Friday, November 16, 2018

Education Without Values Is Of No Value

Reading the newspapers every morning and even watching the prime time news, one starts thinking as to what has led to the rot that we see or hear. Rapes, murders, looting and other crime news so prominently displayed from page one to pages following. How can the day be good if one starts his/her day reading such negative news?
One must ponder as to what has led to this situation. It can not be brushed away saying that the responsibility to take care of the law and order problem is that of the government.
To me, it looks like that we have failed somewhere in our education system. No doubt, our literacy rate has improved a lot; but surely there has been amiss somewhere. To give an example, witness traffic violations being committed by literate persons so often. Don't these violators know that they are doing something that is wrong, that they are causing problems for others on the road, that they may even have fatal accidents?
In our education, be it at home or at the school/college, there has been a lack of teaching of values and ethics. Added to this unfortunate situation is what one observes in their elders, in their teachers, in their peers or in the leading personalities, who do not set a good example themselves.
It is high time that a serious look is given to the prevailing situation and measures are taken to rectify the course. The sooner it is done, the better for the society, the better for me and you. Considering our nation, the government can take any number of good measures to uplift the socio-economic conditions, still it is the individual citizen's role which is going to make all the difference.
The teaching of values has to start from home, has to start from very early childhood. The child goes to school only after a couple of years. And even after that, the child spends most of his time at home. The environment at home is the early lessons that is being received. In the school we have teachers, but at home the parents and other elders are more than teachers. And once the child starts going to school, the role of the teachers there become so important to impart values.
Would soon dwell upon both - the teacher at home and the teacher in school.

Tuesday, July 03, 2018

Why Some Private Schools Call Themselves Public Schools

One comes across the names of many schools, some of them very prominent ones, which incorporate the words “Public Schools”. When we use the word ‘Public’ for organizations, it usually means they are state owned. Take for example the government banks are called Public Sector Banks or say some manufacturing units or companies which are called Public Sector Units (PSUs). Imagine if we call the ICICI Bank as ICICI Public Bank or HDFC Public Bank. This sounds so illogical. Then why XX Public School?

Logically schools that are funded by the government or by the community should only be called ‘Public Schools.’ This perception that ‘Public Schools’ only provide good education must be demolished.

Today, anyone can open a school and call itself a Public School. No doubt there are many Public Schools whose students give excellent results and score high in the board examinations and specialized entrance examinations. But, then, there are many who try to build their brand calling itself a ‘Public School’ with little infrastructure or team of good teachers.

Even in smaller towns one would not be surprised to find many schools which call themselves Public Schools.

Trying to find out what’s the practice in USA came across this in Wikipedia :

“Education in the United States is provided by public, private and home schools.” (This clearly gives the different categories and public and private are separate.)

“State governments set overall educational standards, often mandate standardized tests for K–12 public school systems and supervise, usually through a board of regents, state colleges, and universities. Funding comes from the state, local, and federal government. Private schools are generally free to determine their own curriculum and staffing policies, with voluntary accreditation available through independent regional accreditation authorities, although some state regulation can apply.”

). In a similar move the HRD Ministry should frame rules forcing the schools not to use “Public Schools” with their names unless the school is funded by the government or the community.