The school one attends still determines ones social status in British society. There is a clear division between State schools and independent (privately funded) public schools. Having a child in a public school is a powerful symbol of wealth and status among the Britons. Class is a tricky topic, these days. More thank money and…
Category: Education
A Landmark book for the public understanding of science
Unweaving the Rainbow Science delusion and the appetite for wonder Richard Dawkins, Penguin Books, PP313. There is concern, at least among the more thoughful sections of educators There is a decline of interest in science courses. The decline in science education has a direct bearing, in my opnion, on the goowth in India in recent…
Teaching science? Teach first the science philosophy!
Science lessons must be part of ethics teaching too! Sciences have been held up as glamour knowledge. But science today is different from yester years. Today,science and technologies have also led to many problems.In India sciences were held as holy cows.They are no more.In today’s world we confront several issues that fall outside pure sciences…
Role models! In diverse fields!
They make all the difference! In cultivating public sensitivity! Former Karnataka Chief Minister writes Ramayana poem Vishva Mohan Bhatt invents Mohana Veena Javed Akthar lives life on the fast lane! These are only just three examples. There are so many others in so many diverse fields! They are all creative people. They are creative artists….
Do Indian universities live up to today’s challenges?
What a university is for? Of course, there is much that is deplorable in Indian highr education. First, there is no environment to stimulate open debates on high and sensitive issues. There was this column by a lady columnist, on universities and the academics. The caption of the column provoked me. “The conformism of free…
How to build a new character for the people?
Challenges for Indian Education Indian education can’t be left to the politicians or the academics alone. Unfortunately, in India of the current socio-political configuration, there are not even strong-willed leaders nor the independent academics. The universities are politicised and the vice-chancellors irrespective of their locations are all the political creatures. The state universities are under…
Government back tracks on education promises?
Midday meals programme for all children only in a “phased manner” The Congress -led coalition government, within a matter of just two weeks had developed cold feet! Its tall promises in its so-called Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is heavily diluted, if not heavily backtracked. Its bold promise on education, specially on elementary education was seen…
Education outside the classroom?
There is too much outside! Media, Cinema and TV; they educate or divert attention? Mahesh Bhatt, the famed Mumbai film maker and a social thinker and social activist has written a thought-provoking article (Economic Times, April 22, 2004) on our “attention deficit disorder”. By this he means how our Bollywood stars and other film industry…