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September 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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SCHOOL WORLD The pressure of the educational system is taking its toll on kids. Children begin to worry about their marks at the tender age of six years. This worry is compounded as they progress further, culminating in the dreaded board examinations. We know that for a college the board is more of a hindrance, this is so because the marks scored here bear negligible or no relevance ahead. Since there is no confluence of these two a student stands on a threshold where he does not know which one to emphasise more on, the board or the entrance exams. If this is a summary of the educational journey, then there are various major stopovers which have not been touched upon yet. If a child is endowed with intelligence, the expectations of the parents are sky high. He must then become a “topper”. The teachers also seek validation through such a child . For the school too it is a matter of honour and prestige to have such a student. Therefore, we set off loading this regularly smart child with expectations which are not his own making. The originality of the child is stifled and we call him a “focused” student. Only he might be jeered at by the other students as a bookworm . The child is now stuck in this strange predicament where he must fulfill the dreams and aspirations of others. If the child is not academically gifted then he gets the rough end of the stick . Pressure from parents, teachers and peers all mount up and hence the necessity of tuitions arises. Call it whatever, you will but they are an additional burden. Assuring brilliant results, quoting past figures these tutorial centres and academies are actually the byproduct of all unrealistic aspirations which we heap on the children. An insignificant town like Kota (Rajasthan) has shot into prominence due to the tutorial business there that runs into hundreds of crores of rupees . Students miss school from class VIII onwards and their attendance is marked in understanding with the school teachers. Meanwhile, they attend tutorial classes conducted by Bansals, Resonance , Allen’s and scores of other centers that have mushroomed there in the recent past. Unfortunately, this tutorial culture has pervaded every nook and corner of India. Government senior model schools charge nominal fees and let off students to attend tutorial classes. These very schools then claim accolades for their good results in the class XII boards whereas the same schools put on a dismal performance for class X board results. If this system is equipped to bring out the best academic skills then what is lost ? What is it that suffers ? What suffers is social grooming. In the process of making scholars we make what in American parlance is called “nerds” Why does India not produce great many athletes or sportsmen, at least in direct ratio to its population ? This is so because no stress is laid on sports . Sporting events are a means to an end. Utilisation of the privileged “sports quota” – this is what most students are eyeing when they undertake sports. Things have deteriorated to such an extent in the sports arena that even our Prime Minister remarked recently that India lacks a sports culture. Where is the time for sports for a child burdened with a voluminous syllabi . Whoever designs these syllabi need to retrospect and take a realistic approach towards improving the system which has crippled the child of today. This will need to be done on a war-footing or else it will lead to a complete degeneration of our society . The teaching community also needs to self analyse and to build confidence among students . Their aim should be to nurture self-esteem, channelise and mould the young inquisitive mind so as to build confident youngsters who can face the challenges that life has to offer. We often see that children who are “street-smart” make a greater headway than their counterparts, who are mere bookworms. What is the true meaning of education? The emphasis should be on producing wholesome complete personalities. The Almighty has given each child a special talent. Will our education system, as it stands today, be able to achieve this ?We can only pray that our educational policy makers are listening.
Simar Grewal,
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HAMARA SCHOOL From computer-aided teaching to a well-stocked library with over 18,000 books, colourful classrooms for tiny-tots to sports facilities for seniors, the school strives to develop various facets of a child’s personality through quality education. Started in 1970 from a residential bungalow in Sector 9, the school shifted to its present site in 1981 and was upgraded to the senior secondary level in 1986. The school has branches at SAS Nagar, Patiala and Nawanshahr. Credited with a unique architectural design, the school boasts of four independent octagonal blocks, an independent administrative block, conference hall and a state-of-art auditorium in the basement. The school has a language laboratory that offers the opportunity to learn effective communication skills, the focus being on correct pronunciation and intonation. With the facility of video-conferencing from Chandigarh to SAS Nagar available on the school premises, the school also has a computer-savvy curriculum. While a lot of stress is laid on academics, compulsory co-curricular activities, sports, NSS and NCC form an integral part of the curriculum. Equipped to cater to all tastes in sports, the school has well-qualified coaches for hockey, volleyball, basketball, ball-badminton and athletics. The school has indoor and outdoor games like cricket, football, table tennis and badminton, among others. For the tiny tots, learning has been made lively and entertaining, with the use of vibrant colours in classrooms. Depicting the realms of the earth, the painted walls of the classroom contribute to the evolutionary process as well. A separate library and access to computers has also been provided to them.
