Education Ecosystem for 21st Centaury

“Education is most powerful weapon which can use to change the world”. – Nelson Mandela

When world is moving towards achieving the goals of sustainable development. Education forms an important part for fulfilment of dreams of future. India’s increasing population can become a social capital if proper investment in education made, which will provide country with returns in the form of demographic dividend.

Classrooms in the schools are the breeding grounds for future Doctors, Scientists, Engineers, Teachers, Bureaucrats, Bank managers who carry forward the destiny of our country. A child today is the future leader of tomorrow classrooms not only mould the destiny of nation but also reflect the future prospects of nation. Education also reflects the future prospect of the ideas of democracy and constitution. Education system in India can be traced back to time of Gurukul system. The disseminate of education was comprehensive as it helped in preserving traditional knowledge culture, spiritual and school development. The literacy ratio has increased from 18% in 1951 to 74%in 2011. The enactment of Right to Education act has enabled the universalisation of education for age group of 6-14years and ensured fulfilment of fundamental right under article- 21A. This revolution in education has increased the enrolment ratio and also helped in reducing the gender gap. According to 2011 census the average annual dropout rate at primary level has came down 9.11% in 2009-10 to 41.3% in 2015-16.Mid -day Meal scheme has improved the attendance and retention of children and also improved the nutritional status which has resulted in better learning.

“Creativity leads to thinking, thinking provide knowledge; knowledge makes you great” said b former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during his speech on “Mission of Education”.

The challenges are as follows:

• Low pupil Teacher Ratio – most of the government schools facing the shortage of teachers. Recently a student from Tumkur district wrote a letter to chief minister of Karnataka to appoint more teachers to their school.
• Lack of teacher training – most of the teachers are not getting proper teaching in the wake of changed syllabus and also not updated with technology.
• Lack of infrastructure – most of the government schools are old buildings especially the situation in the rural areas is pathetic but in the private schools in urban areas are using technology like digital boards, 3D videos for the better understanding of concepts and theories.
• Increase in dropouts of students.
• Learning outcomes.
• Rural-Urban divide – Increase in terms of quality of teacher available, Infrastructure, Usage of technology, Learning capabilities, Medium of education.
• Private schools – factory approach that is focusing too much on exams and marks and also teaching methods used in most schools discourage questioning, learning, application and creativity.
• Most of the higher class children cannot read and do simple mathematics of lower class and 61% of rural youth no access to internet recent report by PRADAM NGO.

Education is definitely very important in one’s life and the problem is digital divide so the government has to make some changes in the education system instead of operation black board should have operation digital board and also E-patashala to increase digital education in India. Right to education have to made up to eighteen years , skill based and occasional education also required along with that giving a better teacher training, more government spending on primary education, inclusive education system, providing quality of education. Change in prospects of the Private sector it is concentrated in urban areas for profit oriented, commercialization of education and also lack of play grounds.

More encouragement through scholarships like Azim Premji foundation giving quality education , Infosys foundation setting up libraries in the part of corporate social responsibility and also need to form committees for better educational recommendations like Kotai committee , Kasturi rangan committee.