Work Centred Education- a feather in the CBSE's cap

 

 

                                          WORK- CENTRED EDUCATION

 

            The modern world is full of contradictions-continuity and change co-exist and success lies in our ability to balance the opposites.New times call for new methods, new concepts and ideas. The educational transactions of today should cater to the demands of the changing times and perceptions of the people. The idea of vocationalised education or work- centred education mooted by CBSE hinges upon placing productive manual work at the centre of the school curriculum. As  the education system in India progressed and evolved many erudite scholars and educationists started discerning a marked defect in the system in which the student  learns innumerable concepts which he cannot apply in real life. He mugs up whole chapters and reproduces  all the imbibed knowledge on paper during the exam. But in due course, memory fades and the wealth of accumulated  knowledge slowly dissipates and becomes worthless. Meanwhile, in practical life, he may be ignorant of basic concepts which can make life meaningful and satisfying. There are many youngsters in our midst who have no idea of how to change a punctured tyre, how to administer first aid in an emergency, how to fix a blown fuse or even to change a light bulb.

     To a great extent, the onus for this situation rests with the parents. Each parent wants his child to study all the time, and not get distracted by any kind of work. In the process they don’t allow the child to learn how to perform simple tasks which can make life meaningful . It is said that in India, the child is not allowed to grow up. Children, especially from affluent families totally lack the inclination or the aptitude to do any kind of work. They shun manual labour and make studies an excuse to abstain from doing even simple duties at home. Most of these students score well in exams but they score poorly in the tests given by life. Today’s child is veering away from nature . He lives in a virtual world and within the realm of this world his capabilities and aptitudes are developed and evolved to the maximum. But the same child may have no idea how to plant and nurture a tree or to fix a leaking tap.       Engaging students in work may help them relate to life needs and grow into mature, well balanced individuals. This was what was proposed by the Father of the Nation when he propounded the theory of Nai Talim. It was felt that the brain may get weary of mere bookish knowledge and so, the brain should be educated through the hand.

          Vocational education, though introduced way back, has not gained much momentum and has been more or less denigrated to the second place after mainstream academics. But vocationalised education is an entirely different concept. It  seeks to introduce work centred pedagogy in a graded manner, giving exercise to the brain and the brawn and bridging the gap between work and education. In many institutes of higher learning, internships, workshops and other projects are a part of the curriculum where the student has to use the hand as well as the brain.  If this kind of education is introduced at the school level, it will become a part and parcel of the education system of India and can produce well balanced individuals who can deal with any kind of life situation.

      Quite a number of schools have introduced summer courses wherein children are enrolled in different courses in tune with their aptitudes . They are given opportunities to do gardening, cooking, dyeing, pottery making or even to make simple electrical gadgets. These activities may keep the children occupied during their holidays. But since the school syllabus is so vast, there is not much scope for such activities to be included in the curriculum. Including such skills and activities will certainly make the school work more interesting and productive. The boredom of listening to lecture after lecture can also be alleviated to a certain extent by means of these activities. The proposal includes engaging local farmers, artisans, mechanics, technicians etc as resource persons or as invited faculty so as to provide expertise and professional guidance. Accordingly, the evaluation system also has to be restructured and modified. The CCE system introduced by CBSE can be thought of as an initiative in this regard. With social and political support for this venture, it is surely going to be a feather  in the cap for the educational system.

 

Shailaja Chandran,Vice Principal, St. Thomas Central School, Trivandrum.  

(This article has been published in ‘CENBOSEC’, the quarterly magazine of CBSE, April-June edition)

Gender sensitization in schools

                                 Gender Sensitization in Schools

 

    In the changing scenario of the modern world where men and women  work together and interact in the professional, the social and the domestic front, gender equality is an essential criterion to be observed by responsible human beings. Gender sensitization is about making people aware of the need to bring about a quantum change in our mindset which sees man as the bread winner and woman as the house keeper. The home- bound woman of yester- years has metamorphosed into the smart, dynamic modern woman who is adept at balancing her professional and domestic lives. She has successfully carved a niche for herself in the scheme of things. Given the increasing number of women who work alongside with men for long hours in the professional field, the need of the hour is to develop a cordial and amiable working environment where there is mutual respect and trust between the sexes, without sexual innuendoes and obstructive chauvinism to mar the atmosphere. The foundation for this changing mindset should be laid right from childhood and that is why the school plays a pivotal role in gender sensitization.

