THE FAULT IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Since our very childhood, we are quite familiar with the conventional notions that go like "Study well and get good grades in school", "If you work hard and keep your grades perfect in school then you will lead a great life in future", "Going to school will make you stand apart from the crowd", etc. But are these notions actually applicable? Are they practical? We go through so many years of formal education in schools and colleges but is that utilitarian? 

In India, more than 50% of the population are under the age 25 who are still completing their formal education. But is it going to be productive for them? 98% of the youth go through bumping in every corner, just managing to make a living, never even be able to discover themselves, their passion and charisma, and their true potential. They never actually live their lives but instead just pass through it and end up with failure, poverty, stress, dissatisfaction, disappointment and misery. But why? Because they were promised in their childhood that keeping good grades in school will reward them with a good job which will reward them success and happiness for a lifetime. Believe it or not, this is the decietful fault of our educational system that is grounded on flawed assumptions, and enslaving of an individual from terminating him/her to reach his/her greatest potential.

My aim here is to illuminate the deceitful flaws of our educational system and how it limits an individual to settle for far less than its true best. True, I won't be able to cover all of its cumbersomes but I'll give it my all to keep dignified worth in the quality of the content. So let's just dive into it! ^_^

THE FLAWS IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

In my opinion, there are only two aspects missing in our educational system. And they are — "education" and "system"!!!

1.) It traps everyone in the same rat race

In 1830s, the modern school system was brought to India by Lord Macaulay. At that time, the East India Company found it paramount for them to recruit workers in their company who will work on less wages and won't cross-question them. Seeing the circumstances of India, they surreptitiously implemented this educational system where the curriculum was confined to science and mathematics and other subjects were considered needless. And the Indians were informed to study those subjects in school and get good grades to redeem government jobs. Since Indians were already uncertain of their future, they fell prey into this trap which only benefitted the English and the Indians barely managed to make a living. 

Unfortunately, even after attaining independence back in 1947, we are still lingered with the same doomed system. In which each student is chucked into the same well of impractical education and then anticipated that they shall bring innovations to life. How lame!

But there's a reason why everyone is different. There's a reason why they have distinct interests. But this educational system confines everyone into one standard dogma and restricts them from ever unlocking their full potential. It traps everyone in the same rat race which is grounded on flawed assumptions and comparison on the scale of marks. How stultifying!

Despite the promises, the current educational system doesn't thrive on helping each student to actually learn and develop their intelligence instead it has a deplorable mindset that evokes self-doubt within the students and label them with tags like "genius", "average" or "pinheads". The system flatters and claims that the students who embark with terrific grades in school are the ones who will shine in future. But in contrast, there are a massive number of successful people who were considered dumb in school. And there's an underlying reason for it. The school only focuses on one type of intelligence. Paradoxical it is. In the renowned psychologist Howard Gardner's book "Frames of mind" he argues about the 7 distinct intelligences. They are Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Spatial, Musical, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal intelligences. ( I strongly recommend you to read this masterpiece. You can buy it through: https://www.amazon.in/dp/0465024335/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_AMBCEHPFA1MT4AERGPGJ ) What the school stresses on is mere Linguistic intelligence and even if it stretches its limits, then it is only able to capitalize on Logical-Mathematical intelligence. But what about those students who posses other intelligences? 

Occasionally, we even come to hear about IQ, which is the numerical score of an individual's intelligence. It is told that the greater your IQ, the smarter you are. And IQ is the numerical value of your intelligence so if you possess great intelligence then you shall get a higher IQ which will eventually shape your destiny. But here's the catch. The school only focuses on Linguistic intelligence and to an extent Logical-Mathematical intelligence and so is the IQ test grounded upon. 

Now allow me to illuminate something juxtaposing. Alfred Binet, who invented the IQ test, invented it not to designate anyone with the tag of superiority or inferiority, but to get wind of how many students are not getting benefitted from the educational system because of its bias towards typically 2 type of intelligences. 

