Hard questions need hard answers.
You want your child to learn and be able to be financially free? Or just learn with no thought of ever being able to be financially independent? If its the latter good for you. You being a parent will know the best for your child.
But if not read on!
I was a child, a teenager doing odd jobs and tuitions even before I was eighteen so that I had the extra money for the library charges. The books I wanted to read were not free.
What kind of changes do you wish to see in the education system in India? Learning cannot work like an assembly line. Why can’t children choose in high school their focus subject and graduate with that?
Neha asked us to share our ideas about education.
Here is an honest reply.
My mom struggled to give us a good education. Typical Bengali middle class for which I am so very thankful.I never want to lose that very middle-class sensible gene.
That’s what made me realize very early in life (I was in the eighth standard) that I wanted to study hard at something which will help me become financially independent, quickly.The last part many wants, but not the first one. The only way I can explain my burst of teenage wisdom is Gods blessing and my Moms prayers.
I also wanted to be happy. Plus be helpful to society. The last part was courtesy our Principal, Sister Ann Imelda at school who told us to [bctt tweet=”Be women of substance and not just decorations! #justsaying #Healthwealthbridge” username=”misra_amrita”]
I loved drawing and dancing, but research showed the chances of being financially independent with these two would be time-dependent, luck dependent and an extraordinarily long process.
Also, I was too sensible for the glamour stuff. It looked too fickle and short term.
Even now in modern India, parents want you to try traditional professions first.
A doctor or an engineer after five years and four years of training and suitable internship are capable of supporting himself/ herself and if needed his/her family. Few other professions will let you do this. With the industry and employment scene dismal in many states this is a hard truth. But a necessary one.
Do you know in India only about one percent of the population pay taxes?
I do, you do and we are a rare segment of the huge population. What does this have to do with education and learning? Everything. Anything which is not economically viable is destined to be unsustainable. Figure that out.I am sure you understand!With the state of chaos and privatization in Medical education and engineering colleges, quality, quantity and monetary factors have crept in.
If private colleges for either is considered, the cost prize of educating and to break even that cost is too much for the majority. But not so in a government college.If you ignore the economics of education and just focus on wishful thinking, good luck to you. But if you want to focus on sustainable growth, the economic viability of education and care about the usefulness of the skill developed, we can have a plan. While on one hand, parents go bonkers about STEM education, those same set of parents at the onset of careers are confused about the next step.
Hard Truths which are unpopular
Education should primarily help you learn.If you don’t learn a skill if you are not good at something, why would anyone ever want your services, products or why would they pay you money?The world is a market and if you want to make a living you must offer something useful.Very important secondary goals are a must.
Financial independence is important. Happiness at what you do is even more important.
My humble suggestions: Don’t kill me!
It would be wonderful if children during their higher secondary education learn a creative or a vocational skill.A little bit of internship at these subjects will help a lot.
- Like few visits to a hot kitchen in a 3 star.
- Or a day at the music studio or a professional dance academy.
- A few days in a hospital ER.
- A few afternoons in a factory making hardware.
- An evening at a newspaper office.
This will help them have a taste of the real-life people lead to make money.
Why not let them, visit you at the office and the other professionals you know at various workplaces?
I am a Doctor I love it.I am a medical teacher.I love that too. The above helped me start my blog on my own hard earned money and to make it financially sustainable.I wish I could have taken a few more creative English writing classes in my high school and photography classes. Maybe a few marketing and entrepreneurship workshops and more knowledge at value investing, All my education, those geography classes, and the history lessons, maths, and science help me.
I gave tuitions, earned money became self-sufficient early on and learned about saving when people wanted to spend.I learned to cook and clean and can manage my home.I learned to draw and paint and I do that with my child all the time.I also started writing on my blog roughly 10years after I stopped learning the English language as a subject.I understand the need for entrepreneurship, sustainable growth, good management skills.
I also understand the need for the all-round development of reading, learning, experiencing, working hard and choosing to be financially independent at a very young age.
So yes we need changes.
- Positive Ones
- Proactive ones
- Changes which make young adults creative entrepreneurs, able to have multiple careers simultaneously if needed. Creative entrepreneurship is about thinking out of the box in whatever career you choose. About being smart and sensible.
Creating a sustainable career which is viable. Earning money from your career is a priority. How do you pay your bills otherwise??Until you educate your child to support themselves are you really helping them? Educate, learn, grow. Soul food and real food both are needed. Don’t miss the forest for the trees! Like it or not, this is the exact thought blueprint which helped me be me. But that’s me!
Message for youngsters reading this:
Do what you want to do, be what you want to be. But always remember if you are not financially independent, if you can’t find one person other than your mother to pay you for your skills, life is going to be tough.May God always give you good sense and empathy!
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Every sentence is valuable in his post.
This is a well thought out article and frankly i appreciate the forward thinking approach you have taken. People need to understand that education must lead to learning and sufficiency.
That’s a valid point. Education should make us learn good things and skills which can help us earn in our life. These days education is mistaken as a competition but it more of learning experience than competition.
I totally agree with everything you have mentioned in your post.Its true that we need this change in our indian education society …you have put your thoughts across very strongly and positively …wish to see thses changes soon,
Thank you Sarah !
Indian brains are considered to be much superior. But unfortunately the education is degrading after independence. We really need the governments to look at this on a serious note.
True that.But only Government cant help we need to be proactive
Truly heartfelt. Absolutely agree with the need to have needs based education as per the demands of the Indian workforce. Education is needed so is vocational education. I agree having children visit real professional institutions to get a taste of the life of a professional within that field is a good eye opener for them to understand what they would like to learn and work in the future
Thank you Sharvari .Glad you feel the same.
Indian education system surely needs a change especially when it comes to more practical knowledge. Right now our kids are only exposed to studies and little bit extracurricular but they need to experience more. Hoping to see a change as you mentioned.
Exactly more exposure to practical parts and experiences so that they can choose with knowledge and wisdom.
there are so many things about education that we don’t know but we must know. This is very helpful for all the parents to understand the system, thanks for sharing this
Thanks Shailey
Being financially independent laid a strong foundation for safe and secure future. I really appreciate your efforts to be earn while a student. Usually people don’t appreciate this efforts. I also used to give tuitions and still love to help students who are disappointed from studies.
Thanks Dr.Bushra .Thats commendable
Sharing this with fellow docs… More people need to read this… Ideally, the younger generation on the verge of joining.
Thanks Dr.Roshan
These are excellent points shared. I think in this generation we need to let kids explore various options and focus on doing something they enjoy. I’m sure if they do what they enjoy, eventually they can become independent.
I love how much thought you’ve put into this piece. What you say makes sense. It is everyone’s dream to have a profession that brings in money plus makes one happy. That’s an ideal condition. I wish our schools had a more practical approach rather than, as you say, the assembly line method of churning out similarly qualified children.
Thank you Tulika .Wishes come true.
I completely agree to it! My parents never forced me to earn but I have always wanted to earn something by myself so that i know what is the value of money!
Thats commendable Mrinal.
Nice article. I too wrote an article on the same issue but focussing on more on how parents and educators sometimes curb the creativity of the child:
Our organisation works towards training teachers and working on all the issues you have listed abov
Your journey in the by-lanes of Indian Educational system, your efforts to acquire wisdom and various other skills are inspiring. Forget about high school, even at degree and post-graduate level we do not have any robust system or policy of internship. Hope things may change in future.
Oh yes we must hope for better things indeed.Thank you for the appreciation.