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| EDUCATION TRIBUNE |
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Impart right values to children
Cambridge rusticates student for reading out poem aloud |
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Impart right values to children EVERY school devotes time to impart values to their students. Lectures are set aside to teach children the importance of values like humility, forgiveness, simple living, austerity, etc. Projects are undertaken to emphasise these values. What was called “moral science” a decade ago is now known as “value education” in a majority of schools. The thrust remains the same—grooming young minds to become capable, responsible citizens. The students get a chance to think and talk about those values that would help them to sail through life in this cut-throat competitive world. Teachers try their best to put across these very essential values to their students. But what happens once the lecture is over. Projects discussed, made and marked, the children step into the parking area of the school where they see cars of every make, jostling for space and attention. The children fresh from their value education class go home to find parents talking of “who has what” and “who gets what, when and how”. If not that, the conversation centres on who is partying where. The vicious cycle just does not end, it engulfs the entire lifestyle, be it clothes, eating or planning holidays. Where does that leave the children? The values of society as a whole have undergone a sea change. The Indian society has evolved in the last decade not by itself but by simply aping the West, by borrowing from the societies of the so-called developed countries. Jyoti Donter, a teacher at St. John’s High School, Chandigarh, says, “We, as teachers, work hard to impart right values to the children in our care. But when it comes to applying these values in practical life, it becomes a little tough as well as confusing for the children as there are so many pressures exerting influence on them. For example, the school makes effort by taking the children to old age homes, blind school, etc., but there are very few parents who relate such programmes as an essential part of not only education but also growing up. Very few families discuss the importance of these programmes. Hence, the implementation of these values leaves a lot to be desired.” We ape the Western countries not realising the beauty of being different. We, as a civilisation, have an ethos that rests on certain values which are the foundation stones of our society. These values can only be taught by the immediate family, the neighbourhood and by the school. Though we choose a school for our children with great care, a majority of the parents don’t trust the school. For example, if any teacher reprimands a student, his parents reach the school with the media in tow to confront the school authorities. Why? The obvious reason is that the parents today refuse to confront their own child, sending a clear signal that the school can also be wrong. Such children only create further ruckus in the school. India has a very rich culture of the guru-shishya parampara, where the student stayed with his teacher for years, working in the guru’s household and learning the lessons of life. The training was rigorous yet that system produced students who grew to become such illustrious names that they are mentioned with great reverence even today. Our children today have access to the best, thanks to double-income households. However, many parents have the money but not the time to spend with their children. A number of boarding schools get strange requests of not sending the children home during the vacations as the parents do not have time. How demeaning for the child! Another strange request is not to send both the siblings together, but to send each sibling the alternate year as together they are difficult to manage. What about companionship and sibling love? It seems incomplete to grow without the pillow fights and the usual sibling rivalry, the latter a strong factor in positive competition within the house that prompt the children to work hard to surpass each other. Of course, the parents do try to maintain a balance between the siblings, with the grandparents playing their role. As the famous quote from Africa goes, “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” How true! But today, we believe in hiding the flaws of the child even from the immediate family. Why? Let our children know that they have to behave, to listen and to follow. We are their elders and we would only help mould their personality for the better, balancing on the way their individuality with our time-tested Indian values. |
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Cambridge rusticates student for reading out poem aloud RUSTICATION. That’s a word you don’t read very often. It is Oxbridge’s characteristically archaic way of saying temporary expulsion. Except in the case of one Ph.D student at Cambridge University, rusticated last week for seven terms, or two and a half years, it probably does not feel very temporary. For Owen Holland, banned from the book stacks until October 2014, the sentence lasts almost as long as his original degree. The crime which brought down this draconian punishment? He read a poem out loud. Being Cambridge, he called it an “epistle”, but no matter. What matters, at least in the eyes of the university’s Court of Discipline, is that he read his poem at an event featuring Higher Education Minister David Willetts, right. He was one of 60 students and academics involved in the anti-fees protest. “You are not a welcome guest because you come with a knife beneath your cloak”, they chanted. “We are not consumers; we are students.” Eventually Willetts gave up—heaven knows how the poor lamb copes with the spittle-flecked hecklers in the House of Commons—and went home without delivering his speech. There was no threat to his safety, no criminal damage done. The protesters used verse, not vandalism, to make their point. You might argue, as the Court of Discipline did, that freedom of speech goes both ways and Willetts should have been allowed to say his piece. Perhaps the protesters were guilty of youthful over-exuberance but for that a rap on the wrist would have sufficed. Singling Holland out and increasing by a biblical sevenfold the punishment suggested by the university advocate—one term’s suspension—smacks of thuggishness. To make an example of one poetic voice of dissent in order to stamp out future outbursts is the act of a Bahraini dictatorship, not of one of the world’s finest universities. Whatever happened to fostering independent thought and questing intellectual spirit? Cambridge is already considered out of touch by some (for that, thank terms like rustication). Now, in punishing a peaceful stand against government higher education policy, it has shown itself to be out of step with what vast swathes of its own students and staff believe. Already Holland’s fellow protesters have turned Spartacus and demanded the same punishment be meted out to them. A shameful episode which may at least teach Cambridge a lesson: try to muffle protest and it will rebound on you—at least seven times as loud.
