Must-read cover feature
As a regular reader of EducationWorld, I enjoyed reading Sridhar Rajagopalan’s insightful cover story ‘What’s wrong with India’s K-12 education and how to right it’ (EW February). I must commend the learned author for his diagnosis and prescription for righting the infirmities of India’s primary-secondary school system, especially of the deep-rooted problem of rote learning and grades inflation by exam boards.
I recommend all education policy formulators, school leaders and educators to read this excellent story.
Simran Kaur
Chandigarh
Begging to differ
Analysing Indian education and suggesting ways and means to set things right is a decades-long debate (EW February). I am sure most of us agree that there’s urgent need to raise the standards of teaching-learning in schools countrywide. In this context, I found it absurd to draw a comparison between Finland (pop.5.5 million) which hosts a mere 2,999 schools and India (1.4 billion), which has 1.4 million schools.
I am also not in favour of introducing English as a medium of instruction at a later stage of school education as proposed by Sridhar Rajagopalan in your cover story (February). Let’s not forget that children are suffering severe learning loss and are unable to comprehend new concepts in upper primary school. Delaying introduction of English as the medium of instruction will burden them further.
Suman Ghosh
Kolkata
Reassuring practices
I commend team EducationWorld for felicitating pre-primaries that have introduced contemporary pedagogies and practices in early childhood care and education through its EW Grand Jury Preschool Rankings 2023-24 (EW February). My heartiest congratulations to all top-ranked preschools.
As a young parent, it’s reassuring to read about preschools incorporating ‘health, nutrition and safety’ practices. Particularly for mothers whose children are picky eaters, school meals are a big concern. I congratulate Bindu Gaddipatti, director of Podar Jumbo Kids Plus, Nallagandla for opting to serve local, regional, and seasonal food to preschoolers. I hope other preschools follow suit.
Jyothi R
Hyderabad
Inspiring young achievers
The stories of two young social innovators — Aryan Rajvanshi and Haazik Kaizi (EW February) — are inspirational. By integrating AI and drone technology, I believe MechaCrop can go a long way in saving lives of innocent farmers and their livelihoods. Similarly Smart ship Ervis also sounds promising for cleansing the oceans of plastic pollution to some extent at least, if not fully.
My best wishes to these young changemaker achievers.
H.G. Jain
Chennai
Engaging essay
Your Teacher-2-teacher essay titled ‘The future of work’ (EW February) was engaging. I am inclined to share the authors’ optimism that 2024 will usher in better work-life balance, greater workplace diversity, and incremental adoption of AI and climate change practices. Hybrid work certainly seems to be the new mantra with options to work full-time or from remote locations.
Now the onus is on schools and colleges to produce graduates who have the skills needed to adapt to the ever-changing workplace.
Suman Rao
Bengaluru
Rollout Ellie
The news item ‘PETA launches Ellie’ in your Ed Notes column (EW February) caught my attention. PETA’s life-size automated elephant Ellie is a really good idea to sensitise children to develop empathy towards animals and other living creatures.
I really hope PETA does a countrywide tour to disseminate its message.
Shalini Baruah
Guwahati
Mamata’s failure
Your West Bengal education news ‘Reckless neglect’ (EW February) does not surprise me, but is worrying. I agree with the author that most of the blame for the pitiable condition of school education in the state as indicated by the latest ASER 2023: Beyond Basics report should be attributed to the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government.
When she came to power in 2011, she promised pariborton but now in her third term, she has failed miserably to root out the corruption in education started by the CPM-led Left Front government. God help my state!
Sumit Sen
Kolkata
