- Home
- Education in the 21st Century
Education in the 21st Century
But we here deal with Schooling.
A proper education is multi-faceted, the main facets of which, in addition to the learning of basic subject matter, are the mandatory knowledge required to function adequately in our Society. Some specifics of such knowledge, not necessarily in any order of importance, are as listed in Annexure- I below.
The design of the curriculum for Schools and Junior Colleges is very important because what the Children are taught there not only prepares them for taking up further education in the field of their choice, but also, enables them to understand and deal with the practical realities of daily life as an adult in the then times.
As Jonathan J. Crabtree has pointed out, the basic mathematical concepts that we teach today in our schools right from the Primary level, are concepts taken from the teachings of ancient Indian masters, translated imperfectly into another language and again re-translated into even another language or languages and finally brought back to us in English, with all the resultant errors incorporated therein. Hence, we now need to go back to the source and correct our way or concepts of teaching mathematics. Vedic mathematics should also, be looked at to be part of the curriculum.
It is also, necessary that our children are taught how Geography affects History and also, History as it actually happened, with all the strengths and faults of those who made it, with the aim to better understand ourselves and our present Society. Allowing History to be taught as written to suit our colonial rulers is doing a dis-service to our youth. The History books need to be revised and better written to be more reflective of what actually happened.
“Until the Lion learns how to write and tell his side of the story, every tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” – African Proverb
“Academic study will aid life but academics alone is not life.” – T. T. Rangarajan
Also, we need to ask ourselves the question – is education only to teach students to work for wages or should it also, seek to develop them into entrepreneurs who will make money work for them.
“Today’s schools reward people for their memory, while Life rewards people for their imagination and daring” and “Profit is better than wages, for though wages can make you a living, profits can make you a Fortune” – Robert Kiyosaki
It is also, necessary that the students be given due knowledge of basic health and fitness matters and be encouraged to practice yoga and meditation (a proven health and fitness regime) and to participate in games and other physical and adventure activities as will inculcate in them the proper habits for good health, and also, the proper attitude and spirit of cooperation and teamwork, and also, give them the sense and satisfaction of achievement at various levels of such activities. Female education also, results in better family health and smaller and happier families.
So, what minimum knowledge and capability should we strive to ensure that a student at each of the class levels VII, X, and XII will possess? A recommendatory list is as given in Annexure-11 below. Perhaps this is over ambitious as it seeks to teach the child the fundamentals of many subjects and can be pared down further by those better qualified to do so.
In such a situation, though we have reasons to be optimistic about the future, it behoves each of us to be able to understand the implications, both practical and ethical, of such developments on our lives and our Society and be able to have a voice on how each is applied. Only then can we, as a Society, ensure that scientific knowledge is used wisely for the good of all.
“Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is in doing it.” – David Starr Jordan
“Knowledge is knowing that a Tomato is a fruit. wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.” – Anon
Wisdom emerges from knowledge, easily accessible today, and experience tempered with empathy. The experience need not necessarily be one’s own, it can be gained also, from a proper study and understanding of other’s experiences in similar circumstances, but the ability to understand and adapt their experiences to our own circumstances is self acquired.
It is hence, essential that we should aim to make each of our people, especially the policy makers, not scientists but at least scientifically literate, capable of understanding scientific methodology and the limitations in the validity of any claims thereof. This will ensure that we are able to benefit from the scientific advances whilst avoiding the dangers or pitfalls of their misuse or wrong use and thus leave the world, for our children and grandchildren, a better place than we had found it.
The work of Scientists in advanced fields, and the arcane language, almost jargon, that they use amongst themselves to describe it, and also, the fact that most of them are not able to put across their ideas in a manner easily understandable by the common man, results in a lot of media exaggeration of both the benefits and harm that may ensue, leading to unnecessary fears and cynicism when the benefits are not seen immediately. The fact that scientists and academicians are generally very scholarly in specific domains, but not generally knowledgeable across other domains and thus not really erudite, is a handicap to their own understanding of the Public’s reaction to what they do.
It is therefore necessary that our Education System be designed to stress on ‘science as enquiry’ and to inculcate in our children the ability to understand the fundamentals of Science and Mathematics (especially Statistical Analysis) and encourage in them Innovative and Imaginative thinking. It is also, necessary that Science writing be encouraged as a Career, for those who choose it, to enable them to act as interpreters between the scientists and the lay people, thus allowing for wider dissemination, better understanding and more informed discussion of the issues; involved before reaching a conclusion.
“Any sufficiently advanced Technology is indistinguishable from Magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke
Meaning that to those who do not understand the basics of a technology, its effects would seem like magic.