Syed Mustafa Ahmad
For a nation to achieve the greatest feats of civilization, education is the main weapon. Without it, no development is valid in a real sense. Education is the force that can transform a slave into a master and sometimes vice-versa. Intellectualism has been the main motive of education since times immemorial. It isintellectualism that provides a platform for any nation to embark on the path of the welfare state. But in our part of the world, education has become the main victim of destruction. Any toward incident happens and we miss this beautiful asset. Basically, we have the narrowest meaning of education here that is only confined to the institutions and pieces of degrees. Our educational pursuit has become some kind of a joke. Real classes are almost forgotten and the process of online classes has come into effect, without any serious thought. Let us throw some light over the educational system in Jammu and Kashmir in the present times. India in general and the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in particular, are very far away from the real motive of education. Our education is confined to some institutions and pieces of degrees. For this purpose, we have some staff members and some buildings. But for a period of 30 years, we have been witnessing the erosion of this so-called version of education. Political immaturity has been taking heavy toll of our lives, particularly education. Many careers are wasted. Genius brains are left to rust. This is happening right now as well but now, we are caught in a different dilemma. The menace of online classes has acted as a last straw on the camel’s back. In the age of 5G technology, we have 2G speed. However, some areas don’t even have 2G speed. Moreover, every one doesn’t have access to the smart phones. In this situation, it becomes quite difficult to conduct online classes. Most of the students in the government schools cannot understand his or her teacher in the classroom. The distance mode of education makes it more difficult for these students to learn anything new. They, being already frustrated, become more frustrated and abhor education. Ours land is a land of conflict. In the middle of a class, internet is snapped for many days and the students feel agitated and clueless. They can’t understand what this is all about. So, education loses its value.
The New Education Policy should focus on bringing out the best that is already present in students. Let us pledge to invest more and more in education and achieve the top echelons of success. Moreover, we need philosophers to rule in order to know the ground realities and then act accordingly.
Economically, we have become very weak. No job means no money. As we are the natives of that very world, where to get a morsel of food for a person is a miracle. The burden of recharging the phones is a distant dream. When the basic facilities are lacking, there is no need to go for extra burdens. In this way, the process of online classes loses its value. Moreover, in the times of pandemic, it becomes more difficult to recharge the phones when there are cent percent chances of falling prey to the pandemic. Here, it also becomes clear that we are embarking on the wrong path. As discussed above, education helps an individual to be morally uplifted. Online classes have kept morality on the back burner. Discipline has lost its way with the onset of online classes. Students can sit in any way and don’t bother that I am talking to a teacher or my teacher is watching me. The process of education in this way, becomes a mockery of education. Another defect of this system is cheating during the exams. In fact, our exams are gateways to the next grade and nothing more. In achieving this, we can do anything. In case of online classes, it becomes too easy to let those illegal tricks come into play that he or she hesitates during the real exams. What is the fun of taking these exams! These exams are wastage of energy. It doesn’t give anything tangible. In short, when the destination is wrong, the ways also are wrong. Every year, we produce donkeys that are incompatible with the environment. We need to overhaul our education system. The New Education Policy should focus on bringing out the best that is already present in students. Let us pledge to invest more and more in education and achieve the top echelons of success. Moreover, we need philosophers to rule in order to know the ground realities and then act accordingly.
( The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)
