Article on commercialization of education
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Education was something that was always driven by devotion and thought. Helped by their own volition, teachers were successful potters moulding men and women into the embodiment of an intangible divine force, of rectitude. Sadly though, the twin foundations have penetrated the department of education as well, subverting it, leading to the establishment of a commercial education system that manufactures solipsists but doesn’t nurture altruists.
While it is true that education must evolve as time passes but commercialisation of education is the worst thing that could ever have happened. It is tantamount to decide. Depressingly, we are not averse to the idea of commercialisation. India has become a dirt-pool where ‘educational’ institutions proliferate like mushrooms. And there is none to cleanup! Foremost among these are the engineering and medical colleges which have become clubs of incompetent youngsters.
It is only because of such ‘institutes of technology and of medical sciences’, which turn out maladroit people, that the BPO and IT industry is thriving in our country. Because, lets face the truth, our education system doesn’t make us competent enough. The word IIT might have sprung up in your mind, but I don’t think they are paradigms of the ideal education institute. They sure equip you with technical knowledge that this age requires but certainly don’t imbibe the intellectuality that every age demands.
Central to this issue is the changing equations of the role of the teacher. The most sacred and the most important job in the world is that of the teacher. A teacher, hidden in the shadow of the student, must guide him to move ahead and resurrect our broken society. From the time when education started its first phase of commercialisation, the responsibilities of the teacher too, have been compromised. It is painful to note that people are beginning to view it as just another job which pays them and feeds them. When a person graduates, more often than not, the last job that he/she applies for is the job of the teacher. While we are a society built with the bricks of fallacies concrete of misguided principles, the notion, that the job of a teacher is a lesser one, filled with so much ignorance and falsity can only be equated with sacrilege and blasphemy.
Dignified principal, respected staff members and my dear friends. Good morning to one and all present here. Today I stand before you to present my views on “commercialization of education”.
Friends! Now education system has not remained how it was earlier. We all have heard “Don’t run after success, run after excellence” but do we follow these quotes? Wherever you visit either for getting admissions or tuitions, we see 10th, +2 coaching rs.30,000 PMT coaching Rs.80,000 etc. but these things become burden on parents as well as children. We see number of students sitting outside good colleges or universities for admissions, but the one who shell out more from his/her pocket, gets the golden chance of becoming a student of such a good institute. So, isn’t it commercialization of education?
Today, education has been reduced to a business venture. Today ‘The Great Education Bazaar’ has endangered quality of education. The culprits are unscrupulous merchants of education and tuition tycoons. The victims are gullible students and hapless parents. With the government washing its hands off education slowly but surely, market forces have taken over. Children are the future of our country and education is the path that enhances their talents and takes out the best of it. Such commercialization of education is running the lives of students as well as their hapless parents. Again here poor suffer the most as they don’t have as much money to shell out for getting admissions in higher institutions. So, some initiatives should be taken by the government to help students get good education and to stop the commercialization of education.