Prof Javed Mughal
Much has already been written about the existing issues of education and their redressal but I know it has and will cut no ice with the concerned quarters since they have sealed their ears with the wax of routine negligence. Their main motive is to keep sticking to the chair, belching out funds, hoarding up money and getting out of scene one day. This approach of our responsible lot of our educational mechanism has not only damaged one segment of this system but has almost plagued the entire machinery of the country. They are, in fact, the real criminals and anti-nationals in the garb of respected citizens and responsible incumbent officials. School are opened but never monitored properly; the officers are appointed but never supervised; the syllabi are framed blindly and mindlessly; the rules are enacted in a customary fashion and above running the affairs of education-the most sensitive segment of the country-craft, has become a routine matter devoid of all sincerity and honesty with the result that entire nation is almost at a cross-road confused and confounded. If we look at our children, we find that from a very early age they have to wrestle with various subjects, too difficult for their age. The little children are over burdened with books and notebooks that do not inspire even a spark of interest in the little kids. The classes are boring and they have to struggle with alphabets, numbers, rhymes, general knowledge, social science, moral science, drawing and all that lot. It is time that the concerned authorities did a bit of thinking to lessen the xburden of children. In case of classes above the nursery level, more importance is given to dictation of notes by the concerned teachers than on real teaching. Due to mindless cramming by the students, very few of them learn anything worthwhile even after passing the Higher Secondary examinations. The field of education is broken into narrow domestic boundaries. They are specific independent units – primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary education. It is not considered as one, integral, ongoing process in need of values, vigour and vitality. This kind of division is harmful to the cause of education, as it creates internal bickering, conflicts and tensions, as each part considers itself as the most significant. Then some complexes arise in the minds of teachers of various sectors as well as their departments. For instance, the primary section teachers are often looked down by the teachers of the secondary section. Again college teachers consider themselves to be superior to the school teachers and the University teachers think that they are placed in a higher category than the under graduate college teachers. These things are happening because of the arbitrary division amongst various sections in the same process of education. For the improvement of education sector it is necessary to have adequate infrastructure and a vision for betterment. Lack of infrastructure and vision of improvement have an adverse effect on literacy and primary education. We seem to concentrate much more on higher education, ignoring the fact that for the improvement of higher education, the foundation that is the elementary education must be improved as well. In recent years a large number of colleges have been opened at a mind boggling speed, in the name of development or in the memory of this or that person. Often the main motive is to earn money and not to impart knowledge. It has become a kind of commercial venture to open schools and colleges at various places, without proper infrastructure or truly qualified teachers. Some universities have launched post graduate study programmes through correspondence in almost all disciplines. This kind of education has become very popular as thousands of students, who are working or are unable to attend classes due to some reasons can avail this opportunity. But how far that benefits the students is debatable. As few institutes of higher learning in the state which are located in big towns or cities, have been termed as the centers of excellence. They present enviable models and can be compared to the best institutes in the world. But such famed institutes are very rare in our country. The majority of the institutes fall far below the ideal. Many political leaders think that the number of institutions, mean the development of the country or state. But they do not appear to be concerned with the desired quality of the teachers or the infrastructure. The rural areas are the worst hit in the country. They lack all essential factors in almost every field. In the educational institutions we find shortage of virtually everything from staff to infrastructure. They do not have library facilities, or the elementary scientific equipments, or even a suitable building. Nor do they have sanitation or proper drinking water. Nobody seems prepared to do anything to improve the situation. It seems as if they were opened merely to please the public, and to demonstrate their pseudo-concern for the welfare of the rural areas. In our state many institutions show extremely poor results and the teachers do not seem to bother about the poor performance of the students. They do not hold any teacher-student or teacher-guardian meeting for improving the standard of education. Such discussions are absolutely necessary for the remedial measures. Because of the apathy of the concerned authority no improvement has been noticed in these Institutions. A large number of students drop out and some move upwards with a very poor educational background. Even if they go through the examinations, their future remains bleak, as in the present age of cut-throat competition there is no place for the mediocre students, unless they have some powerful god fathers and money power at their back. Many of these institutions are not governed well. Students openly defy the invigilators and at examination centers unfair means are adopted by large number of candidates, which go undetected. It is in a way unfair to the laborious students, because after years of hard struggle, they may not fare as well as those that secure better marks by sheer dishonesty. For any successful education policy the cooperation of teachers is essential. But sometimes some teachers create embarrassing problems, instead of solving them. There are exceptions no doubt, but in general we do not have a tangible work culture. Because of that it creates an unpleasant environment and the number of teaching days is drastically reduced. And all these Bandhs aggravate the problem. There is no checking from higher authorities to assess the functioning of the schools and Colleges. So far as the Higher education is concerned, the picture is even gloomier.
The UGC functions through affiliated universities and do not have direct contact with the individual colleges. The universities apparently have not been able to give effective academic guidance to the colleges. The entire education system needs to be screened on the basis of past experience, recommendations of committees and panels and the current emerging needs. The teachers have to be selected on the basis of merit and the Principals should take active part in the teaching process besides keeping a watch on the activities of the teachers. It is only when the education standard is improved; the country can prosper morally and materially. Otherwise the future of the country is doomed. The intellectuals and the members of the civil society also should take an active interest in the educational process. It is no use offering negative criticism. We all should offer constructive criticism and suggest ways and means to improve the standard of education, so that the country can prosper.
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