‘Empowering teachers is key for change’

AK MISHRA tells you why is it important to have quality education

Even though many initiatives taken by the Government have rising the enrollment numbers, but the actual education seems to be a bit lagging in some or the other way. Quality education is one issue that not only affects the children of today but also the future of India as well in terms of growth.

Many qualitative and quantitative initiatives were taken this year in the education system that has brought a revolutionary change. Technology and education has been merged and focus is on giving technology driven education. Our country has strived for this quality education since very long.

2017 has witnessed a rapid rise in the evolution of technologies and its integration with the education industry. This not only improves student-to-student interaction, listening and aptitude skills but also enhance students’ involvement. This will effectively help them to grasp and understand the concept. The following benefits will help them better in understanding their role in the society:

• Encourage curiosity and creativity
• Enhance student involvement
• Improves general aptitude
• Boosts self belief and confidence

But lack of adaptability to the changes in many schools has been a hindrance in the development of a better education system in our country.

Our education system is facing immense pressure in learning these new innovations. Certain approaches and issues that are still to be worked on may be this year or next. Due to abject delivery of education across few states, people have been losing faith in public schools. Inadequate infrastructure and the dropping number of people opting for the role of teaching is on the rise especially since March 2017.

Employability is another issue that refrains in the Indian education system which is unlikely to be corrected with the intervention of sporadic policies but needs a drastic restructure.

• Poor accountability: With the lack of a risk reward system, a teacher’s encouragement to improve their students performance has been just a matter of personal choice which otherwise is their fundamental duty. While looking at the board results in 2017 across the Indian states, students’ performance in these exams seems awful. There were many schools in Punjab with not even a single student obtaining pass marks. Only one student in Himachal Pradesh got distinction out of one lakh students who passed. Pass percentage across many other states coming down, none of the schools came forward to take accountability for the poor performance. 
• Quality education is missing: Another reason that withdraws our presence among other countries in terms of education is the quality. People have a priority to get good education so private schools are focused. But not all can afford costly schooling for their kids and with poor quality education being provided in some schools, nobody is to be blamed. 
• Maximum school drop outs: The ratio of students dropping out after high schools were elevated which can also be attributed to lack of creativity, skills and employability. Students from a low economic background do not find a reason to continue their studies that may fetch them a job and instead they opt for vocational trainings to generate a source of income atleast. Expenses rendered for many people during the schooling may be a certain validation for drop outs this year.
• Reformation that may enhance our education system

 Technology can only help in improvement of learning but it won’t solve the problem. Trusting and empowering teachers is the key for change and improvement. Co-learning should be encouraged rather than hyper-competitiveness. Apart from learning, school should also aim in developing good human beings for the society. Public education should be given. Knowing the economic aims of our country, will help students understand better about the Nation’s development.

• Develop new skills: Emphasise should be laid more on data-driven education techniques enabling students to learn new skills rather than just mugging up.
• Ethical values: The aim should be to develop today’s students with ethical values for a better human being of future. Including ethics and vocational training in the curriculum will be beneficial.

The writer is Chairman, Chanakya IAS Academy