Education: A few thoughts and one radical idea

Lets think about education at school and its current status in India.

• Our government schools are undesirable to us citizens. We send our children to government schools if we can't afford private schools, or if we are  government employees.

• Our public education depends on budget allocation and hence driven by economy. 
• Though there are improvements in public education (RTE, play-way methods and achievement of universal enrollment) quality remains sub-standard, it would be fair to say that it hasn't evolved fast enough to match the need.
• Our private schools range from cheap to expensive ones. In general they prepare students to be the workforce for India's private and public enterprises. They prepare them for work, but not for life. 

• Private schools are business enterprises and it’s a sellers' market. Schools dictate the price of the commodity,  they assess the quality of the raw material (read children) before being used as an input, and tailor the finished product (read students finishing 12th grade or equivalent) to meet a standard (read college entrance exams!). If it mandates, they have the free hand to get rid of the raw material midway, if they feel that not doing so would significantly diminish the perceived reputation of the business (school).

• School expenses form a significant percentage of family expenditure regardless of whether  the school is a cheap or an expensive one.

I am no expert in education, even though I am interested enough to read, watch and discuss a lot about constantly. I think the above summary fairly captures the reality about today's education in India. Needless to say, this has to change. But how should education be?

Stakeholders should recognize  that employability does not completely define success in education. It is only one dimension of success. What defines complete success of education is, in itself, is a worthy matter of debate, research and stakeholders are better of forming a framework for this. However, in my opinion, when a child turns sixteen, if she recognizes

• her interests, has a general idea of how to pursue it,
• that an unfamiliar situation makes her curious rather than insecure
• how to handle a setback and use it as a lesson
• that excellence can be attained through resilient pursuit, constant endeavor to improve rather than "high adrenaline, last minute" preparation
• that mental, physical health as important as professional success
• that social responsibility is relevant

the school would have played its part. Clearly, only academic excellence as the primary aim doesn't do justice to this end. If children right across the different strata of the society are to be empowered, the school system should be highly research-oriented, personalized, universal (inclusive of children with economic and learning disadvantages) and evolving.

To make it research-oriented and personalized, teaching position should be made reputed enough to attract in the best minds. Such individuals should be empowered by the stakeholders (government, parents, school administration) to design or modify the curriculum.

To make it universal, education should be decoupled from yearly budget allocations or reduction and the uncertainties of market economics. Education should be cheap if not free.

To make education an evolution, exams should be considered as much an assessment of teaching quality as it is of learning ability.

Countries and local governments best known for their education system already implement the above suggestion. Finland, considered to have the best education system in the world, offers free education with highly personalized curriculum designed and customized by empowered teachers. USA, despite a lot of criticism of its educational policies, has a lot of best minds like Howard Gardner, Carol Dweck and multitudes of school teachers and teacher-trainers devising, customizing and implementing teaching methodologies at all school levels.  A look at Edutopia would give an idea about the mind-boggling churn around education. I don't see this level of energy at the school level in any of the stakeholders here in India, though we do have positive outliers like Maduram schools, Barefoot college, Government Primary School in Motwada and Azim Premji University.

Following the footsteps of those who have tasted success is a good start, but devising our own strategy  in education is just as important to ensure quality. I would like to put forth one radical idea here - as a question rather than a suggestion. To my knowledge this isn't done in any other country.

Given that education has to be universal, economically insulated from the market uncertainties and unprejudiced, is there a good case for making education as the fourth branch of democracy alongside legislature, executive and judiciary? After all, judiciary is largely not affected by the prejudice of the government, judges and judicial staff do get paid even though they don't add any value to the market (nobody asks where the money comes from!) and education of our children play as important a role in the future of our society  as does justice. Doesn't it?

A chance to learn Storytelling!

As a student at school, how good a teacher taught directly affected whether I understood and hence whether I loved a particular topic of discussion or not. With a little experience at teaching under my belt, I hold an opinion that a good teacher is so significantly because she is a good storyteller.

As a father I try to surround my daughter with books and puppets to keep her engaged in stories told by humans and books instead of TVs and mobile phones. With limited success I must add, but that is a subject matter of a different post.

Chennai and Bangalore citizens have an opportunity to be better storytellers this August and September. Kathai Kalatta is organizing a Storytelling Festival titled, "Under The Aaladamaraam".
I hope that this would be a great experience for interested parents, teachers and creators!

