Education and Marketization
Post 1991, there was rapid marketisation of education under the pretext of privatisation. The marketing section of education has a great banner, advertisement to attract people to admit there wards. New courses like Horse riding, Swimming, foreign tour, teaching of language subjects like German, French, Spanish came into force in our institutions with less importance given to vernacular languages. Learning of any language may be national or foreign is a welcome approach but it should not be at the cost of vernacular language.
During 90s number of business giant started trying their luck
in the field of education. Their advertising agency then started advertisements for educational institution. Gradually the process took different turn, parents
and guardians began to be looked upon as customers and to attract them for
admitting their wards number of lucrative schemes were chalked out. Concept like
turnover, target which are prevalent in MNC after that started its venture in
the field of education. Some of the big banner education went up to that extent
of broadening their horizon by including some of the aspects which were not present
in the Indian context. For example in Indian schools- games like football, cricket,
Basket ball etc. are trained by expert professionals/ teachers that is the
general thing but exceptional it would be if sports like Rugby, Baseball, Polo
are included. Advertising agencies were successful in reading the minds of the
people and implemented those which were not rooted in the Indian context. In
the name of co curricular activities sophisticated instruments, machinery and
infrastructure were developed at the cost of parents or later on collected in
form of huge fees package from them.
The reason for this is the western format of education. The
chairman of Kothari Commission, Shree Daulat Singh Kothari said, “At present, the center of gravity of Indian
education system rests in Europe which needs to be reestablished in India as
soon as possible”.
Opening of any institution privately is a noble venture which
needs to be saluted from the deep core of the heart but one thing need to be emphasised
by everybody that the goal should be Nation Development. Today’s children are
tomorrow’s citizen and we have the responsibility to infuse in them the best of
everything so that, they can become Nation Builder in true sense. We need to groom
our children to become good human beings first and that human being would have
in him values, culture, tradition as well as scientific approach and after that
comes his self ambition in his interested field so that he can contribute to
the fullest in the Nation’s development. We don’t need Doctors, Engineers,
Teachers, Scientists, Lawyer etc. but what we need is Good Doctors, Good
Teachers, Good Scientists etc. The Good signifies a composite of sympathy,
dedication, love for the Nation, Morale values, patriotic feelings and above
all commitment towards Nation’s development.
The New Education Policy 2020, has tried its level best to
bring the nectar, fragrance, taste etc. that exist in Indian culture but its
execution need to be monitored carefully.
Keeping all these things in mind our education pattern need
to evolve when we make syllabus, Curriculum and introduce any subject.
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Very well written Sir! Substantial elaboration of the circumstances which accelerated the westernisation of Indian education system. But, I think it is pertinent to mention here that government is also equally responsible for the development of such scenario. Education is the building blocks of a country's future. As Supreme Court is responsible for safe guarding the indian constitution. Similarly, the government has a pivotal role in safeguarding Indian culture and language and must strive to ensure that indian vernacular languages occupies a considerable proportion of the academic syllabus of our Indian schools irrespective of them being government or privately controlled. These schools which ventured in with a marketing mentality, were guided by the basic law of making a huge money and in doing so, they realised, it will be difficult for them to attract locals with features that are common or general to the latter. Therefore, their primary motive was to incorporate such activities/subjects in their academic curriculum which are not common to local. These from the marketing point of view has two benefits, one is from the point of view of the schools, which could easily calibrate that with schemes not so popular among locald but are very much attractive they could charge whatever the money they want and another point of view is from the local or so called "customers"point of view, who are always in pursuit of being extraordinary among ordinary are satisfied that their ward are enrolled in academic curriculum which would give them a broader perspective. They are not so bothered of the development of their ward in their own language/culture. These are the people who feels happy to conversate fluently in English or any other foreign language. But, at the same feel shame to speak in their own language. These schools when came in should have been monitored by the government especially the academic curriculum that they follow and must have prescribed certain appropriate guidelines which would ensure that they pay equal attention to indian language and culture.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your inspiring words
DeleteSome where in the bottom line all of us need to think.
Worth reading... A great write up indeed. Hope to read more from you.
ReplyDeleteThank you !!
DeleteYour words are inspiring.
Next article I am trying to write on Best and Popular.