Author: Revels
The education system. Going to school, followed by college is thought to be the necessary path to educating a child; without said institutions a person is thought to be uneducated regardless of any other qualities they might have. They might have read books from around the world but the mark of an institution bears heavily on their documents. A friend of mine knew someone who never went to college yet the books he would read made him far more scholarly than his peers who were studying. Yet family and friends would still think it wasn’t prestigious enough as he had not gone to a ‘proper’ college.
Why do we take this rigid education system so seriously? Because it has become a part of us.
It is something that is ingrained in our minds, we need to go to school, we need to have a degree, or at least a diploma. The question though is, do we really? For all of us out there, do we really require what we study?
We study subjects like chemistry, biology, math as compulsory to our courses, whereas the subjects we should be studying, like social sciences, psychology, maybe morality, are not considered compulsory in our courses. Is that not ironic, that growing up in a society where kids mourn going to school and studying is a burden, that kids are still forced, year by year, to study something they cannot comprehend? Something they have not the slightest interest in? Yes, for the basic years, by all means make the child study core subjects but then let the child seek what they feel capable of doing best.
Tests, exams, quizzes, marks, grades, all of these bear heavily on a student’s fresh mind. He is less excited to be able to learn something new, as he is always worried about his scores. Is that really educating a child? Should his marks determine where he should go to study and what? Why do a set of subjects together determine the score of the child and what subject he specialises in when the subject he likes best is the only one he can score in, the rest of the subjects bringing him down and hence not allowing him to pursue that one subject? Is that really fair?
Then our whole lives revolve around our academic system, we can’t make it to a wedding if we have an exam, we can’t go out because there’s too much to study, etc. etc.
Having gone through the process myself, I can say with certainty that with a lot of students this becomes a life and death dilemma. I have known some students who have committed suicide because of the pressure, they could not cope with the expectations from family, society, teachers and their peers. It was too much; education ruined them and scarred their loved ones.
Some ionic reactions or integrated equations didn’t save them. And nor will they grant security for a great future.
Schooling should be an enlightening experience, where fresh, receptive minds go to learn something new and grow. Unfortunately, the concept slowly changed. Now, we go to school to go to a good university, then go to that good university so we can have a good job. And a good job is pursued for a good life. But no! That is not the aim of our lives, we do not need good jobs to have a good life. Maybe someone starts something on their own, it might not be the successful at first but if the person invests his soul into something he loves I can guarantee the success rate will rocket to the skies. But not if he has a nine to five job doing something he dislikes, only for the money. Then he will only feel frustrated and annoyed, his brain and health deteriorating in a rapid spiral.
Education should nourish minds, make them feel healthier. Our systems should not be based on such a ridiculous grading system in which everyone is considered the same. That is not fair and I don’t see students going to this school system in the future if this is how it remains.
Another problem is how the education system is more about business than welfare. Schools and universities charge fees beyond affordability and students and their families are forced to seek loans, only for a ‘respectable’ and ‘accepted’ education.
Well guess what. The definitions of respectable and accepted aren’t constant either. What basis do you use? We’ve never had the same conditions for normalcy or acceptance, so why here? Why not speak out and say, I’m sorry, I disagree with how you choose to define my acceptance. If it isn’t wrong, then why is it not accepted? Why must we have such regressive social pressure coercing us into doing things we would never have otherwise done?
Revels is a Pakistani student, blogger and contributing writer at The Conversation Room
You can visit her excellent blog here:
The Conversation Room 
Beautifully put. Education should be driven by the learner, to a large extent, and not by the teacher…is what I think. Thanks for this.
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You bring up a lot of good points. Too many for me to touch upon all of them in the comment box! lol. So, I will do one agree, and one disagree 😉
Agreed: Overall, the education system in place is all about ‘where’ you went to school. Love of learning is strangely a rare thing in the university system. Societal structure means that what usually stands between an individual and poverty is their access to education. Parents can be overly adamant about this and put too much pressure on the kids.
Disagreed: Primary education (K-12) should be grueling to some extent. And should include science, math, and all that ‘boring’ stuff… As a parent, I know for a fact that kids do not know what’s best for them in this regard. And as a life long student, I appreciate that subjects like math (especially the higher math) programs your brain for logical thought. And the sciences teach you causal relationships in nature. (also logic)
Nice post! 🙂
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Well said!
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A really interesting article and you put across many valid points. We choose to HE for many of the reasons you have mentioned and watching my children grow into happy, confident individuals is so rewarding. I do not agree with the ‘one size fits all system’ and I do believe it has now become a system to control individuals.
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In my opinion, the company I work for overvalues college degrees. They really don’t care what you majored in, it’s all about having a framed certificate. According to one of my previous bosses, it a degree symbolizes that you could preserve for 4 to 5 years to attain something.
Unfortunately, many of the young college grads can’t do simple arithmetic, read a ruler, or type an email that isn’t full of typos. It isn’t their fault as they just complied with what was forced upon them. The system is fraught with errors and shortcomings, but I don’t foresee it changing anytime soon.
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Yes. There is some merit to that ideal of, we’ll call it ‘stick-to-it-ivness’. But the value has been lost since the focus moved away from liberal studies to applied studies. There have been debates and repercussions of this decision for years now… “Mindwalk” (1990) was a film that I think really delved into that question regarding that loss, or as an old professor called it “Throwing the baby out with the bath water…”
And yes, I’ve observed the lack of math skills, but that began in elementary school for many in the mid to late 1990’s when they began giving calculators out (or allowing them) in 3rd grade… now I get to deal with the ‘requirement’ of a peripheral device (iPhone, iPad, etc.) in school. (I refuse to allow them to take them to school… for multiple reasons.)
I think the question remains, “what can we do?” I am doing what I can here… but is it going to be enough?
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Reblogged this on Wag 'n Bietjie.
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Revels, good post. Here in America, Education has become a “business” and treated as such. No longer a “service” for the public, but a means to grow Administrations, teachers salaries and more, and don’t get me started on College Sports, which is now the “tail wagging the Dog” at many colleges and universities. If you get a chance, watch the Michael Moore movie “Where to Invade next” and see how he shows how almost every other Country is doing it right and we are going backwards….
I’ve got a blog here somewhere, let me know if you would like to visit it…
Rich
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Thanks for taking this topic and bringing forth such important aspects of our education system. Something I have always hated about the pattern of education that it does not encourage one’s choices and interests. Education system does not only consist of school and students each one of us playing different roles like that of a parent, teacher, etc. Science is deemed to be the God of education system and Humanities is always looked down upon. I am an intelligent person but I like Humanities. I don’t know why people get that.
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