Here are details of the event at Bangalore and Chennai. See you there! Have fun!

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Congrats Indian Womens' Hockey team!

Oh cricket-crazy Indians! This is to bring to your narrow attention the achievements of the Indian Women's Hockey team. After a lone appearance in the Olympics 35 long years ago, the hockey eves are all set to make the cut again. This is following their credible victory over a much higher ranked Japan to finish 5th in the recently concluded Hockey World League in Antwerp Belgium.

"So, whats so great about finishing 5th?" you may ask, and your question may not be too unreasonable. There is still a lot of work to do before they can take on the might of the top-ranked Holland and  Australia (who they have managed to hold to a goalless drawn in the recent Hawkes Bay cup). And by "might", I mean not only the skill but also the muscle. I think Holland women's hockey team might even match a top-10 Men's team. But in spite of their visible shortcomings, Indian girls intent was clearly visible. Having FIH rank of 13, to beat Japan placed 3 ranks higher is very credible. Their loss 2-4 to Australia (world number 2) may not look great on paper, but their performance was their best of the tournament as they were the only team to have even pulled level in terms of scoring twice before eventually losing to Australia.

So, after following both the Men's and the Women's hockey through the Hockey World League Semifinal tournament, I find that the Indian eves are among the fastest improving sides (along with Italy). Men's team who finished a decent fourth, haven't managed to beat any better ranked team and had actually struggled against lower ranked teams like France, Malaysia and Pakistan before avoiding a loss (No complaints though. This only shows that Indian Men have neither over performed, nor underperformed).

I think due credit should be given to Hockey India who have provided good coaches during recent times.

Great going girls and all the best

To Barkha on her "Women In the World Summit" comment

Barkha. In general, I find a lot of the interviews you conduct difficult to handle because many a time you express what you feel about the issue under discussion before you ask a question. In general, India's mainstream media is not standing up for the average Indian and doesn't ask the questions she wants to ask.

HOWEVER, on this one, I must say I am on your side. While Indian men AND women don't treat their women well, I don't see any reason why India has to be singled out. While the brutality against women akin to Nibhaya happens all over the world daily, the sustained protest that this incident has evoked in India is unique and this is a clear positive. But the rest of the media and the larger public have chosen to ignore it when the Leslee and you tried to highlight this. I choose to see the positive that the protest is. Amidst all the chaos and negative reaction your opinion has unintentionally caused, I see your positive point! On this one, I am with you!

IPL in the Stadium : Great, but not a value for money!

I had taken my family to the Stadium to watch the IPL cricket match between RCB and CSK. At Rs. 2750/- per ticket, it was quite an expenditure. But I reasoned that it should be justifiable since it would almost be a once-in-a-lifetime expenditure. I should say the atmosphere was electric. The view of the pitch was great! The match was competitive for the most part and we got to see a few famous players fairly close by. The food was alright. However, I wouldn't say that the experience was worth the money spent. For a for highly prized ticket that has a seat number printed, I would expect that security of your seat would be a minimum guarantee. But it wasn't the case. The cops were old, callous and discourteous, and the crew was working hard in throwing out poor vendors who have entered the gallery to make a few rupees. Instead had they cared about throwing visitors who bought a much cheaper ticket (or who knows no ticket) and sneaked into ours (and I could spot them!) it would have made it worth the money spent.

Competitive sporting and financial security

I went to put my daughter for swimming classes for the summer. The coach was an affable young lady with the curiosity of a kid. So she opened up easily when asked about her swimming background. She said she was a state level swimmer and was doing well at the nationals. At one point she had to choose between competitive swimming, which is a shot at glory, but comes with financial uncertainties, and coaching school kids. She pointed to an old poor looking woman at the edge of the pool and said "My mom used to work as a house help. Coaching brings regular income to my family. So I chose coaching over competitive swimming".  I do not know  if this is a representative case. But it complements the sentiment other news reports about poor sportsmen and sportswomen in lesser followed sports.  It appears that India has a better chance of converting sporting potential into medals if sportsmen and sportswomen of poor backgound are rewarded with fiinancial security for their perseverance

