Why good education cannot remain an afterthought or a political gimmick

Education is the foundation of civilization. How children are trained in navigating the time and society they live in manifests the destiny of a people. Unfortunately, mere literacy has been cited as a mark of education for too long. Moreover, in a post-colonial nation like India, the fact that literacy in a foreign language is considered a mark of a sophisticated education speaks to the hollowness of such a discussion over the past few decades. Indian education has been a subject too political to touch for the last decade. Despite nine years of central governance, the BJP has famously had an education minister proudly state that not a word in textbooks had changed. On the other hand, the recent outrage about the utterly inaccurate history NCERT textbooks indoctrinate children into has had effect. It has led to some ad hoc removal of chapters on tyrants, but also, strangely, a reorganisation of chapters that removes parts of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. In the Karnataka state board, the history of Tipu Sultan has been removed and then integrated, exemplifying the lack of political interest in student well-being. Indian systems of education considered not merely individual material success, but helped a student find purpose, mental balance, physical health and helped navigate society. Students came from many backgrounds, and often kings patronised the best ones. In the grand Indian kingdom of Vijayanagar (1336–1646 AD), for example, women were educated to become literate in Sanskrit, Kannada and Telugu, while also pursuing the arts. Savitri Mumukshu cites how many of them pursued astrology, astronomy, accounting, judicial employment, became chefs and guards, as recorded in accounts of foreign travellers. King Krishnadevaraya himself patronised many of these women artistes and litterateurs. She also cites how this tradition was hardly modern in its day; ancient Indian women were students of Vedic chanting as acknowledged by Panini and Patanjali. These small examples show a holistic understanding of creating a base for many knowledge systems, while allowing for pursuit of purpose. Patronage of the best also allowed these individuals to find a place in society that was pertinent to their education. These simple ideas were harshly replaced by a system of education that created cogs for the industrial machinery. This is not to say that the material well-being that it has wrought from the skeletons of colonial and ecological ravages is unwelcome, but that alternative systems have succeeded before and are likely to do so again. While the National Education Policy framework is a step forward, the way students learn remains unchanged. As a civilization, a democracy, a growing economy and an emergent pole in the new world order, its citizens must be prepared to wield knowledge about the various meanings of success. Communist revisionism of history must be addressed in order to ensure a coherent Indian identity for all people of the country, as well as to negate the inferiority complex English-focused NCERT education has bred for the last few generations. It is also necessary to explain Hindu culture as belonging to all Indian peoples, without diluting the role of Hindus in its upkeep and protection. Anti-Indian bigotry continues in an age when India is significantly more visible to the world. It is racist in nature , and targeted towards Hindus and Hinduism. It must be addressed as such by education systems that provide answers and place events in context of the world. For example, colonisers and invaders that have burnt women at the stake and carried out brutal rapes and sex-trafficking of children are held as shining examples of women’s emancipation. People famed for their body-building techniques and martial traditions are portrayed as losers of all wars. Such inconsistencies leave students confused and feeling inferior to those they encounter in the world outside. Theories that must be debated in the hallowed halls of historians and scientists, such as the long - decimated “Aryan Invasion Theory” still continue to be repeated in school textbooks. Then again, history of a nation that has been independent for three quarters of a century stops its discussion of history in 1947. The many events and upheavals India and Indians participated in for decades afterwards form footnotes and trivia for quiz competitions. Riots and their reasons are simply brushed under the carpet instead of being portrayed with sensitivity toward the subjects. Also, so many of these isolated events do not seem to tie into the present. While colonialism left native Indians ravaged by poverty and illnesses, with high mortality rates and high inequality, the measures that address such challenges form the policy for most post-colonial nations. However, the history does not tie into civic studies to a point where students comprehend how the laws and policies help them overcome circumstances. A child cannot go to his less educated mother today to inform her that the PM Awas Yojana will financially benefit them if she is the one who registers as the owner of the home. Critical thinking inculcation will continue to lack as long as an education encourages being problem-focused instead of solution-oriented. Moreover, a population that has early access to extreme amounts of information is shown to get much more mentally distressed unless shown how to handle the information deluge. This also leads to analytical skills allowed for by observation and pattern forming instinctually being replaced by rhetorical belief systems. Hence, education systems that allow for children to learn how to think, rather than what to think becomes extremely necessary. Mental health is intrinsically tied to physical well-being, and the Japanese education system ensures that children learn to cook and understand nutrition and cleanliness from a very young age. Moreover, access to nature as well as yogic meditation are proven to have significant impact on health. Indian martial traditions that focused on channelling attention and energy can be re-introduced once an adequate number of teachers are incentivized to be trained in the same. Indian art forms also risk loss if not preserved adequately in literature and practice.   Good education cannot remain an afterthought and a political gimmick. In a nation that has achieved independence merely 75 years ago, the lack of education into what was required to achieve it, the millions of sacrifices it needed remain missing. An education of what will drive it forward on the world stage is not even considered. Health, critical thinking, incentivization of innovation are all forgiven. There remains no push towards experimentation or entrepreneurship, leaving a base for a large consumerist mass, rather than a creative or contributive one. The youth of India deserve thoughtful action, and a less fickle one. The author is a Masters in Biotechnology from the University of Bath, an MBA, a columnist, and a podcaster. Views expressed are personal. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.