by: Mohd Ishaq shah
Education, in this postmodern era, has become a paralyzed child at the mercy of nature/God or kings/monarchs or systems. Professionalism seems to be vanishing day in and day out. It‘s being reduced just to promotional processing or making ads. Now and then social media is overloaded with a huge stuff of activities and programs, but at the end of the day, it is seen that the result is the reverse.
Human values and morals are going down to the earth. It is only sow and pomp that is exhibited. The only thing that seems to be in vibes is the rising cost of schooling like a scarce commodity. Religion has been put behind bars and spirituality has been tied with a rope of materialistic fiber. The labor laws are not in practice, justice seems to seek justice mighty. Accountability has been put in the sack. Corruption has been legitimized. Righteousness has been murdered since.
Isn’t it a matter of introspection for all of us why is education just a waste of time, energy, and resources? And shouldn’t we think about where we are leading our nation? Every year our governments at the union/UT level spend a budget of millions/ billions on the infrastructure of the education sector and the salary of employees. Not to talk of Govt. sector, but the private sector where there totally a business motive parents consume their hard earnings on the education of their children. Ultimately we are disappointed to see the future of our children who after being graduates/post graduates/ doctorates or post-docs run from pillar to post in search of a job. The irony of the situation becomes visible when we see a doctorate holder applying for the post of Group D. This is all due to the faulty education system wherein a child is never told about the realities of his future life. Where he is never told about the failure. Where he is never taught how to stand after all. Where he is told only to cheat others for the sake of false grades.
The Student-Teacher relationship has deteriorated to a maximum level. Students are no longer submissive and subordinate to their teachers. The irony of the fact is that the relationship has been reversed to the extent that a teacher has to survive at the mercy of students. Although preventive acts like POCSO, Anti-child harassment ordinances, anti-corporal punishment acts, etc have improved a lot of children’s safety and security. But, at the same time, such ordinances have inspired and rather provoked children folk in a negative sense that they misuse such security provisions and it is the teacher who is to be given safety and security instead of a child. The other face of this tragic coin is that the administrators use these provisions to suppress their subordinates only to satisfy their official ego which however yields negative results when a matter is verified at the judicial level.
However, we can’t afford to advocate a free hand to teachers as there have been causalities inside institutions and there have been elopement cases as well. The most tragic experiences have come from religious schools where the teachers would punish the students ruthlessly and where some sexual harassment cases have also been reported. But, matter of fact, giving a free hand to children has more negative consequences that than giving it to teachers. As it said excess of everything is bad. And such persons are dealt with strictly as per the judicial provisions. Talking in a general sense this all has resulted in arrogance and disobedience among the student community. The treatment of students by the teacher community is that of a cruel master.
The evaluation process of the whole education system is just a tragic comedy. On the one side, it is encouraging for students, and on the other side, it is just an illusion to the parent community. Copying and proxy are still in vogue. Sometimes it appears that the management is encouraging it themselves with the only intention to show excellent results. And the due contribution to it is on the part of incompetent teachers/masters/lecturers/professors. The tragedy reaches its climax when such teachers pretend to be well-wishers of students and give feedback about their colleagues who are strict towards students and wish to give them a sense of reality and practicality which at once adds fuel to the fire and also severity to this tragic taste.
I can’t help saying that a wrong connotation of justice is being interpreted by the innocent community. The tragedy reaches its climax at the time undeserving get adjusted and deserving ones lag from what Thomas Hardy says: Far from the Madding Crowd. I feel compelled to quote a popular essayist and philosopher – Francis Bacon: It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships lost, a pleasure to see in the window of a castle, and to see a battle and the adventures thereof below: but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth and to see the errors and wanderings and, mists and tempests, the vale below; so always this perspective with pity, and not with swelling or pride. Certainly, it is heaven upon earth to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth. [ Of Truth]
If we are ready to face the truth like Socrates would face death very bravely and daringly, we have to acknowledge the truth that we have to change our ways and attitudes. The system needs to be overhauled and repaired. Professional training must prevail and strict limitations must be put on those playing the lion and fox game inside the educational institutes, training institutes, academies, etc. The management must be made responsible and accountable concerning ensuring the provision of real education to the young generation and be punished for putting them in a dilemma by showing them dreams during the day.
The author is a teacher by profession. He can be mailed at ishaq7007@gmail.com
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