“We must invest in school infrastructure to raise the quality of education so that we have a generation that is ready to take their opportunity when the time comes”
Quote by William Ruto
Either a population growth is a real concern for an economy or not is still a controversial statement. Perhaps, lesser population can solve some leading economic issues but there is equal negative effects as they may lack innovations due to lower population growth which end up as increasing older people (positive aspect of advance health economy) but declining younger generation. This real phenomenon is experienced in Japan and in many European countries.
If we discuss about India’s case, its population is rising at alarming rate and population density is low. If we look at current scenario, laymen feel like India is losing itself. As per as economic reports published by IMF and World Bank, it states future growth rate of Indian Economy will be remarkably resilient.
Economics often revolves around two major issues, policy framers have to frame by considering these horrors of economics: – our resources are scare (limited) while our wants are not. This causes a serious tension for economists as a resource effective utilization is not always possible. There may situations arise when someone is left better-off by making another worse-off (Pareto Optimality).
If we consider the population, it is a human resource. Thus, we need a holistic approach to develop this resource, especially young people.
As per as an economic survey 2020-21 the expenditure on social service (social service includes education, health and other) by centre and states are increased from 6.2% to 8.8%.
However, we need policy measures for achieving these goals,
Higher education is degree based imparted after completion of twelve years of schooling. Of course, it has certain advantages related to personal development. At this level students can develop their critical thinking skills along with intellectual maturity. Degree based process provides multiple career opportunities and also contribute to innovation and research in fields that can solve many problems. Furthermore, it also contributes to exposure of various cultures.
As two sides of coin, higher education has certain disadvantages. Our society gives more importance to degree than students’ ability to think. In addition to this it is quite costly and not flexible. In the era of hustle culture, rigid system can lead to problems. Well, distance learning has solved the problem for the social science subjects. But theoretical education often lacks experience.
Moreover, higher education is more marks and report card based in contrast with skill acquisition. It is more real world based, includes both theory and practical attributes. A skilled person is able to adapt especially in highly competitive global environment. Skill provides better opportunities and entrepreneurship (if a person is not able to find any suitable job then he/she can utilize their skill for earning money). It fosters overall development in terms of emotional intelligence, creativity and interpersonal skills.
Thus, skill prepares individuals for real world. However, learning a skill is time consuming and involves self discipline and motivation.
In today’s context, higher education had changed the way people use to think about future goals. A child (student) is supposed to choose its career at a tender age. Once secondary is cleared they are asked to choose field and often they decide their path by consulting elders (their parents). consultation is required but the question emerges it is mindful to choose any field on the basis of secondary as during higher secondary they might be dealing something big which is more stressful and difficult than 10th standard.
Motivated and disciplined attitudes are keys to success but a fourteen years old student is really able to understand how decisions will affect in future. Or perhaps it is just a manipulation by parents and peers. Choosing any field is not tricky but unexpressed and unfulfilled dreams or temptations for future can make such decisions really hostile for a student. While attempting any field, it must be a right of student to be well aware about the aftermath. Many students heard the voice of their parents and their aspirations remained incoherent. In short run they are doing fine later the whole system becomes burdenous. It is like they had developed walls around; they compete with each other in order win but forget to cherish the joy of learning new things. If they are unable to meet standards they attempt suicide because failure in exam is an ultimate failure of life. From this perspective they behold world by avoiding all the beauty.
Usually parents are treated as main culprit, but we forget to consider school environment. Nowadays, schools are becoming more like Big Brother (an unseen leader from 1984 by George Orwell) where a child’s unique traits are murdered and students are treated as they are products of industry called ‘EDUCATION’. They come at a point where they just do not know their own opinion.
Higher education has its own benefits but if we are not incorporating skills then we are just observing queue of unemployed graduates.
Thus, we need a holistic approach, world is not static then why our education system is still there not evolve? Today’s degree based education is not boosting confidence in real world. As we are aware that only skill without institutional reorganization will not increase employment while higher education is not giving you excellence.
A real world educational policy should be framed which includes practical and theoretical knowledge. Educational standards should change, instead of focusing on memorization of facts and following same things. We have to develop ability in students so they can comprehend and observe world around them, feel new experiences and express their opinions. With such open attitude they can interact with other people from different culture and shall contribute towards pluralist society.
School is a place to learn new things with open mind but students are hapless as it had become a panoptiocon. This calls for action. School is a place for expressing young ideas. To achieve this goal we need better teacher who are ‘Guru’ by choice not by chance.
By: Khushi Joshi
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