‘Education system should be a buffet rather than a thali’

There should be emphasis on providing quality education at one-third the cost of international level.

Our education system should be like a buffet dinner where you can pick and choose what you want and not like thali system, where you have a fixed menu,’’ said Sanjay Dhande, former director, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, while making a presentation on ‘Challenges for education in modern India’. Five experts and academician made presentations at the Nehru Centre, Worli, on factors that could boost the education system, and those acting as hindrances.

Dhande highlighted the need to have policy initiatives that had strong emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship. “Usually, we see people are of the view that ‘arre kuch nahi kar payega toh business kar lega’ (If he is unable to do anything, he will start a business of his own). There is a need to re-look at this view about business and enterpreneurship,’’ Dhande said.

He further pointed out that there should be emphasis on key areas such as providing same quality education at one-third the cost of international level. Educational institutions must earn from intellectual property.

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Another speaker Pandit Vidyasgar, Vice Chancellor of Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, pointed out the need for excess, inclusion and quality. Through his presentation, which was based on ‘revitalisation of teaching and learning process’, he stressed on the need for a set pattern where a teacher played a key role and there was a less structural diversity.

Followed by this, H C Pradhan, former director of Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, spoke on ‘Science and Mathematics education-perspectives and prospects’. He said, ‘’The real challenge to science education in our country is to build a system of education (curricula, textual and supporting materials, pedagogy, evaluation and institutional ambience) that is consistent with our demographic ethos.’’

Pradhan pointed out that many countries in the world (Canada, Finland etc.) in past decade had made great strides in education using constructivist methodology. We had not made any significant progress, said Pradhan.

He added, “Our entire education system, educational administration and teaching environment, as well as methods, need a paradigm shift. The methodology to teach different subjects should be different. For example, mathematics cannot be taught the way biology is. There is a strong need for teacher development in two areas: Teachers’ subject knowledge and modern pedagogical and evaluation methods. There is a need to conduct year-round high quality in-service teacher development programmes. There should be a resource centre for teachers and students.’’

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Two invited speakers gave the session a miss. While Vivek Sawant, managing director and CEO of Maharashtra Knowledge Corportion Limited (MKCL), Pune, sent another representative to speak on his behalf, Ved Prakash, Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), stayed away and did not make any alternative arrangement.

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