Pics : Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Sep 18: Bharat Ratna recipient Prof C N R Rao on Monday September 18 expressed concerns over the quality of teachers in the country's schools and said that the present education system in India is designed to focus only on textbooks and does not encourage innovation. He also emphasized the need to change the practice of spoonfeeding students and allow them to explore their creativity.
He was delivering the endowment lecture at the Star Status confirmation ceremony at St Aloysius College (Autonomous) here.
Prof Rao, who is also the honorary president of Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, said, "India has great heritage of knowledge. From thousand of years, knowledge has been flowing throughout the centuries. Many scientists, mathematicians, astronomers have done huge research and come up with many inventions. The Indian education system is one of the oldest education systems in the world. Indian education system does have a big problem of having bad quality teachers. In rural primary schools, we hardly see talented staff, and this even happens in universities.
"Our education focuses only on textbooks. There is nothing to excite the students. Majority of teachers are repeating the same written things in class. It is too boring. In this type of education system our new generation will get nothing new. It makes them only staff and faculties in some companies, and sometimes slaves. There is no opportunity to explore or become innovative.
"Teachers should teach in a way that is exciting to students. It should be creative and invite them to research. If we can succeed in inspiring students to go beyond their capacities, there is a chance that they can grow into creative persons. In India young men and women do not know how to use their capacity and creativity. The current examination system has destroyed the Indian education system. Everyone looks to pass the examinations, but no one is interested in bringing up their own ideas at the time of obtaining education and gaining knowledge of something new," he said.
"Our children deserve better. But the education system is oppressing and depressing them. So we should have a flexible curriculum in schools and colleges. We should give researching opportunities to students which is beyond the curriculum. It is painful to see our children growing without any proper direction and quality education. They are the victims of their parents' wishes. Their dreams end with job and respectable salary. We should bring them out of this mentality.
"Teaching is an art. The day we stop spoonfeeding, our children will start thinking out of the box," he added.
Taking the example of scientist Michael Faraday who was a pioneer in the field of electromagnetism and electrochemistry, Prof Rao said, "He was a poor boy who could not complete higher education. He was a book binder before he joined a scientist's laboratory as a glass washer. After close observation, he understood what was happening there and tried to apply his own ideas in the lab. He had freedom to think and explore his creativity. Finally, he discovered the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism and electrolysis.
"Free space in mind always paves the way for creative ideas. Our education system need to concentrate on this. Every teacher has the responsibility to make students independent thinkers," he concluded.
In his welcome address, Fr Praveen Martis, principal of the college, hailed the achievements of C N R Rao. He announced the decision of the management to name the new instrumentation centre after Prof Rao.
In his presidential speech Fr Dionysius Vaz, rector of the St Aloysis College said, "It is a great honour to receive and listen to Prof C N R Rao in our college. He is an ocean of knowledge and there is no doubt that we have been enlightened by his lecture. He is a role model to aspiring scientists in India. As a scientist, teacher, and being a good human being, he has won thousands of hearts in India and abroad. We are proud to name our instrumentation centre after Prof C N R Rao."
Prof Rao was felicitated by the rector, the principal and the other dignitaries. Dr Alwyn D'Sa read the citation.
Dr A M Narahari, registrar, Pradeep Sequeira, programme convenor, and Dr Ronald Nazareth were present.