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t was a dream come true. I cherished the fact that I was going to work for one of the reputed newspapers and with one of the best journalists. It was day one, and I walked into the office, with head held high. I was excited to meet my colleagues. I was introduced to them. They were great fun to be with, I thought. I felt honoured to work with those people whose writings I have enjoyed. They stroke conversations with me asking about my education and career. These were attempts to make me comfortable in the new place, I found.

Let’s celebrate development! They enjoy the luxury of 21st century but live with the attitude of 50s.

Alas! The delight did not last long, as the blow came in few minutes, “What’s your caste?” “Excuse me! Why the hell you wanted to know that?” I wanted to shout. But didn’t. I tried hard to hide my disappointment and anger that slipped as tears, without help. I did not expect that ‘caste’ would bother the journalists of this national newspaper, who propagate caste as a social evil in their writings. The feel of honour was totally shattered. The feel of honour and pride about my people has let me down many times and that was not the first. When people kill each other over religion, when they ill treat the other over caste, when they discriminate over gender and when they suppress the other over power, I lost hope in my people. And when I bribed the traffic policeman for violating traffic rules, I lost respect for myself. In 60 years of Independence, India brought heaven into the country in the name of luxury, quick heals and fast money. But these years had not changed people. Don’t you think I am referring to the innocent people from any remote village who have not seen a bit of these ‘development’, defined by the first world countries. I am referring even to those in the urban, who had the privilege to get the first 32

quality education and high paid jobs. These educated Indians are still in the 50s, where the country was divided by languages, caste and creed. They enjoy the luxury of 21st century but live with the attitude of 50s. The education we offer should not only take our people to a high standard of living, but also to a high standard of thinking. That’s what I call as true development.

development, when our fundamental rights of civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in peace as citizens of India is enjoyed by every citizen. Let us believe that the six fundamental rights of right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights and right to constitutional remedies are not just in papers.

Let us hope when we step into the 61st Independent year, we see true

Keerthana Raj

ed matrix august 2008

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ndia’s education system is considered to be one of the best. We have produced great scientists, economists, and businessmen who are admired world over. We have one of the best institutions, under the names, IIT and IIM, whose students are in demand among the prominent MNCs. We produce the finest engineers and doctors who comprise most of the Indians working abroad. A lot of foreign students take India as their education destination.

Something is missing!

The thing that is missing is not just access to education, but also our understanding of education Education should teach children how to face a failure, how to cope up with a problem, how to lead a team and how to carry oneself forward.

These milestones mark the happy side of the system. We have another side too, in fact a larger one, the sad side. Education and access to education is restricted only to the creamy layer of the society. Almost 53% of children in India do not go school according to a June 2008 statistics, which is certainly not a happy news for a developing nation like India. The number is more than half the total population! With most of the enthusiastic and energetic student mass turning to engineering, we have only a meager mass that turn to teaching. There are about 350 universities and 18,000 colleges providing higher education to just 10% of the relevant age group in the country. The cities have schools in every nooks and corners while the villages have schools that require children to travel a considerable distance. Well, these issues have been dealt at length from all angles in the past decades and government bodies like National Knowledge Commissions are trying every means to fill this gaps. Our concern here, in this article, is not the reach but the quality. India has 32

business. While parents see education as a means to see their children as doctors and engineers, children see it as a burden of childhood. institutions sporadically spread and a huge human resource; but, they are either incompetent or wrongly placed. We have school buildings, but with no toilet facilities. We have classroom facilities, but with many dropouts. We have staff but they are either not interested in teaching or they do not teach to the extent of developing an interest in the subject for the students. Government see education as a department that needs an allocation in budget. While private schools concentrate on marks, private colleges see educating as a good ed matrix july 2008

There are a lot of short comings from the government side and a lot more from the parent-teacherchildren triangle. The boy who has the will power to score first mark in all examinations does not have the courage to address a mass. A parent who fulfills a child’s material dreams is not able to understand his interest in fields other than text books. A teacher who can motivate a child to reach higher altitudes in studies is not able to help another child to get over his psychological problems. Education should teach children how to face a failure, how to cope up with a problem, how to lead a team and how to carry oneself forward. It should concentrate on the overall development of a child and not just on how to score marks. Keerthana Raj

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he first day of school rises with the deafening alarm. The clock had not cried for nearly two months and you prayed it never rang, when you slept last night. The morning rises with a mixed feelings – of excitement and gloom. Excitement because of the fact that you can meet friends and show off all your new stuff to them on the first day and gloom because the summer holiday is over and you are back to assignments and tests.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Same with the parents. In one way they are happy because school hour means peaceful home sans the glass breaking cricket balls and complaining neighbour kids. On the other hand they are sad on the return of routine and the hustle bustle morning hours. Many enter the school with a number of resolutions. It could range from: ‘study well’, ‘do home works regularly’, ‘get good name from teacher’, ‘make many friends to not to sleep in class’, ‘not to get caught while copying’, ‘not to do graffiti in the toilets’, ‘not to bunk classes’ and ‘not to leap from the compound wall in a hurry to go home’.

senior. You could grab one of those office bearer posts and spin around accomplishing challenges.

A good number of the students must be going through the blues of transition. Transition from home to school, elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school to college or work. Blues of additional subjects, board exams, hostels, career world, growing competition and the subsequent pressure welcomes the new academic year.

Transition has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.

On the other side, back to school means fun: new friends, new teachers, new books and new attire. Here is yet another chance to outperform your last year performances. Exciting assignments and subsequent appreciation of good work. A chance to participate in more competitions. If you are moving to higher secondary, you are luckier. It feels good to be a

• Study and develop new technical and human skills.

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If you are one who is moving to college life, heave a sigh of relief, that there is going to be less control, and no more uniform. Staying in hostel means thrill of independent life.

In the coming academic year

• Seek out people; link up with learners. Ask questions about how people learned new ways. • Push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Free yourself from the pull of the old ways. Tell yourself that there must be a better way. ed matrix june 2008

• You can never be sure of everything when you are going through change. Cautious people want to wait until they have all the information. But you must take action now. • Allow yourself to act on the best information you have. Follow your hunches. Go to a conference or read something you do not usually explore. The degree of adjustment depends on the mindset. Manage the increased pace of life by planning ahead, being realistic, and maintaining a positive attitude. Change is constant. Change is a way of life. Keeping yourself afloat in the face of change demands new skills, beyond what you learned in school. You need to assess the ability to respond quickly and flexibly to new demands. As life becomes more complex, adapting and embracing new ideas, behaviours, and thought patterns will become increasingly important. Keerthana Raj