While the ongoing pandemic has turned the world of students topsy-turvy, some good has also emerged. Since studies are conducted almost entirely online, there is no personal touch between teachers and their pupils. Children are, understandably, desperate to get back to schools, where they can interact not just with their teachers but classmates as well.
For many, the very thought of getting out of the confines of their homes is a prospect to look forward to. But if one were to look at the larger benefits of the churn in the Indian education system, they are immense. Where once rote learning was the norm, emphasis is now being laid on understanding the fundamentals. Under the rote-based learning system, one studied just to clear the examinations, possibly with good marks or grades.
Exams over, all that one “learnt” was promptly forgotten. Parents, most of whom sit with their wards during the online classes, are beginning to see the flaws in the current education system. Add to that the proliferation of online coaching classes that promise to “make students understand, think and learn”.
This has led educationists and schools to rethink the curriculum as well as teaching methods. The new National Education Policy is also a step in this direction, as it seeks to lay a strong foundation on which to base higher learning. The change, some experts note, is also by the western model of the education system since a huge chunk of students are seeking admission in foreign universities.
Whatever the reason, the change is long overdue and would be a step in the right direction, whenever it is implemented. It would make learning more interesting and ensure that all that is learnt is retained when pursuing higher education and beyond.
Tailpiece
Car owners of Delhi have emerged stronger out of Covid-19 days; at its peak they survived being chased for high security number plates, at its ebb they are weathering the storm over pollution under control certificates!
(Contributed by Deepak Razdan and Asha Ramachandran)