This bias of the educational system leads to the dissipating of a gigantic number of talents from developing their skills and unleashing their full potential. And that's what makes this educational system a flawed one. 

2.) It doesn't espouse knowledge and growth

Education is all about gaining true and useful knowledge and skills growth. But this educational system extirpates this postulation. The school curriculum is designed in a parrot-friendly manner. Do you remember that moment when your teacher deducted your marks by giving a lamentable explanation that was like, "Your answer is correct and the process was explicit but you won't be rewarded full marks because you didn't use my method."? Huh.....? Is there only one way to answer a particular question? Definitely not! This is the behavioural equivalent of the tendency of school to curb creativity, innovation, intelligence and resourcefulness. The excellence in this system mainly relies on the parroting of concepts which has made false learning its benchmark.

Moreover the school operates on a fixed mindset attitude. The environment is seldom growth-oriented. Carol S. Dweck in her book "Mindset" delineates about the growth-curbing mindset of the school. She sheds remarkable light upon how intimidating school is for the development process of the students. She goes on to delineate that the school impedes the utmost growth of the students by dumping a pressure on them to prove themselves every now and then. This evokes an attitude within the students to stay away from challenges and true learning because they have a fickle burden on them of proving themselves the very best every time. This plants a fear within them to trot away from learning since they don't want to make a mistake because that would hamper their image. 

Did you notice? This system scorns mistakes. How impractical! How can any individual learn something new without making mistakes! Mistakes and failures are the inalienable components that cohere our eventual success. Lack of mistakes and failures in the equation of success would never be balanced. Well, when I was learning to ride a bicycle, I had great falls and got my ass smashed on the concrete roads far more times than I could keep a count of. But didn't I finally learn? (NOTE:- Now I am able to ride bicycle effortlessly.😎)

3.) It assassinates passion

Students are impelled from the inception to hound the god-damned dreadful roadmap provided by the school forever in their lives and never try something creative or rely on their gut which impoverishes one's ability of effective decision making. Each individual on planet Earth has its own charm and has the right and the power to foster its destiny. With that right, one should relish the privelage to make the desirable choices, pursue the realms of one's choice and cater one's ambition. Unfortunately, I feel pity to know that this educational system literally fosters nothing but a delusional gratification of success. From the dawn of school life, students are pressurised which fosters nothing but sheer intimidation. Since no room is spared for true growth and discovery of one's self, the charm is eroded away and the students are glued with the fear of rejection of the conventional society and mockery. This parasitic norm of the system yields no good for the students instead restricts an individual to shine and inspire others with the charisma of their passion that otherwise would have happened. This is causing a stupendous increase in the rate of depression and sucide rates among students due to exam pressure. Needless to mention that this stultifying system is responsible for this agony.

There's something even more stimulating yet ludicrous. The system operates on 19th century's syllabus curriculum, teachers are of 20th century, students are of 21st century and the level of anticipation of results is never less than 22nd century without even a growth-oriented environment. Seriously? Are the students a joke to the system? 

4.) It doesn't enhance your personality

All of the school curriculum works away from the development of one's personality. Students are chucked in the long depraving years of school curriculum and utterly given no room for the aggrandizing of one's personality. According to a research conducted by the Carnegie Institute, 85% of your career success depends upon your ability to lead, communicate and negotiate. And only 15% originates from your technical education. We go through eleventy years of schooling and college education and practically investing no time in the development of our personality. Leadership is an indefeasible element for proficiently communicating to make your point validated without critical evidence and also in commanding loyalty in any realm. Your ability to negotiate effectively, lead and influence people and declaim, all profoundly constitute your interpersonal skills. And definitely needless to jot down, your interpersonal skills make a rousing impact on your listeners and thus are the inalienable components that engender a lasting mark on your personality that shall gleam on your persona. 

Yet, this is another thing that the system spurns to catch up with.