   The school being a miniature society, the first step of gender equality should begin at the school level. The safety of woman has been a matter of concern right from the days of yore. In the absence of effective legislation and punitive measures for the wrong doers, the safety of the girl child is a topic that plagues the mind of every parent. That is why we make a bee line for exclusive schools for boys and for girls, special seats reserved for women in buses, special compartments for ladies in trains etc. But in life, instead of such escapist tendencies to safe guard women, our effort should be to make the society and the country a safe and comfortable place for ladies as well as for men.

   Many women who have inveigled themselves into key positions in society  still feel  insecure and find their positions  precarious. Some are filled with extreme competitive spirit. ‘What men can do ,women can do better’ is a motto that the modern woman is bent on proving over and over again. In the process she is unconsciously generating jealousy, inferiority complex and other negative emotions in men. This will do more harm than good. Right from the primary level, boys and girls should understand that though they have gender differences, both the male and the female species of human kind have an important and worthy role to play in the great drama of life. There should be healthy relationship based on respect, understanding and concern. In the matter of brain power, skill and talents, some may be superior or inferior but that has nothing to do with the gender.

 Parents are to a great extent responsible for such discrimination. Right from a young age, they expect the girl child to conform to the role of the meek, submissive and lesser human being while the boy in the family gets away without punishment for his cruel pranks. The school provides the right environment to do away with such rigid social mores. The teacher takes the pride of place as mentor and guide, showing the child its place in society. The days of damsels in distress and knights in shining armour are over. Let us embolden our girls to stand their ground and fight for their rights. Let us sensitize our boys to the fact that a six pack is not all that defines masculinity and that brain power is mightier than brawn power. Value education should be a part of the school curriculum so that girls and boys can imbibe values and have an insight into the intricate fabric of society in which each has an important role to play. Let them understand that thoughtfulness, regard, respect and concern for others will pave the way for smoother running of society than aggressiveness, impudence and gross disregard for others’ feelings.

    As citizens of a democratic country, we cannot turn a blind eye to our duties and responsibilities to the society and the country. What happened to a hapless girl in the capital city on 16 Dec 2012 has given a jolt to the Indian psyche. It has made us wonder what could have turned ordinary people into such cruel beasts devoid of any humane qualities. Something has gone wrong with the very fabric of society which is bound to protect every one who comes within its frame work. It is worthy to note that it was the youth of India that took the initiative to voice their protests vehemently at the time. The youth of India, of which the student community is an integral part, is a force to reckon with. Since the future of India is being shaped in her class rooms, it is our duty, as educators, to carve a future for our youth wherein they can interact and work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and consideration. Let the class rooms be the work shops where young minds can learn the lessons of life with joy and comfort and gear up to work with devotion and live a wholesome life.

 

 Shailaja Chandran, PGT(English), St. Thomas Central School, Mukkolakkal, Trivandrum.    

 ( This article has been published in CBSE's quarterly magazine CENBOSEC Jan-March edition) 

Congestion fee and the Indian Government

                           

 

‘Get ready to pay congestion fee’ is the title of the news item in the New Indian Express which caught my attention. According to the article, the Union Urban Development Department has written to the Secretaries of all Indian cities to introduce congestion charge scheme in Indian cities. The article mentions cities like London, New York, Milan and Singapore where the fee has been imposed successfully. True, but it must be borne in mind that in these countries, the respective governments have gone all out to provide comforts and amenities to the people before imposing taxes upon them.

    Travelling by the tube or the bus in London is a pleasure. All the buses and coaches are air conditioned. There are announcements before every stop. Plush ,cushioned seats, table tops where you can have your meals, read or even conduct meetings, the  schedule of buses and trains at bus stops and railway stations, sophisticated rail gates and  ticket windows are some facilities installed to ensure that the commuter’s time does not get wasted. Since the daily commuters spend a lion’s share of their lives commuting by rail or by road, all amenities are provided to make public transport easy, comfortable and convenient. Besides connectivity is an additional plus point.

  Now consider the case of India.  In an over populated country like ours, the public transport system, even without the congestion fee is invariably over crowded. That is one reason why people prefer private vehicles, in spite of the escalating fuel charges. In the peak hours we can see heavily over crowded buses with people precariously perched on the foot boards. Many drivers find pleasure in making the people run a mile before they can board the buses. Instances of eve teasing, sexual harassment and accidents while boarding and alighting are dampeners which discourage people from using the public transport. In some cities, A/C buses have been introduced but the connectivity is so poor that you tend to lose patience waiting for these buses. Besides, waiting in the shabby sheds which pass for bus stands, under the scorching sun is so torturous that getting into the next available bus, whether a/c non a/c, private or a dilapidated mockery of a bus is the only  option we have.

