. But the sad part is, along with education, its meaning also evolved in the meantime. It has changed from LEARNING and UNDERSTANDING to MARKS and COMPETETION. Competetion among parents, comepetion among teachers, competition among institutions, and children are mercilessly pressurized in the maelstrom.

The most somber part is that students are biased from just one criteria ie marks. Children are treated by parents and teachers as mark making machines, where, if you oil them more frequently, they produce better results. Hence for better marks, children are given extra teaching like tuitions, coaching camps etc. Children are made so busy that they just don’t find time to brush up their talents.

Another problem with the system is the heavy syllabus. The syllabus is so large that it cannot be fed to a student properly in one year. Teachers race through topics, and students mug it up not understanding the concepts clearly. Education means learning but nothing of that sort id taking place in the present pattern. The students who score top marks, as I’ve observed spend most of their time in front of books (there are minor exceptions though). This may damage their brain, health and socializing skills. In short, the system is shaping up a generation of MENTALLY RETARDED ACADEMIC GENIOUSES.

We often read students committing suicides, kids running away from home, teenagers being too much aggressive etc. in the newspaper. We have also witnessed the rise of use of abusive language among even small children. I’d say the system has played a major role in this. Too much pressure often take children away from parents and in turn take them to wrong routes.
Once I happened to hear an education officer speaking to students in a symposium that the pressure on students is not because of parents or teachers but because of the system and that they have to get used to it. If the fucking officer knew the system is creating loads of pressure to students, then why the hell is he asking to get used to it? Why not change it?

Parents do not find time to have a friendly chat with their ward as they are busy preparing study time tables and giving career advice. Education does not mean making formulas by heart alone, but it is the understanding of living in this tough world. Unfortunately schools don’t teach that sort of things, so you need to do it yourself.
All The Best.