By Soroj Mullick, SDB –
A social change requires changes in the dominant patterns of social institutions and in social interaction between people and society. For example, in the Indian context with the unemployment problem existing, there is continued search for self-employment, non-professional education and open schools for the dropouts and grown-ups.
The economic and global changes especially in the urban areas have contributed to an increase in ‘nuclear family’ which has been affected by demographic, educational and cultural changes too. The rising level of education contributed to the decline of traditional forms of family and social life.
With the democratic climate the parents along with the teachers and students became significant resource and support. Education became more person-centred than subject- centred. But the discipline in schools and family became more problematic. With the changes in social and political goals, the education headed by the state has increasingly been interpreted as having an instrumental value. With the importance on vocational education, technical and engineering schools have been on the rise. Within such reality, what is the state of the present Indian education policy?
The current Indian education system controlled by the Sate serves the interests of the governing political powers. Education that is meant to draw wisdom and commitment through knowledge and freedom through independent educational governance for better creativity, sadly is subservient to the present political dispensations.
The Church in India that empowered people through formal and non-formal education, making people aware of their dignity and rights for humanisation, today in major part it caters to a certain section of the self-serving people. Christian education which is primarily for mediating faith to enhance salvation starting here and now, today needs to be questioned, whether such education is contributing to an experience of transcendence in keeping with its goals.
Education so far serves two different purposes: impart knowledge, values, and shared concepts of identity and citizenship (human development); assess and classify students on the basis of educational ability and achievement (“sorting” meritorious students).
Most of the education system so far has been one of “sorting” rather than “human development – a “filtration” system. There are the structural challenges of the Indian education system: inequalities in the overall education system (excellence and dropouts or less literate); syllabus and textbooks have not changed much; too much emphasis on “passing” exams linked to the syllabus; cramming contents for exams; lack of conceptual understanding; low levels of practical skills; very little learning is taking place.
Indian education policy has to shift from ‘passing-percentage’ paradigm to a foundational human development process, needed for continuous learning in skill and knowledge for life with emphasis on: pedagogy over theory; clarity on the role of the state and the market; creating high-quality vocational education. It has to focus more on “how” than “what” of imparting education taking into account: Evidence and Research; Cost-effectiveness and Governance.
The education outcome has to improve (learning, access, equity) over inputs and programs; it needs a cost-effective policy for such outcomes; it should facilitate research and documentation and share the best practices across states. There is a move towards reducing content in the Curriculum with more emphasis on understanding.
It is assured that the existing Indian Education Policy “will give the highest priority to solving the problem of children dropping out of school and will adopt an array of meticulously formulated strategies based on micro-planning and applied at the grass-roots level all over the country, to ensure children’s retention at school” (National Policy on Education, 1986, 5.12).
But today, the Christian schools dread India’s new education policy yet to come into effect, which is much meddled with the present pro-Hindu (BJP) government. Never before have the Christian educational institutes struggled to cope with the nation’s education policy as it seems to be implemented soon.
Stability in government policy as regards to education is important so that better planning can take place in order to enhance the capabilities of the young generation. “The Right to Education Act focusses on input requirements for schools that have little bearing on learning outcomes, which have deteriorated alarmingly.” Skill-based learning must be the central focus, with all public and private schools along with remedial teaching for those falling behind. All these require rethinking the government’s educational role.
To be continued…
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].