Academic tests generally evaluate a relatively tiny percentage of the knowledge and skills that are truly necessary and even when they are, such skill sets are insufficient for real-life success. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a staggering impact on global education; the world is changing rapidly and it is imperative that new methods of learning and assessment are adopted quickly.
Here are the highlights of the major concerns in the present framework of education, followed by ways to tackle them:
Poor Return on Investment
One might have a hard time justifying and defining the kind of ROM (return on money) and value-addition you get after spending lakhs of rupees on schooling. At the end of the day, “education and learning” are merely confined to test-taking, clearing examinations and gaining a fancy diploma with two-digit scores, without giving much attention and priority to skill-building and personal development. Is a timed test the only way to assess whether the student had acquired all the necessary competencies and cognitive abilities throughout their schooling life?
No Space For Innovation And Creativity
Presently, India spends less than 0.7% of its GDP on Research and Development as compared to 2.84% in Germany, 2.88% in the US and 4.35% in South Korea. The aggregate research output of India’s Central universities is less than that of Stanford or Cambridge University. The expenditure on education is relatively low as well.
India’s education format does not foster innovation and is outdated. It’s geared towards developing clerks rather than leaders, and still follows the Industrial Revolution model in which pupils are taught just enough to be able to read and follow instructions. Pupils are conditioned to believe that the way they perform in school tests is the way they will perform in life.
If we continue to give importance solely to rote learning, standardised tests and theoretical knowledge, students will lag behind in building real life and developing modern skills that can be implemented. The ultimate goal of most graduates is to get a job and work for someone else rather than doing and creating something independently.
The Gap Between Classroom And Corporate Environment (Skill Deficit)
What do we do about this massive gap between ‘education’ and ‘employability’?
Because companies look for ‘employable skills’ that are barely taught and developed in educational institutions. Systems are stuck in times when the need for employability was a lot different than it is now. Schools are unable to generate industry-ready graduates and in this process, it is ultimately the economy that suffers.
The lack of skilled employable students leads to ineffective growth in the industry and an increasing rate of joblessness in the country. Jobs are then filled in by semi-skilled people who do not contribute to the industry in the required manner. Thus, revamping the education system is a must.
Lack Of Financial Literacy
It’s essential to know about managing money, savings, investments, stocks and having a basic knowledge of finance. Despite having a literacy rate of nearly 80%, only 24% of the Indian population is financially literate — i.e. 12+ years of education without any financial knowledge. Incorporating financial education into the school curriculum would be an effective tool to maximise financial literacy and enable the youth in making sound financial decisions.
Recommendations
(a) Improve access to good quality education.
(b) Adapt to the dynamic trends, and introduce technology and financial education in the school curriculum to equip pupils with a future-ready skillset.
(c) Speed up the implementation of the National Education Policy, 2020.
(d) Change the scheme of evaluation and opt for a comprehensive and continuous assessment policy rather than conducting just one final exam at year-end. Aspects like research-based projects, extracurriculars, etc. must also be considered in the evaluation.
(e) The education system promotes a mindless rat race. It’s all about grades and marks, and doesn’t measure the overall learning, real talents and skills that a student possesses. Marks are awarded for the memorisation of information. Thus, students get caught in this loop of:
(f) Revision of outdated syllabus and giving more attention to the practical knowledge, building real-life skills like entrepreneurship, leadership, networking, communication, emotional intelligence and promoting co-curricular activities.
(g) As of now, no Indian institute features on the global list of top 100 universities prepared by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). In the ranking of the national systems of higher education (Universitas 21), India scores 49 among the 50 countries on the list. Measures must be taken to upgrade the international recognition, diversity, quality of education and infrastructure of institutions.
Conclusion
Countries that invest in the skillset of their people and focus on improving their education system end up in the overall improvement of their economy. India’s academic system needs some revolutionary changes to overcome the current problems. The entire system must be re-engineered and modernised to bridge the skill gap with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity.