It is something so basic that questioning its significance is almost amusing.
Let’s say education did not exist. Education how we have it, going to school eight hours a day, five days a week, sitting through Moral Science lectures, spending another eight hours skipping tuition classes, writing 34872732 tests and then the climax – BOARDS! Say the aforementioned system did not exist. It takes me some thinking to imagine what it would be like. Delinquent, would be my immediate response, but upon further thinking, it makes me curious to picture what we are missing out on by teaching generation after generation the same old things invented and discovered in periods whose dates we find a task to remember.
What is education doing? It is making us aware. Sure. But I sense a feeling of curtailment. Education has perhaps curtailed our creativity, our human drive for innovation. There was no systemized education given to the man to invented the wheel. Which architecture school did the builders of Taj Mahal graduate from? The Rajputs had an elaborate system for water reservation and management in 1700 something.
If you are now all squinty-eyed and thinking that this girl is anti-education. I am not. I am all for education. But I am more for knowledge seeking, and in my personal experience we have forgotten that along the way of standardizing knowledge. School and university has become a check box we must tick.
Instinctive human activities are ones of creativity and newness. Our brains are naturally meant to engage in exercises of inventiveness, delving into the finer things of life, composing a poem, or dancing to a rhythmic tune. Our education is being dominated by teaching us how we must churn out money and live financially happy lives. (It is important, yes, but not at the cost of other things).
In educating, we think we are becoming human. What a lie we are living!
In the famous words of Benny Bellamacina, “You are only limited by your own imagination”.
But… What imagination?
Written by Radhika Sethi
3 Comments
Perhaps you have a point there. However, imagination isn’t really being limited by education. Perhaps the syllabus isn’t flexible, definitely the tutors want you to get marks-they run a business- examinations suck time out of your life.
However, at the end, imagination needs ti be directed. And without actually learning the basics at school, you won’t be able to direct it usefully.
I think the bigger problem is when you are actually learning the advanced stuff-higher level education, say graduation or post, need to open up the pupil’s mind. And for that we need better schools.
Just my two cents.
Hi Udit!
I agree with what you’re saying.. But you see, I am doing graduation now, and it isn’t much different. This new drive for learning creatively has been recognized in a few schools that I know of, and their results are excellent – in terms of how insightful and holistically developed their students are.
Like I said in the post, I am all for education, that is why I am continuing it too :P. But here, I wanted to highlight that our syllabus may be a bit outdated. Moreover, education is essential but it isn’t the master key as many perceive it to be.
Education is essential, but the method being chosen for it to be imparted is quite flawed.
Well, I’d agree with that. But I don’t see what can be done, they try to make education open for all, and the syllabus is designed to cater to all, not just the best.
Thank you for replying, have a good day.