Once I asked a bunch of young learners if they knew what grammar is but the answers I got were quite surprising. One of the students replied that it is English-II; quite surprising right? On further inquiry I got to know that they call grammar book by the name s/he replied because the grammatical concepts were taught as a second part of the prescribed English syllabus in that school. Somewhere the learners were not wrong in their understanding but this answer really put me into trouble. I asked a few questions additional to it to test the students’ basic concepts but the answers were quite humourous and surprising. On further inquiries I found that the students do not know the concepts because they are not asked these questions during the examinations. I asked myself if we learn things only for the examinations. If I ask the same question to the students, majority of them would reply in favour of the examination. I can boldly say this because may be in the past; when I was a student even I believed in this statement and many times may be I advocated in favour of it. This concept clearly shows that the students learn things for examinations; so majority of them forget once examination is conducted. I am quite sure that even the parents are not an exception. The parents do support this concept in favour of the students.
We all know that the primary objective of education is the refinement of an individual. But who else cares. Everyone is busy in this competitive world and wishes to be the best in every field; be it education or something else. Here people fail to understand that getting good marks in the examinations do not guarantee that they are the best. Trying to be the best is not a bad idea; someone rightly said ‘Be the best wherever you are’ but we must know that we should try to be the best refining ourselves; not based on the educational qualifications that we possess. I believe on a statement; it states that if we do not gather knowledge equivalent to our certificates; the certificates become heavy burden on us. I believe you too would agree to my statement.
The saddest part is that people judge a student with the marks s/he secures in the examinations that s/he appears for. I agree that marks do matter but it never supersedes the knowledge s/he acquires after completion of an academic year or a course because knowledge helps one to grow in the long run not the certificates. I believe that if a child wishes to learn the concepts properly s/he definitely would score better marks. So one must focus on the concept not on the marks; marks will automatically come if we clear the concepts properly. Inculcating values in us along with the academic qualifications is a prime concern.
Oxford dictionary says, “Education is the process of imparting, knowledge, skill and judgment”. If the acquired education doesn’t make us these things then what is the value of that kind of education? I have seen people who possess the highest degrees but they lack the value and the wisdom which is the essence of education. If the process of education does not refine our values we can never call it education rather it is good to be called certification.
No one can deny the fact that people are busy getting certificated rather than getting educated. I can never call the one educated if s/he lacks certain values a person should posses. Values and wisdom are important to lead a life more than the certificates we gather. Certificates may help one to get a better job but values will definitely make him/her better human being. Certificates may help one to get a better job but values and intellect will help him/her to remain in the same position or even higher as time passes by. Now it is your choice what you want for.
I believe that learning becomes lovely and interesting if we ignore its results. Result is important because many times it shows us where we stand but we need to find out different strategies to make our results better rather than threatening ourselves all the time for a good result. Most children leave the interest in education due to the fear of scoring low. Many leave schools and colleges due to the fear of failing.
People never leave learning informally rather they learn better than formal learning. The reason is very simple they do not have the fear of failing. I strongly agree that if formal education is taken constructively and made it interesting through different strategies; learners will definitely learn better than what they generally learn. The competition breaks the spirit of learning but if it is taken gently or if competition is not taken as a competition, it enhances the spirit and motivates one to learn better. I advice my readers never to compete with anyone because it breaks the spirit of winning and if one wants to compete, s/he can compete with himself/herself; it will surely help him/her to be the best in the universe.
I do urge the young learners to inculcate values and wisdom in them along with the academic qualifications. I assure them that values will surely add value to their certificates and they can lead a happy and successful life.