Thomas Friedman has written about the age of acceleration. But as far as the state of primary education in India is concerned, we are in an age of deceleration. Quality has become the victim of a decrepit system
Well-known columnist and celebrated author Thomas l Friedman, widely known for his earlier treatise, The World is Flat, has now come up with a 485-page book, Thank You for Being late, which he elaborates on the cover page as “An Optimistic Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations”. He uses two phrases very frequently: Age of Disorder; and Age of Acceleration. Friedman insists that “we are living through one of the greatest inflection points in history”, as “the three largest forces on the planet — technology, globalization, and climate change — are all accelerating at once”. The two phrases and three forces deserve to be examined in the specific national and regional contexts, independently of the logic presented by Friedman on a global canvas.
In India, we have, individually and collectively, witnessed the growing disorder, chaos and confusion practically in every area of human endeavour and action found necessary for the growth and development of the nation and its people. We are no more a nation of illiterates; we are inheritors of a great globally-acknowledged tradition of knowledge-quest and a philosophy that accepts noble thought from all around, and that there is nothing more pious and pure than knowledge and wisdom.
Why are we not able to manage our education system efficientlyIJ Without that, we are certainly destined to lag behind those who have geared up to meet the demands of the ‘age of accelerations’.
One would like to do so in the present context of Indian education which effectively determines the quality in every sector of human endeavour and activity. With all the laudable achievements in expanding access of education across the board, as also retention in schools at elementary school, there are serious gaps in educational developments in India and hence, in the future readiness of the nation. Essentially, it is the primary/elementary education that should be a matter of prime concern to policy-makers. It is in total disarray and disorder for a majority of the children of that age group. Only the weaker sections of society out their children there.
It is the private schools — known as public schools in India — that fleece the parents unscrupulously — which have become the craze not only amongst the affluent class but also the aspiring middle class. The decision-makers, policy-implementers, and even the teachers of sarkari schools admit their children in these public schools. As a consequence, Government schools are a neglected lot and no one is worried about improving the situation there.
Everyone talks about the Annual Status of Education Report reports by Pratham that indicate shockingly low levels of learner attainments in Government schools, but nothing changes. State Governments are more interested in conserving resources by appointing teachers on honorarium basis, avoid the process of regular recruitment.
On paper everything is fine, but a visit to Government Teacher Training Schools and the state of disorder and neglect would be the first to attract one’s attention. Poorly trained teachers just cannot produce quality manpower. When the world is talking of pace of change and times of accelerations, the Indian education system is oblivious to the damage being inflicted on it, if over 60 per cent of the children in schools are not getting acceptable levels of quality education and skill acquisition. As the demand for admissions in private high-fee charging schools ‘accelerates’, the promise — and process — of equality of opportunity to all decelerates. The wedge, resulting out of the economic status of the parents, creates unacceptable levels of socio-economic and cultural divides. In the 21st century, no nation can just allow it to happen, and continue to boast of higher literacy rates, more schools universities and teachers.
Revert to 1960s: Government schools were the most sought-after by the public; teachers were available and most of them led a value-based life under the influence of Gandhian values. It was considered a pious obligation to complete the prescribed courses. Practical board examinations were conducted with full sincerity and honesty and students were diligent and willing to learn.
While the educationally-alert nations have moved far ahead over the last six decades, in India, the irony is it would be a Herculean task even to bring back the work culture of the sixties in Government schools. We all want English medium schools, and there are enthusiastic providers and entrepreneurs ready to ‘offer’ (read sell) education to everyone, according to one’s paying capacity, and craze to get rid of mother-tongue-medium schools! It is tuition, coaching, leakage of examination papers, scandals like Vyapam that have visibly diluted the faith of the young and the old in the systemic competence to manage educational institutions. Well, there are encouraging exceptions, but it is the disorder that overshadows the contributions of institutions, and individuals, who have managed to keep pace with times. Not only that, they have also realised that you just cannot relax even for a day without the risk of being left behind. And that is what justifies the description of the age of accelerations. Still more comprehensive would be to name it the ‘age of unpredictable and accelerations’. Disorder is guaranteed.
Over the last seven decades, India has enhanced its literacy rates from around 20 per cent to nearly 75 per cent at present. It is a commendable achievement as the population rose by more than three times during this period. But the negatives multiply faster and mercilessly overshadow the genuine achievement. Rural India, the India of the deprived and marginalised, was ignored and left to fend for itself. The resourceful and those in power created a separate system for themselves, and it is functioning merrily for the select privileged group.
What happened to forests, agriculture, lakes, rivers, indigenous water conservation practices and reservoirs, indigenous crafts, production skills, fine arts, traditional artisans, and all that constitutes the souls of societal living; and also earning an honest livelihoodIJ
In chaotic conditions, none has the time to think what is happening around — around India, amongst its neighbours, and globally. The strategy to keep pace with times and change can be evolved only if these are known, understood and analysed. It just cannot be the responsibility only of the Prime Minister or his Ministers or the Government. It is civil society, and independent think-tanks, that can dispassionately judge the extent of disorder and distance to be travelled to keep pace with those accelerating ahead of us.
(The writer is former Director of NCERT)