Since my childhood, I always wondered about the rules of our education system ? A system which just makes people byheart things. Which treats a 99% student to be more talented than 98% and 98% than 97% so on and so forth !
Opportunities are more for the better ranked / with higher marks !! GRADING SYSTEM IS SURELY AN END TO THIS MENACE / RAT RACE TO SCORE HIGH…
Here are my few cents:
10th exams should not be scrapped altogether as they are the introduction / base for students to enter the competitive world. But, significance of the exam must be kept limited. Also, the pattern of exam (being written alone) must be changed. I prefer following amendments to happen in the current education system:
a) “YES” TO GRADING SYSTEM.
Here, Grade A = >80% marks
Grade B = >70% marks
Grade C = >60% marks.
So, a student will not really put effort to get 99% etc, but try to get into a better belt. As, student marks are not revealed at any point of time, no one really struggles to get that 1st rank… !! Infact why do we need a 1st & 2nd ranks ?? What we need is collective effort amongst students to move towards a better tomorrow… In this process of moving forward, we must know what we are and what we are best at. If Education itself doesn’t provide that option to choose my career choices, then who would ?
b) A single final exam should never decide a student’s Grade as A / B /C. This should be calculated across multiple assignments, evaluations that happen all through his course work of 10th standard. Because, if you again limit a child to just evaluating on a single exam, he will be concentrating on doing well just during the exam and not really on attending classes well, participating in classes, contributing to over all school growth across the year. REMEMBER, CONSISTENCY IN DOING A TASK WITH DEDICATION is what makes BEST people. Putting lot of effort in mugging up things for years and finally getting a 99% will take the kid nowhere.
c) This evaluation has to happen during QUarterly, Half Yearly and Year End phases. This will make sure that student is READY & CONSISTENT all across the year. And, the marks to get a Grade must be split into various weightage systems. Here, Quarterly evaluation will get 30% , Half Yearly around 30% and Final assessment 40%. This reduces the nervous breakdown of students during the single exam, but makes them move forward with confidence, as they keep performing well every exam and have options to do well in one / another / all.
d) EVALUATION FACTOR is again most important. Don’t just conduct a written exam (Multiple choice types / Essay questions) and test students memory and byhearting skills.
e) Rather, make sure that student submits his paper work / dissertations / public speaking / projects etc on each of the subjects he studies at school. This helps people to really get ready for the real world, as these are the things that are done in their future course of study/ jobs etc. Also, learning methods should not force a kid to limit himselves to book, but he can rely on GOOGLE and find relevant information to write his thoughts based on unlimited source of information – THE WEB.
f) GK / General Awareness must be a subject in schools. Its very very important to cultivate this habit too as a mandatory subject. This subject too contains providing various essays, dissertations, public speaking, leadership activities etc at various phases of the year, rather than just blindly writing a MULTIPLE CHOICE Exam. This makes sure that a kid, if he likes politics, will learn what is politics and know more from a younger age.
g) Exams demand people to byheart. Rather, kids have to work on projects and a COMMITTEE of teachers from various schools evaluate the kids. This is the best methodology of helping kids add all the necessary qualities to face the real world like PUBLIC SPEAKING ABILITIES, FEARLESS ATTITUDE TOWARDS EDUCATION, ABILITY TO THINK BIG since their young age by opening up to imagination & expressing ideas via various projects/ paper presentations. Rather than blindly taking up some topic given in text book, they can write a BOOK REVIEW / give a Presentation / Project write up etc in their area of interest.
h) Education should never be limited to 7 subjects ( 6 regulars and GK). It should also have General ARTS, SPORTS, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, POLITICAL SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES etc. Again evaluation of these subjects will happen 2 times a year (not 3 / 4 as others). This is non-exam based and is totally action packed. Students will really be asked to PAINT / DANCE / GIVE A PRESENTATION OF THEIR RESEARCH IN POLITICS or ENVIRONMENT etc fields they select. The experiences & knowledge that the kid has come to know across the year will be shared during this part…. This type of education since 6th standard (not just the board exam) will not only help students to really concentrate on TOPPING IN various areas to get a GRADE “A”, but also, to choose their field of interest in the future with confidence…
Because, If I am a good painter and I have 3/4 yrs of good concrete education in the same then this will allow me to choose if I want to really follow my heart in painting / general trends like IT today.
This way, we can definitely see talented children taking up courses of their interests & strengths and grow strong & happy in their future. Also, the biggest question of “KNOWING WHO A PERSON IS & WHAT HE SHOULD BECOME IN HIS LIFE”… is given as an opportunity or a gift to the kid since his childhood to choose from. So, what else can EDUCATION be ??.. rather than WINGS TO A KID’S DREAM WORLD OF PASSION…
———————
But, we still have many road blocks of merging 43 different board of examination to one single entity to evaluate kids on a same basis.. But, is this step / thought right ? .. Can a kid from urban background with lot of private schools brushing his skills on a daily basis ever be compared to a rural background kid, who might not even have enough skill & potent teachers to guide him achieve his dream percentages or rather Grades.. ? … Let us wait and watch.. as the EXPERTS COMMENT !!
Please do post your feedback on this .. We require active participation to ensure our friends and readers thoughts.. .
Satish Medos
hashsmiles
suyash