The goal of education is to help society flourish. It not only aims to prepare one for his/her secured future but also make them ready to tackle with the problems that may arise in the future. Education is way of achieving knowledge and there are various forms of gaining bright light of education. It is not limited by boundaries as it is a lifelong process existing from birth to death. One way of getting formal education is through schooling, which is the most popular form of today’s education.
Schools are supposed to develop skills and capabilities while encouraging kids to “think differently” and maximize their abilities. We, humans have acquired thousands of potentialities within us by birth. These talents grow up if they get proper environment and help us live our life easily in the future. In this context, it is a thoughtful issue if our schooling system is able to develop a child’s ability and lead him/her towards happiness.
What determines academic Success?
There are many factors. Among them, Exams or school tests are considered as a major determinant for this. In some cases, it is considered as the only factor to measure one’s ability. Exams are prepared to find out how much an individual gained from the prescribed curriculum, or how much he/she is able to deal with the problem the questions raises. Although, it teaches an individual to work hard for the result, it doesn’t contribute to the overall skill development, personal growth or teach the students the essential values humans should follow in their future. Rather, it examines the level of parroting (in a sense that exams measure the memorized ideas and kill creativity that a student has) through certain questions. So, this exam centered education focuses on competition instead of collaboration which doesn’t help them outside the examination hall.
So, what should be done to quit going to school? Reject examinations? Or memorize the whole course book like a parrot does? I think none of them would help. A different approach should be taken in education system. Re-form and Re-think about the education is to be done. The aim of education should not be guided by Examination mentality. It should focus on the development of overall accepts of students through various approaches like field trip, regular E.C.A.S, practical education and student centered methods like observation should be used being based on the concept of “Learning by doing”.
We have heard many parents complaining about their children who do not wish to go to school. This is the failure of societal concept of education. Children understand that school is the place where teachers come, ask them about classwork and homework, punish them for some faults and they are kept under strict rules and regulations. Why can’t teachers be their friends? Why can’t school attract them? That day a student learns everything when he/she wishes to go school by own. If a teacher goes with student’s interests and makes rational decisions on their choices, he/she will be able to touch the heart of every child in the class. Can a teacher teach in a class where every students desires to go out and play a game? May be he/she can teach but with no result because the interest of a person determines the learning process. What if a teacher lectured for 45 minutes and not a single student got what was taught. So, understanding student’s interests is essential in teaching, learning process.
Yet, there is another side of people who have the opinion that a person doesn’t need certificates or pass degrees to be a successful person. To some extent, we can also agree with this opinion as knowledge grows with maturity and some ruling personalities in today’s world were university dropouts. They proved themselves without formal education and certificates. Some renowned names like Bill Gates, Thomas Alba Edison, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zukerberg etc all were university dropouts. The list can be longer. A closer example is the CEO of Alibaba.com (Chinese citizen Jack Maa) who was rejected by university ten times and the same person became the only person to be rejected among 24 candidates for his first job. Crossing long journey of ups and downs of life, he is listed in the list of world’s richest persons today. He says Hard-labor, self-confidence, belief on self and a positive attitude led him towards the success.
What should we do then? Leave school?
Definitely not. Education is needed for a person in any Situation of life. But its primary aim should not only be to provide good job for someone but producing a civilized citizen who understands life and the scenario of the world. If technical and behavioral education is emphasized, no educated un-employed would be there and no youth would roam Consultancies in a haste after +2 to make his/her future secured.
Hence, the goal of education should not be to produce workers but entrepreneurs. To do so, school should make students creative, innovative and independent. They should be taught to work hard, create a mission and chase it, go with their interests and understand the changing structure of the world. They should also learn to adjust themselves with any situation. They should learn about life and way of living life. So, we can come to the conclusion school is a place for preparing one to live a successful human life.
