Shri Rabindranath Tagore, our Gurudev, held that the aim of the true education is the harmonious development of our body, mind and soul, altogether. As such, an education, to be called the real education, must bring about the development of all the faculties of a person.
List of Some of Merits of the Present System of Education
Our present system of education has enabled the Indian people to assimilate the latest technology that is available all over the world, and make the best use of it. Some merits of the present system of education are as:
- It provides help in the development of our minds.
- It expands our knowledge of various subjects and technologies.
- It broadens our viewpoints by giving us general and specialized knowledge.
- It helps us to learn the rules of decency and politeness.
- It helps us to know about our culture and ethics.
- It makes the persons how to behave better than their illiterate counterparts.
List of Some Demerits of the Present Education System of Education
However, despite all merits of current system of education, the demerits and shortcomings of the modern system of education are many. Some of them are as:
- Character Building Neglected
It has made no provision for the building or development of students’ character. Consequently, when the time comes, they fail miserably to exhibit the strength of character. Such highly educated but morally weak students have caused so much trouble and pain in the society.
- Snail Like Progress (Very Slow Progress)
Data show that in the last 65 years only half of the population of India could be literate. Compulsory primary education was to be provided after 10 years of enforcement of constitution. But it has not been done so.
- Lack of Uniformity
Schooling pattern is not uniform all over India. Various educational policies have been implemented but net result is not up to the mark.
- Defective and Old System
We have been producing only clerks in the system as done by British policy of education.
- Physical Development Neglected
It has totally overlooked the physical development of the person by paying too much attention to the intellectual development only. Our educational system is sensational and logical program.
- Precarious Position of The Child
The child is not understood at home; there are no empathisers. He is scolded for poor marks with the remarks that he pays little attention to his studies. The teacher is harsh on him every day. It causes frustration in him. So, the child longs for love and soothing company Drugs, tobacco and liquor give him the ‘solace’ and an escape from his problems.
- Overburden
The overburdened child is under constant stress. He reports, quite often, that he has headache or fatigue.
- Leading to Unemployment
The present system of theoretical educational system leaves a student without any skill after he has finished his college education. He becomes another unemployed graduate in the employment market. In such a case there are only two choices left to the student.
First, to spend some more years trying to acquire some professional skill.
Second, to wait for some lucky chance which will give him a job, the chance which rarely comes.
Suggestions
Some suggestions for improvement in the system of education are as under:
- Making Less Expensive
The educational institutions, especially the private schools, must stop charging exorbitant fees from the students. They should allow the poor students to be admitted in their schools so that talent could be identified from all the strata of the society.
- Avoiding Long Holidays
There should not be long holiday stints like the autumn break. Generally the students waste their holidays.
- Reform in Syllabus
The syllabus must be upgraded but not made too complicated. If need be, the length of the courses should be reduced and chapters related to environment, sciences, ecology, civic life, mathematics and general knowledge should be added.
- Uniformity
Government should come out with new education policy by making the education system in uniform system.
- Medium
Medium of instruction should be in the mother tongue upto class V.
- Moral Education
Moral education and co-education should be the norm.
- Teaching Staff
The teachers should be retrained and re-taught to teach. Only good teachers should be selected not only on the basis of knowledge but also on the basis of aptitude and interest in teaching.
- Examination System
Examination system should be made tight at all levels.
To conclude, the need of the hour today is student friendly and employment oriented system of education.
