There are not one or two problems in our education system. The topics raised in recent past were really important and I want to emphasize from the students point of view.
Right from the time I started remembering things, the only thing I heard from my father was “You need to be a Software Engineer”. I didn’t know what Software Engineering was in the first place, but since my dad wants me to be one I will work for it. 3rd year of my engineering and I read Software Engineering definition, and I think “is this the thing for which I have been struggling all my life?????” if yes then that’s stupidity. Why did I read about Chacha Nehru, why did I read about chemical formulas, why the hell did I break my head on history books when all I need to know is mathematics and little electronics and technology.
Then I finished my engineering, came to US and started doing my Masters. I attended a campus fun program and I saw something unusual. The guys who were sitting beside me in my class were actually talented. There was this guy who was playing a guitar like anything, a girl pianist, a painter etc. I started talking to these guys and came to know not only arts, people have interests in various things apart from just entertainment. A guy who writes blogs on politics, a guy who can tell exactly what and how the sensex will turn only because he was studying it since childhood, etc etc. And all these guys were pursuing software engineering degrees but had a “LIFE”. I felt so small in front of these guys. Little more deep dig into their lives told me that it was their interest and their parents, teachers supported them. Hell, I was interested in cricket but I didn’t had time how did they get time to do these. Believe me they had time. When I was sitting in study hours in my school he was attending painting classes. When I was going through mathematics classes in the classroom, they had MUSIC period. A ‘B’ or ‘B+‘ was good enough for his parents. My parents, teachers, society wanted me to be 90+. Anything less was a shame.
What did I do in my bachelors when I had a lot of time. But, interests can be inculcated only during childhood. Once you are past that age, you are done.
Then after I finished my masters I started a job and we use to have discussions about a lot of social problems and believe me I am the most silent person in that discussion. Somalia war, Iraq issues, civil rights thing, terrorism, Haiti crisis (I didn’t knew Haiti was a country till I was in those discussions), etc etc, I knew none. But, whenever there is a technology related issue I would be the best, but again its not like if I am not there there is no discussion. I asked a colleague of mine how do you know about this and he said “Dude it was a big thing during that period, didn’t you watch news or read newspaper???” and I told myself “No dude I was buried in my S.Chands textbook.”.
Slowly in my life I started realizing that we have very less values and ideologies. I do care for my country, but I don’t know if I will die for it. I am more worried about not getting a citizenship of USA than worrying about me losing Indian citizenship. I am more worried about my company here working fine and I don’t think at all that what I have done for the development of my country. Money, survival, self growth, life are the only important things. My grand father was a big deal in his village, and I don’t know if my own relatives like me or not. My grandfather knew Quran, Gita and Bible. All I know is “C++ by Balaguruswamy”.
Finally from a students point of view
We don’t have right curriculum. Idealogies, Morals, sports, activities, art, culture should be inculcated in curriculum.
Competetion helps in no way. Healthy competition is important. Media should understand that. Stop publishing who is state first. Help students.
Privatization and commercialization of education is wrong.
If we can educate and develop todays kids and if every kid in our country receives the right education, we will have the right leaders and right public tomorrow, hence solving the issue of corruption, crime, dirty politics, and all those illicit things which todays illiterate, uneducated, immoral, cultureless, selfish morons are doing.
We need more sportsmans, artists, speakers, leaders but not doctors, software engineers, Business administrators. We have enough of these guys.
