‘Education system is suffering from societal problems’

With the society being influenced by mammonism, the entire education system in the country is governed by corporates, Retired English Professor Sukumar Gowda said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a deliberation on draft National Education Policy 2019 organised jointly by Mangalore University and Centre for Educational and Social Studies at Mangalagangothri on Monday.

Gowda said the education system in the country be it primary, secondary, collegiate and university level was suffering from societal problems. “It is the market paradigm which is ruling the country and family paradigm is slowly vanishing.”

Stating that industrial revolution, colonialism and imperialism led to the market paradigm, he said alienation of teachers and students was another factor that was bothering the education system in the country.

Terming draft National Education Policy as “second avatar of Modi government,” he said when Smrithi Irani was Minister for HRD there was a policy on education. There is no mention on source for the policy to be mentioned as a policy. Societal ethos are not mentioned. Each chapter on education, be it pre-primary, primary, secondary, collegiate and university level, carries nice and handy chapters with objectives. Even for the objectives there should have been rationale. “Without a rationale a policy cannot stand on its own.”

CESS Deputy Director Gowrish Joshi said the draft policy aims at changing the mindset of the people. It wants the education system to be owned by the community. The policy also aims at empowering faculty, give scope for innovation, bringing in flexibility in the system and try to restore the dignity of the teachers.

Terming the NEP as learner-centric, he said it was the students who contribute to the development of the country in the future. It has a chapter on liberal arts education which allows a student to pursue his passion through multi-disciplinary approach.

Continuous course on ethics and value system to inculcate it in students is part of the draft national education policy. “It also addresses the thinking ability in the students,” he said. It integrates skill education, vocational and main stream education, to help the students to face the future with courage.

Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof P S Yadapadithaya said the university has to submit its views on draft NEP to the government through Karnataka Higher Education Council by July 31.

“The education system should be Indianised. An eco-system should be created to improve the quality in education. Access, equity, quality and affordability are the pillars of the draft national education policy,” he added.