Promising times ahead!
Your cover story ‘Modi government’s education report card 2014-24’ (EW March) offers a refreshing perspective on the NaMo government’s performance in the education sector.
I agree with Prof. Rishikesh’s views that over the past decade of BJP rule at the Centre, education has received high visibility with the long overdue introduction of the National Education Policy 2020, and the subsequent National Curriculum Frameworks for the Foundational Stage and School Education. Promising times ahead for Indian education!
Umesh Kumar
Chennai
Must-read analysis
Your latest cover story ‘Modi government’s education report card 2014-24’ is a must-read (EW March).
Summiya Yasmeen’s analysis of the BJP government’s performance over the past decade is bold, balanced and probing. Progress is comparative, not to be judged by already low standards of attainment, but measured against performance in fast-track overseas countries, to close the gap.
I believe the top education priorities of the new government should be to avoid the minimalist approach to early childhood education, focus on literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, science, simple technology, creativity and parental involvement. Focus on teacher training institutions is also required to ensure teachers are highly proficient in the planning, delivery and evaluation of courses. Professional development needs to ensure high impact teaching skills.
Schools, colleges and universities need to become pro-active. Delays are inevitable with new governments. But change happens when a few people, with determination, bring vision to transform reality.
Lionel Cranenburgh
Silver Medal for Service to Education Awardee, Australia
Improve rural education
Against the backdrop of the latest protest by lakhs of farmers on the Punjab-Haryana border, your insightful Special Report ‘India’s colonisation of Bharat — Liberating Rural India’ (EW March) certainly made the point that all it takes to give rural India’s farmers a better deal are a few policy tweaks and willingness of the urban middle class to pay fair prices for agricultural produce.
The fact that millions of ill-educated rural youth are pouring into urban cities as low-paid migrant labour is a wake-up call to the government to pay greater attention to public education in agrarian India. Delivering high-quality education in rural backwaters is the only way to bridge the India-Bharat divide.
Hridya Gupta
Indore
Emotional intelligence call
Especially at a time when children’s lives are being disrupted by ubiquitous internet and social media, your Teacher-2-Teacher essay ‘Introduction to conscious learning’ (EW March) should be read by all educators. Lina Ashar succinctly highlights the potential of conscious learning not only to enhance children’s academic performance but to also develop their emotional intelligence.
I agree with her that children gifted with good mental health and emotional intelligence are better equipped to face the challenges of an unpredictable world.
Nithin Kamath
Bengaluru
Brave heart teachers
I am a retired schoolteacher and a regular reader of EW. Much as I love reading your People profiles, I must admit I rarely see stories on teacher brave hearts, who have gone beyond the call of duty to further the cause of education.
Recently, I read in the newspapers about teachers trudging for miles in rainy weather to teach a group of children while others were doling out incentives from their pockets to keep children studying in school.
Karnika Sarkar
Shillong
Awesome architect
I am in complete awe of young ‘architect’ Arnav Daga, who was profiled in your interesting ‘Young Achievers’ column (EW March). Undeterred by collapsing card towers to begin afresh, Arnav’s grit, determination and perseverance are exemplary. Therefore, his entry into Guinness World Records is well-deserved.
Refreshingly, your story also highlights the nuances of supportive parenting. Allowing children to engage in extra-curricular activities without putting additional pressure to do well in academics builds their all-round personality. Parents need to be encouraging and supportive of children’s non-academic talents.
Chandrashekar Rao
Hyderabad