   Two other funny alternatives are suggested in the article to combat the over crowding of vehicles- walking and cycling. In a cold country like England, walking and cycling are welcome exercises. But in a hot country like India, these are sure shot methods to get sunstroke and sunburn, notwithstanding all the sun screens and fairness creams available in the market. I am sure most of us would rather pay congestion charges than get baked alive. And that is exactly the sentiment that the powers- that- be intend to exploit. Extract more money out of the poor tax payer without giving him the benefit for his money.

  A caring, responsible government should look out for the comfort of the tax payer before levying taxes If  we  have  a sophisticated and convenient public transport system, why should the people bother to travel by private vehicles? In the Middle Eastern countries like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, I have seen bus stands and over bridges which are air conditioned. Given that these countries are intensely warm, this is how the government looks after the needs and comforts of the people. With the monsoons playing pranks with the land, even Kerala is turning into a veritable desert .But such comforts exist only in our  dreams. And now the Government is thinking of snatching away the comfort of our own vehicles by imposing congestion charges in addition to the hike in fuel charges every other day. Whither, India? Or should I say- wither, India..  

India's Shame

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high…’ These great words of the Bard of  Bengal  had inspired and enthused Indians, mired in poverty and backwardness, enslaved and deprived of their rights by British imperialism. The great sage had envisioned an India where all Indians, irrespective of caste, creed and gender could move freely and  live their dreams. But 65 years after independence, when the new year dawns on 01 Jan 2013, every Indian has cause to hang his head in shame. India that boasts of Chandrayan, the emerging super power  waiting to be acknowledged as one of the developed nations of the world , with a voice that demands to be heard in the corridors of power in the world, could not provide safety and security to one of her daughters who had just sought an innocent pleasure of a late night movie. How can the mind be without fear when the perpetrators of such crimes are at large in the greatest democracy of the world? How can we hold our head up in pride when our own brethren  can perpetrate such violent crimes upon our fellow beings?

          Cry, my beloved country, cry in shame. Cry for the innocent daughter whose dreams and aspirations were burnt to ashes at the altar of man’s lust and beastly amusement. Cry for the thousands of abused girls and women whose voice could not rise above the power and pelf of a  corrupt political  system and the unjust laws of a  blind legal system. Cry for all the crimes committed against the weak and the hapless .      As the dawn of a new year breaks, let us resolve to put right the wrongs done to man by his fellow beings. Let us pledge to exercise courtesy and dignity in our everyday dealings. Let us promise to stand by truth and right and raise our voice against injustice and abuse of any sort. Let us stand united, as we did when the gruesome crime against Amanat  came to light, and fight for the dignity of man and woman in this enlightened world.

           From the age of lawlessness where the law of the jungle prevailed, society has evolved into  the enlightened world of the educated and the sophisticated Indian..Our country can boast of  a woman prime minister, a woman president and a woman as the president of the powerful Congress party. We have a missile woman and many women entrepreneurs and politicians. Yet when a horrendous crime came to light, some of the ‘powers that be’ asked- why did that girl go out at night? Some accused the society of becoming so permissive that there is too much interaction between the sexes. Whenever a crime of this sort is exposed, some point a finger at the way a woman is dressed , the way a woman behaves with the opposite sex. Let us have no more of such narrow minded moral policing. This is the time to think and reflect on what ails our society. It is a sick society that allows what should be considered sacrosanct to be defiled and cheapened. It is a sick society where lust and alcoholism can deaden reasoning and stifle the pricks of conscience . We know that a mob has no conscience or reasoning power. Out of the six beasts who defiled and tortured that girl, not even one had the morality  to stop the others from such a heinous crime. This is a mental aberration that cannot be condoned.

             But there is hope. The protesters who came out in large numbers to raise their voices against this crime points to an India which is no longer content to remain passive and neutral. Here is a voice that cannot be subdued,, a voice that is echoed in the mind and heart of every progressive minded citizen of the modern world. We should not allow this society to regress once more into the dark ages. Progress in society should not be equated with flights into space or nanotechnology or fashion pageants. Progress is the way you treat your fellow citizens, your civic sense, the way you think of others as you think of yourself. Progress is courtesy, care and thoughtfulness in word and deed. Only when each one of us inculcates this kind of respect and concern  for others, our society  can evolve and develop. Let us weed out the anti social elements who stain our society. Don’t let another President exercise clemency and allow rapists to go scot free just for the hollow title of ‘the merciful’. Be tough with the tough and gentle with the gentle. Understand that all human beings cannot be measured with the same yard stick. Among the species of homo sapiens ,there are those for whom a stern word or look would be enough as a punitive measure. But there are others for whom only the gallows would suffice to wipe out their sins.