— The Independent |
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Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak GIVING a call for a unified mode of Lokayukta in India and a strong institutional mechanism to combat corruption, the speakers at a two-day seminar on corruption held here recently claimed that Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement had raised public consciousness about the canker of corruption. Prof. S.S.Tiwana, Dean, Academic Affairs, Punjabi University, Patiala, in his keynote address traced the history of the Lokpal institution in India and discussed the status of Lokayukta in various states, with special focus on Punjab. Observing that there had been a certain rise in the overall awareness and a concern over the issue, he said involvement and participation of the common man would definitely lead to a better result as far as the solution to the problem was concerned. In his presidential address, Prof. Paramjit Singh, Head, Department of Law, Punjabi University, Patiala, said there was multiplicity of legislation and monitoring institutions in India. Therefore, effective implementation of anti-corruption laws is required, he emphasised. He also called for empowering existing institutions to combat corruption. Earlier, Head, Department of Public Administration, and convener of the seminar, Prof. S. S. Chahar gave a backdrop of the topic and said grievance redressal mechanism should be effective. He called for transparency in the anti-corruption process, and strengthening of legislation related to combating corruption. The seminar was organised under the aegis of the Department of Public Administration in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research, North-Western Regional Centre, Chandigarh. Focus on teacher education
A two-day seminar on "Revitalising Teacher Education" concluded here recently with the experts calling for change in the curriculum and pedagogy in teacher education. The seminar was organised by the Department of Education of the university in collaboration with the All-India Teacher Educators Association. Dr Jitender Kumar of MDU gave a special lecture emphasising the need for more practical orientation in curriculum and creativity development in teacher education. Around 60 papers were presented during the four technical sessions of the seminar, focusing on various aspects of the school education system and teacher education scenario. About 150 delegates participated in the seminar.
D. Litt for Pandit Jasraj
Maharshi Dayanand University will award D. Litt (honoris causa) degree to renowned classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj of Mewati Gharana at its convocation to be held here in April. A decision to this effect was taken at the 166th meeting of the Academic Council of MDU held here recently.
Results declared
The university has declared the results of M.Ed (annual scheme) supplementary examination held in January 2012. According to the MDU Controller of Examinations, Dr B.S. Sindhu, the results will be available on the university website www.mdurohtak.ac.in. Candidates who want to appear in the next examination in June 2012 on the basis of their result may submit their examination form online up to March 20 without late fee.
Career guidance workshop
A two-day workshop on career guidance concluded here recently at the Institute of Management Studies and Research (IMSAR) of the university with experts providing valuable tips to the students to facilitate their personality development. Director, IMSAR and Dean, Faculty of Management Science, Prof. H.J. Ghosh Roy, inaugurated the workshop. Communications expert Dr. Suresh Singhal in his special lecture urged upon the students to develop communication skills. He also gave valuable tips about resume writing. Professor Rajbir Singh of the Department of Psychology focused on self-development aspects with a view to develop personality. He gave psychological inputs on the concept of self-development as well as valuable interview tips. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the University Career Counselling and Placement Cell.
— Contributed by Bijendra Ahlawat |
