EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Location: Home

Time: Evening

Characters: Nithil Dennis(myself), a young boy

I enter my house after a long days work and was greeted by a young boy barely 6 years old. He has a shy smile and a pleasant ‘Namaste’. He is my maid’s son.

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Location: University

Time: Morning

Characters: Nithil Dennis (Assistant Professor), Students

I enter the department and I notice some students walking past. ‘No’ greetings. I say GoodMorning and I get a sheepish ‘Hello Sir’
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Location: Seminar Hall (University)
Time: Morning
Characters: Parents of prospective new joiners
I am sitting on the podium being questioned by the parents
Parent 1: How much (salary) will my ward get after finishing this course?
Parent 2: What kind of placements do you offer in your university, is it 100%?
Parent 3: Will my son/daughter earn more than 5 lakhs per annum after finishing this course?
Parent 4: How many companies come for placements in your university?
With every other parent wanting know about the salary packages and the placements, I was surprised nobody was concerned with the quality of education that the University can deliver.

Now the big question arises. What is ‘quality education?’
1. Is it equipping an individual to earn more money?
2. Is it about scoring high marks and percentages?
3. Is it making you ready to get into the best companies?
4. Or Is it value and manners and respect and overall development?
A student who has educated parents and is convent educated does not know how to wish his faculty. A maid’s son who is only educated in a government school in Hindi Medium greets me when he sees me.
Isn’t it a shame on the so called educated society?
Youngsters nowadays only speak the language of money. Their attitudes, lives, and enjoyment revolve around money. Sad, gone are the days were university portals were revered by the students themselves, were every student who steps out in his final year is proud to have been a part of that institution.
I seriously don’t understand the parent’s mentality. Do they think that their son/daughter is entitled to earn a certain package the moment they finish graduation. Then what happens to skill sets, performance indicators and commitments?
Firstly, one should understand that earning a degree is not all about education. It is only the first step in a long process. Graduation is not a license to earn. Parents should realize that their wards have to perform, and be good at what they do.
Secondly, are these parents ever concerned about their wards interest? NO, because they choose a course/career which only gives him monetary advantage. Is there any job satisfaction? Is the son/daughter doing something that he/she likes to do?
Most of the time we see frustration all around us. People are never satisfied with what they have. In organizations and work places we see people cribbing about everything. Isn’t it related to the kind of education we get? It is
From the first day in school, parents want their children to become what they want rather than thinking about what the child would want himself to be. This pressure is built on the child all through his formative years which finally ends up when he gets a job and settles. But the problem actually starts there. The child (still child for the parents) is not happy. So he builds develops frustration in his job and makes lives hell for everybody around him/her. Why do you think we have nasty bosses (by product of our education system?)
Through generations we have built many a citizen who is not satisfied. If everybody starts loving his job and does it to the best of his knowledge, half the problems in India will be solved.

On the contrary I see a kind of satisfaction in my maid’s son. He is a content person. I should give full credit to the maid (Kiran) - a very dignified young lady. She is well composed and wants the best for his son. But the best that she wants in this context is what is called EDUCATION. She has trained her son to respect elders. To be well behaved and has inculcated in him a sense of learning from life and people around him. He knows the difficulties his mom faces. Harsh realities are right in front of him. He knows it’s very difficult to get the best, and his mom is doing her best to get him that. This realization early in life will make him understand the harsh realities and will develop him into a human being with respect, love and care. This is what every University, every college and every institute should impart and that is what quality EDUCATION is.