Great responsibility
Your cover story ‘Artificial Intelligence: Leapfrog opportunity for Indian education’ (EW January) was timely and welcome. World over, schools have started leveraging the power of AI to improve teaching-learning practices, and engineering colleges are offering courses in AI and machine learning which are in great demand.
AI is gradually becoming an indispensable part of our day-to-day lives. We must make every effort to introduce AI to children, albeit responsibly.
Thanmaya Shekar
Mumbai
Groundwork precondition
The january cover story offers an insightful analysis of how AI can revolutionise India’s education landscape, highlighting its potential to instantly assess learning deficits and provide personalised remedial education.
But to make AI a reality in schools, especially government schools, India needs to do a lot of groundwork. First, it needs to invest in building digital infrastructure that includes computers and Internet connectivity in government schools followed by intensive teacher training.
Teachers need to be trained to use AI and mentor students to use ChatGPT responsibly. Since plagiarism will become widespread, teachers need to be adequately trained to recognise plagiarised content and educate students about proper citation practices and the importance of original thinking.
Mita Malhotra
Delhi
Transformative initiative
I enjoyed reading your Special report on ‘EW-BSAI Education Leadership Retreat Varanasi 2024’ (EW January). Many congratulations on ideating this transformative initiative for the benefit of education leaders.
I have a suggestion to make: expand the ambit of delegates from school principals and promoters, to teachers and senior students. Teachers will contribute valuable and practical insights based on their day-to-day experiences in the classroom, and students can provide a unique perspective on how school policies and programmes impact
their learning and well-being.
Ruchi Kashyap via e mail
Enable gifted children
Your insightful Teacher-2-Teacher essay ‘Importance of nurturing gifted children’ (EW January) has belatedly beamed a spotlight on India’s vast multitude of gifted children who need to be nurtured by an educational ecosystem that empowers them to realise their full potential for the ultimate benefit of society.
I agree with Mahika Shishodia that the key to realising their full potential is identifying gifted children early and providing them differentiated curriculums and sufficient emotional and social support.
Yet the reality is that India’s under-resourced school education system and understaffed higher education institutions are not in a position to deliver the support gifted children need.
With Indian education in the process of reinventing itself by aligning with the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020, this would be an ideal time for stakeholders to discuss this pertinent issue and flower the talents of India’s gifted children.
Narasimha Rao
Chennai
Inspiring education model
The story ‘Extraordinary educators’ (EW January) is a fitting tribute to the trio of Meenakshi and Ajay Dalmia and Pavan Iyengar who are redefining school education through their learn-by-doing model involving educating head, heart and hands.
I was pleased to read that Drive Change Learning and Resource Centre (DLRC) children work in fields, and also learn plumbing, carpentry, welding and toy-making skills at youngest age. This is commendable in a country where it’s common for engineering graduates from best institutes to have no idea of how to fix a light bulb or change a car wheel.
Such stories inspire others in the profession to adopt creative and effective teaching methodologies. May their tribe increase!
Payal Sengupta via e-mail
Wrong priorities
Your Education News from Karnataka ‘Populism price’ (EW January) highlights the irresponsibility of the state’s Congress government which is focused on distributing freebies to fulfill their pre-election promises, rather than upgrading crumbling government schools and colleges.
It annoys me that taxpayers’ hard-earned money is being doled out to people, disincentivising them to find productive work. Wake up CM Siddaramaiah!
Rudrakumar Gowda
Mysuru
