Krishna Kumar, founder, CEO at Learnbay shares his views on opportunities and challenges of the education system in India with FE Education Online
What is the best thing about today’s education system?
With the advancement of knowledge, India has witnessed significant economic growth. People are less likely to be unemployed, and some are even self-employed. I’d like to discuss two extremely essential beneficial characteristics of Indian education. One such case is the expansion of technical institutes. India now .has more technical colleges than ever before. If you desire to be an engineer, it is not difficult to gain admission to a reputable AICTE-accredited college. As a result, there is no shortage of engineering graduates in the country. A second advantage is an emphasis on theoretical knowledge. Students can master an increasing number of theoretical topics. It assists them in developing better intelligence when compared to learners from other nations. The education policy has been made more realistic in light of current events. In this, diverse resources-government, semi-government, and private aid sources have been made available for educational advancement. The new education strategy has made significant modifications to the examination system. In this case, a significant emphasis has been placed on the student’s practical experience and expertise.
What is the one thing you would like to change in the system?
Classrooms are seen as crucial since they are where learning takes place. It is critical to help students feel at ease in the classrooms so that they can learn and understand properly. As a result, I’d like to concentrate on general improvements in quality and educational approaches; it’s critical to make classrooms appealing. Several additional areas need to be addressed.
● In rural areas, either parents are uninterested in sending their children to school or the children are considering dropping out because the teaching-learning processes are not well organized, there is a lack of creative activities, the school management is not carried out properly, and the environmental conditions of the schools are inadequate. As a result, improvements in all of these areas are critical if enrollment rates are to rise.
● Differences across regions, genders, castes, classes, nationalities, faiths, and other marginalized parts of the population persist and pose the greatest challenge to India’s education system. Due to a variety of factors, the school dropout rate among poor, marginalized, and socioeconomically backward parts of society has increased. Furthermore, there are gender discrepancies among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes when it comes to children aged six to fourteen. Gender equality measures should be implemented, and equal opportunities should be made available to all.
● Some elementary schools have inadequate supplies and equipment, which are insufficient to satisfy the needs and requirements of the students. Making provision for proper teaching-learning methods, effective communication between teachers and students, and the availability of materials, books, articles, swings, playthings, and all other resources that play an important role are all necessary measures to improve the quality of elementary schools.
What is the role digital has played in the evolution of the education system?
Education is no longer confined to textbooks and classrooms; it has evolved into a synthesis of technology, innovative learning, and digital material. The government is actively involved in taking critical efforts to develop guidelines that would promote India’s digital education. Efforts are being undertaken to raise the grade of digital infrastructure across India to promote the use of new educational technologies.
Personalized Learning Experience: One significant disadvantage of the traditional educational system is that many students lose interest when they are unable to keep up with the rest of the class. The modern digital format enables teachers to tailor study material to an individual’s learning speed and ability. With the digitization of the school system, the effectiveness of instructional programs is increasing.
Students become Smarter: When individuals are exposed to new learning tools and technology, they acquire excellent self-directed learning skills. Students can use the digital education system to examine what they need to know to search for and use online resources. It has a substantial impact on their efficiency, learning capacity, and production.
Smart Classrooms: The chalk-and-talk system has become obsolete, and teachers are employing more technologically advanced methods to assist kids to understand that learning can be inventive and enjoyable. Modern classrooms are outfitted with a TV or a projector, making it simple to transition from a traditional classroom session to an interactive digital one. Because they are so familiar with the digital environment, students may pay greater attention. Students are more engaged in interactive and game-based learning sessions. This saves a lot of time and physical effort by sharing information that is now just a click away.
Accountability in Students: The digital education system integrates real-time evaluation and system-generated performance reports, increasing assessment openness. It helps learners to independently examine their performance and devise necessary solutions. Students are brought out of their shells by the digital education system, and they become autonomous thinkers who know what to study, when to study, and how to study. They are no longer reliant on their instructors and parents to spoon-feed their knowledge.
What has been the disadvantage of digital in education?
Getting student feedback right in e-learning is still a challenge. When regular assessment participants receive impartial comments, they get disappointed. The E-Learning techniques now used in education tend to lack reflection, distance, and contact. Due to the absence of human interaction, many students and teachers who unavoidably spend a large amount of time online can begin to exhibit indications of social isolation. One of the main causes of students failing to finish online courses is still a lack of self-motivation. E-Learning strategies are extremely successful in boosting students’ academic understanding. However, enhancing students’ communication skills is an area that is sometimes overlooked during online sessions. Unfortunately, one of the most significant drawbacks of E-Learning is cheating through numerous techniques. Online students can cheat on
examinations more readily than on-campus students since they take them in their settings and on their personal computers. The issue is that many E-Learning training providers choose to focus on theoretical knowledge (in many cases altogether) rather than practical skills. Unfortunately, there are still a large number of unaccredited online learning platforms available, and all materials are quality reviewed by no one other than the teachers themselves. As a result, inadequate quality assurance and a scarcity of licensed online learning providers continue to erode online education’s validity.
What is the career advice you would like to give to students?
Nobody is built for a certain task, and no one is fit enough to handle all that comes their way. There will be things that others are exceptionally good at while you are not. Rather than giving up or feeling awful about something you cannot do well, be gentle with yourself and recognize that a few flaws are a vital component of any successful human. Do not be disappointed if you make some mistakes when it comes to choosing your career options. Don’t wait for opportunities, make them.