A yardstick to measure the success of AAP

We all know about the Aam Aadmi Party and what it has managed to do to the Indian politics. Opinions about the party is always strong and polarized mainly because they have either failed big or achieved big. I am no unconditional supporter of the party (or any other party), but the fact that a few people with no political background have managed to upstage a couple of well-established political parties - twice makes this series of events rare to come by. However, does this mean that an end in social good is reached? Does this mean that the popular ideology (idea of Lokpal Bill) of the party is relevant? Not necessarily. However, I see that a couple of important underlying ideas behind the Lokpal Bill are grievance redressal (for example, someone affected by corruption) and easy access to preventive measures on grievance (for example, whistle-blowing). This is an end that, in my opinion, that has subconsciously attracted people to the idea of Aam Aadmi Party. But that is also an end very far away. I think success of this rare series of events that led to the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party should be measured using this yardstick. If this end isn't reached eventually, then the Aam Aadmi Party, its success would be irrelevant.

Lest we forget - Sardar Bhagat Singh

Today is the day when revolutionary Sardar Bhagat Singh was hanged.
I believe strength of any feeling, especially nationalism, should be proportional to the gravity of the situation. Those who criticize his ways are entitled to judge him as someone who saw the world through the magnifying lens called emotion, and call his actions knee jerk. However, the fact is that it was a tumultuous time and he was hanged at an impressionable age of 23, by an imperialist government.

Lest we forget that he had his hand in inspiring the youth to nationalism at a time when it was needed. Lest we forget that he played a positive role (however small or big it is) in making India what it is today.

World Storytelling Day!

Yesterday, March 20th was World Storytelling Day. A quick read about this in Wikipedia did not reveal anything specifically exciting. However, as I am a father of a curious child, the idea of story telling remains a matter of interest to me. For the same reason, I am surprised that I didn't consciously think about and explore this till now. Now is as good a time as any!

The first story that I listened to was Gajendra Moksham as told by my mother upon locating a sculpture that represented the story at a temple. That was probably about thirty years ago. Since then, I must have listened to a lot of stories primarily related to the great epics  Ramayana and Mahabharata. The fact that most of what I know of the these two epics is primarily because of my grandmother's narrative is testimony to the amount of time I spent listen to the stories.

Upon reminiscing about this experience, I think the impact of the story on the listener depends as much, if not more, on the narrative and the emotional connect the listener has with the teller, as the quality of its content. I think the derived moral of stories that we listen to, watch or read as a child settles beneath the conscious mind and plays its part, on how we react to situations and what opinion we form.

I find that there are organizations working in this space targeting young impressionable minds in the hope of improving their experience and enriching their personalities. Kid and Parent Foundation and Bangalore Storytelling Society are the curious cases in Bangalore!

On trafficking and exploitation of women

By sheer coincidence, I have been coming across written material related to trafficking and exploitation of women over the last couple of days. I read this piece in Livemint that provides insight on emotional, financial and practical dynamics of trafficking. It is a very well-written and hence a very depressing article. 

I  hadn't yet managed to get over it, when I came across another news article which reported that a once promising actress has been arrested and sent to women's home after she turned to prostitution because she ran out of options to earn her and her family's living. This piece is even more unsettling for so many different reasons. Firstly, it revealed the identity of the victim and hence has possibly (and I am not sure) disregarded the victims right to keep identity confidential . 

Secondly, the "pimp" with who she was caught "was sent to jail". It gives me a feeling that there is an element of finality to it. Criminal sent to jail, victim sent to women's home and the case is closed. If it is true, it is a pity because the better informed would know that the rot runs much deeper than that (as highlighted by the aforementioned article in Livemint). 

Thirdly, and this is closely related to the second, the victim has mentioned on record that she is neither the first nor the only one to have taken this route. This reminds me of a TED talk by Sunita Krishnan which tries to emphasize even though these show up as isolated incidents that we come across from time to tome, they are  actually a manifestation of one staggeringly lucrative organized crime (one-fifth of India's GDP).

Clearly, cleaning up this mess is long overdue and our community would do well for itself to take a more collective action. But, in the light of proximity between failure to make it big in the movie industry and being forced into prostitution, would it be excessive to claim that the cinema industry is morally more obligated and better placed to start an initiative and call the rest of the society address this issue ? After all, we all know what Amir Khan has done in Satyamev Jayate and his nephew has taken action on of what is clearly an issue of a much lesser degree.

The year of the Crop Insurance

I don't see why this can't be put to use in India!

BBC should write a book

BBC should write a text book on news broadcasting and shove it down the throats of its Indian counterparts and graduate students of mass media. The high standards is very obvious.
Those on camera from the newsroom, BBC anchor or a guest, talk. Not yell. Reporters and correspondents yell if there is shelling or a hurricane in the background. The news presenters dress in pleasent attire and in colours that fit well with that of the newsroom. The presenters smile while delivering a happy news and dont while delivering a sad or neutral news. They remain dispassionate otherwise. All of them do it and they make it look easy.
The sceen has a BBC logo and one line of running news. No cluttering ads urging us to download its apps or use a deo that promises drive hot women go wild. The news or news transitions are not accompanied by submerging music in background. Recap of headlines come with the familiar and mild music.
One last thing. The presenters and correspondents come from diverse religious and ethnic background. They dont go around yelling about it but shows that it is a delibrate attempt to be diverse.
As I said, they should write a book and shove it down our newspersons throat. We deserve better than what we get in the name of news now.

The Unique, Compassionate genie meets an Ironic end

I came to know of Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire. (S)he was a unique character. I guessed the fact that Robin Williams produced the eponymous movie, before looking up Wikipedia to verify it. For, at least to me, "unique" completely defines Robin Williams too! And who played the lead role in the movie Aladin? I don't know. But, at the mention of the word, the first picture that flashes across my mind is the ever-effusive sky-blue slave Genie! Not Aladin!

None can dispute his unparalleled talent in comedy and mimicry. However, that is not why I respect Robin Williams. He is well known as a comedian. But, in all the roles that I have seen him play, the familiar, kind smile didn't portray comedy so much as it did compassion . In fact, in a few movies such as "Good Will Hunting", comedy was conspicuous in its absence, but can one recall a movie where compassion was missing?

Nothing can be more apt an example to define the word "Irony" than his death. A man who has made many laugh and feel has died because of depression. I think the oft-used statement in obituaries written for artists  "A tragic and irreplaceable loss for the world of art" has to be repeated, for when it refers to Robin Williams, it can never be cliche.

Robin Williams.  Rest In Peace

What can your servant maid tell?

Hey!

Have you ever heard from your servant maid (current and earlier) that her husband who is a daily wager or an auto rickshaw driver squanders their earnings on boozing? Has she tell you that she had to pay Rs. 700/- or so to get her unsafe LPG illegally from a local shop? Has she ever told you that she is worried about her teenage daughter and thinking of getting her married off because she her drunkard husband talks nonsense at home? Does she bargain for higher increase in her wage every year because it barely meets her daily expenses? When we talk about "Aam Admi", does it dawn on you that we wrongly see ourselves, and that she fits the description better? Why aren't the politicians talking any more about how they plan to get rid of  the bottle and his friends from her home? Don't politicians have a servant maid at home? Or do they choose not to listen to her just like you and I?

Credits to BESCOM

 My family had a tiring day a couple of nights ago because of work and minor ailments and accumulated sleep deprivation over the previous week. The sleep that night was a much needed one. But a couple of hours into the night we we woke up to a power outage and found that our backup supply has drained. With heat and mosquitoes, the next half-an-hour or so was difficult to get by. Unable to  take it any longer, I called the land-line number given in the BESCOM (responsible for power supply in Bangalore) website, without expecting a response. But to my surprise, a lady responded within the first ring and clarified that the incoming power supply line to one of the grids of Bangalore was damaged and that the repair works were in progress. She added that it is expected to be resolved by 2:00 AM. The power was restored at 2:30 AM. That someone actually answered my call was surprising enough for me to take the half-an-hour delay without qualms. Credits to BESCOM!

Happy Birthday Gayathri!

The opportunity of adversity

"The only true  disability is a crushed spirit"

Tips for a better life!

The following is not my advice. But I think they are lovely. Read it. Take what is sensible to you and discard the rest!

 1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.

 2. Sit in silence for atleast 10 minutes each day.

 3. When you wake up in the morning, Pray to ask God's guidance for your purpose today.

 4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

 5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.

 6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

 7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.

Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

 8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

 9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

 10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything.

 11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

 12.You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

 13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

 14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

 15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

 16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

 17. Help the needy, Be Generous ! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker'

 18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

 19. Time heals everything.

 20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

 21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

 22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

 23. Each night before you go to bed ,Pray to God and Be thankful for what you've accomplished today.

 24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

Swing away Sahana!