Isher Singh Jasrotia
It is known to all that the education system in the J and K State is in desperate condition. This can be gauged from the fact that time and again, point is raised regarding the deteriorating and dilapidated conditions of infrastructure of educational institution.
I was the first person to get the affiliation of a CBSE school in a crucial period of 2007-08 and that too in the largest district of the State i.e. Kathua, when the CBSE was reluctant to give affiliation to any school in J&K, that time due to prudent reasons. However, the favour was given without any gratification to any person/authority rather putting forth the infrastructures and standard in the school, required for CBSE norms.
It is worthwhile and pertinent to mention here that it is very distressing and painful that inculcation of moral value, discipline, cohesive temperament, personality traits, positive attitude and other allied characteristics, which are essentials in the modern education, are either missing or not imparted in the schools/colleges wherein the aim should be to prepare the students to be able to compete in competition in any field.
Essence of socialism, democrat norms, civic sense that is essential ingredients, seems to be lacking. The fact that new generations are excelling their competencies and energies in the education, are lacking some where and they are not able to prove their potentials and credentials due to lack of guidelines and confidential building measures in the system of education, which only a good teacher can impart.
Lack of good education in the colleges and educational institution still exists and students are not afforded ample opportunities to channelise their energies to expose their knowledge in the various fields.
There is no second opinion that there has been remarkable achievements made by the students in some of the colleges including Govt. Degree College Kathua in the recent years back, as per the information/data received from the result thereof. But it is also very distressing and painful that inculcation of moral value, discipline, cohesive temperament, personality traits, positive attitude and other similar characteristics and traits which are essence of socialism, democratic norms, civic sense, seems to be still lacking and are in the degradation form.
The fact is that there is slackness somewhere in the effective management/ administration in the colleges/schools including the B.Ed and E.E.T Colleges which are almost off the track. There is also lack of adequate infrastructures and basic facilities i.e. insufficient accommodation, leakage of water from the roof in the class rooms, insufficient equipment in the laboratories, non-participation in the sports and NCC etc. as the observations made by the University/Board so many times. Despite the directions, from time to time, no one is adhering to the directions of the university or the Board neither they are worried about the basic facilities nor for adequate infrastructures.
There is also some time nuisance and indiscipline created in the colleges by the students which also become hindrance in the cultural, moral and spiritual value, if not averted and restricted, can have bad affect on the academic and overall personalities of the students. The needs of the hours is that modern education is made more practical and realistic by imbibing confidential building measures, civic sense in the students which are missing. After all, they are to shoulder the responsibilities of national builder and future of the nation in the years to come.
Transforming the society, fundamental change in the changing scenario of developing science and technology, is in fact in the hand new generation.
The fact of the matter is that, education we are getting at primary as well as secondary level, is very important wherein the career of the student is built up. Although there have been some changes in the modern education, but this needs to be viewed in the perspective of innovations in the education so as to make it more liberal, generous, broad-minded, magnanimous, munificent, valuable, vocational, cultural, spiritual, disciplined and cooperative to meet the challenges before the new generation.
It is admitted fact and no body can deny that teacher is regarded as maker of the foundation of the child and plays a pivotal role in inculcating various qualities in the children who are to become philosophers, engineers, doctors, scientists and professionals in any specialization. On the other hand, it is very distressing that teachers are not given the emoluments/salary in commensurate with their sincerity towards the teaching profession. They are devoted towards private tuitions, which fetches them huge amount. It is also fact that in the recent years, there is great rush of the children for admission in the private academies or institutions, as the parents and even those in the teaching profession put their wards in private school for better education.
The children do not get the education as desired in the government schools and especially those parents having economically poor backgrounds who can not afford to get their children admitted in private institutions wherein the fees is beyond their reach.
As we are witnessing tremendous change in every walk of life i.e information and science technology, social change, deep thought is inescapable at every level over the modern educational system, which can meet the requirements in terms of secularism, socialism, cultural and our traditions ethos since we can not sit silent spectators. Instead of merely bookish education in the class room, modern education needs to be changed into self reliant, job oriented, scientific, and sociable and as a whole which is managed in atmosphere of utmost intellectual, seriousness of purpose, essential for renovation and creativity and moreover experimentation with the objective of achieving excellence in any fields. Physical, social welfare and co-curricular activities can achieve these goals and objectives.
There is also need at the appropriate level to curb the nuisance and anti-social activities by putting restrictions on the entry to those who do not form part of college students. The following some of the measures can improve the education to some extent :-
a)Increasing the status of teachers in terms of handsome salary/promotion in commensurate with their performance and professional responsibilities and talents.
b)Provision of better facilities to academies/institutions imparting better quality education.
c)Financial support to academies/institutions giving concession to children of weaker sections and economically poor backgrounds.
d)Periodical appraisal of the performance of the teachers and academies/institutions in terms of education being imparted there.
e)Provision of physical, social welfare and co-curricular activities in academies/institutions and assistance to those academies/institutions making such provisions.
f)Provision of out-door tasks and tours on historical and religious places so as to create confidential building measures and to undertake social responsibilities by the children.
g)To give more stress on pupils all round personality and characteristics traits – initiative, integrity, persistence, self-confidence, truthfulness, sincerity, honesty, enthusiasm, self control, dependable, emotional control etc.
The attention of all concerned is drawn to explore the possibility of formulating a comprehensive plan of action to make adequate facilities and infrastructure available in the colleges and schools and to curb the unwanted anti-social elements in the colleges.
