GOALS OF
EDUCATION
Education, although still not available to all, has
tremendously improved in developing countries. Huge efforts
are being made to improve literacy and numeracy for all
children, and this is a great start. Increasing numbers of
people are concerned with its quality, and the fact that
this event is taking place with participants from so many
countries is a concrete sign of this. So, on a quantitative
side, there has been good progress: but what about quality?
Education is one of the keystones of society; it shapes
complete generations with a thinking pattern. Therefore, one
of its main objectives should be to teach students how to
develop their own thinking, how to make informed choices for
themselves based on research and understanding rather than
on dogmatic concepts never challenged. Then only we can
pretend to live in a democracy.
Having studied in France and being a teacher in the UK, I
could not help but compare the education systems I know with
the latest one I discovered: the Indian one.
In India, I was very concerned to realise how much the young
generation was being permanently pressured, affected by
stress and depression, obsessed by rankings and exams. I
also found that the system valued competition and individual
achievement much more than self-accomplishment and relating
to others; however, these are far more essential for
individual harmony.
Eventually, I noted that by being so exam-driven, (or maybe
I should say “elimination” driven) the education system was
forming a complete spoon-fed generation able to memorise
huge amounts of contents but incapable to think for
themselves or have opinions. The predominance of memory
work, more valued than analysis, research, or communication
skills, has shown its limits in the past; nowadays, students
need skills directly transferable to their life or work
environment.
The way students are taught, pushed towards certain careers
exclusively, without leaving them the opportunity for
choice, the way they are pressurised by all… Is this really
the best that can be offered?
Discover your vision for a New World Order
What is teaching, when can we know that real learning has
occurred and what is the objective of education? Is it only
to prepare students to exams? I don’t believe so. Education
and studies need to be an opportunity of development for
individuals whereas at the moment, most students consider it
as a painful compulsory process.
Work needs to be done at several levels:
Mentalities: society: parents, families, neighbours,
teachers, etc. Students need to understand the purpose of
what they do; they should be free to choose a career they
like, rather than go for what is considered as “good” by the
others. We cannot ask youngsters to let aside their dreams
just to fit in.
Improving teaching/ learning quality: we need more
than a teacher simply talking in front of a class, and
students quietly taking notes. Teachers need to
differentiate their teaching approach and direct it to
include the varied needs of all pupils, addressing all
different learning styles, etc. They need to foment
workshops, pair work, individual research, critical
questioning, while rewarding and encouraging accordingly to
motivate their learners.
Career information and
choice
Provide a career counsellor in schools, with informed
knowledge of careers, orientation tests available for pupils
to help them determine what they would like to do. These
advisors should have the ability to listen to students and
also to speak to parents.
We will make a difference and will be able to help students
grow as “Total Quality People”, well balanced and better
prepared to face life. We will put back motivation and
pleasure in the learning process, and students will grow
self-confident, more open to others and better armed with
real skills to face the professional world.
This would create a happier young generation, more
self-accomplished, more skilled, effectively learned, aware
of cultural differences and able to make the most of them,
and it would also emphasise the quality of learning and
teaching in India, thus improving the recognition of Indian
degree overseas.
I believe that organising seminars for parents and pupils,
having more career events in schools, and opening up more
school exchanges to share the best ideas on both sides will
help a lot.
Raising political awareness, liasing with Education
Authorities and explaining the reasons why a change, maybe
in the curriculum, may be needed, (this is the reason why we
are liasing with the Indian High Commission in London) and
we are ready to make recommendations to help implementing
some changes.
We have a StudentConnect stand, with career information, and
we are glad to answer students’ questions about careers and
studies in the UK.
I am happy to discuss about teaching methods with fellow
teachers, through practical workshops, observations and
discussions.
We will keep liasing with the High Commission of India in
London, to share this vision with the First Secretary of
Education, and hopefully, inspire more officials to take
part to it.
From all representatives present here: this is a golden
opportunity to plan teacher exchanges and it should really
be used, as a basis of ideas development and cultural
awareness.
We are committed to providing quality information to
international students and that’s why we are working with
schools, as they offer a protected and privileged
atmosphere, and allow students to reflect on their career
and studies.
We also would like to offer support to teachers looking at
new ideas about inclusion and differentiation, as we believe
that modern teaching has to be focused on students’ needs. |