He strives for perfection in anything he undertakes, and when the subject is as important as producing citizens of tomorrow, he leaves no stone unturned in giving it his best shot. The Director-Principal, Mr D.S. Bedi, has been experimenting with new ideas and has involved his entire family in his passion. On the essence and aim of education Learning is about equipping the child with the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound ) goal. The aim should be to provide holistic education to help children become assets for the nation and ambassadors of the country. On the role of teacher in shaping a child’s personality In the pursuit of excellence, children are led by teachers who act as friend, philosopher, guide and role model. The teacher’s task is to impart effective reading, writing, communication and thinking skills in the formative years, teach them to socialise and live together. On emphasis on co-curricular activities In this age of cut-throat competition, honing skills and exploring hidden talents gives a student an edge over the rest. Excelling in academics has become a run-of-the-mill job for any student and scoring good marks is no big deal. In such a situation, the development of an all-round personality is essential to meet challenges. On handling the child in formative years As we make advances in science and technology, society, too, is undergoing radical changes, resulting in complex relationships. Parents are unable to meet the psychological demands of the child. It is here that the schools step in to provide guidance and counselling.
Just be Be strong enough to face the world each day Be weak enough to know you can not do every thing Be generous to those who need your help Be frugal with what you need yourself Charmi Sahni, The Green Friends Grow more trees Grow more trees They are our friends They give us wood They give us food They are our friends Dirty air they filter They give us shelter They are our friends They remove pollution They stop soil erosion They are our friends Shivani Sharma, My loving sister I have a loving sister Who loves me very much Every time I meet her I get a loving touch She helps me with my home-work she always shows me the way Even in different kind of play She’s always ready to share Sarthak, |
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Daily News Quiz Answers to the following questions are hidden in the last one weeks’
Tribune. Happy Hunting!!!! 1. Who is the main accused in the killing of Australian missionary and his two sons? 2. When and where is the national air race being held? 3. What does IBSA stand for in IBSA Dialogue Forum? 4. Who has been let off by the Rae Bareli court in the Babri Masjid case? 5. Where has the first fire proof coach been made? The first ten correct entries received will be published in this space next week along with the names of thier schools. Your entries should reach us by email at contest@tribuneindia.com by September 26, 2003 Answers to last week quiz:
Kuka Parray, Panjab University Students Union, Gujarat, Ariel Sharon. Correct entries:
Jasleen Saini, Devesh Mavi, Roit Chawla, Ripudaman Singh,Varun Sharma. |
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Six B.Ed seats still vacant in Govt
College Chandigarh, September 21 While admissions to all courses went off smoothly, though all eligible students were called for counselling of the social studies-Hindi option, five seats were still available at Government College, Sector 20. Dev Samaj College had to resort to conversion of these vacant seats to social studies-English and social studies-Punjabi option, most popular subjects among the candidates. The third counselling, conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, had a total of 119 vacant seats in the 85 per cent UT pool and the 15 per cent seats in the general pool. The Principal of the host college, Dr Satinder Dhillon, said while the process had gone off smoothly and seats were filled in all options barring social studies-Hindi, one seat was still vacant in economics-Hindi option at Government College. Meanwhile, a large number of students accompanied by parents from all over Punjab reached the college for counselling in the morning, creating confusion at the venue. Unaware that counselling to seats in the UT pool was in progress at the venue in the morning, these parents waited their turn adding to the numbers. Most of these parents were under the impression that there would be no takers for seats in the UT pool. This, in turn, would necessitate conversion of seats in the various options to the open category and that they stood a chance of getting a seat. However, they had to return empty-handed with no seats converted to the 15 per cent quota. The first and second round of re-counselling in the 85 per cent UT pool was held at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, on August 25 and September 6, respectively, after the court had ordered the same. |
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Play portrays human pathos Chandigarh, September 21 The play portrays contemporary sensibilities set against the backdrop of anguish and yearning. ‘Antaraal’ tells a poignant tale of two human hearts, stripped of desire due to strong social divisions. Beautifully presented and subtly enacted, the play shows relationships, which remain the strongest despite clarity of form. The story is centred on two characters — Shyama (played by Dakshina) and Kumar (played by Suman) — who are bound by desires and yearnings, affection and love, but are divided by compulsions. Both carry the baggage of destiny, which takes them away from people they chose for themselves. While Shyama's husband dies, Kumar's wife keeps unwell. Destiny puts the two friends face-to-face on the road to longing. However, both characters are confused by the complicated dimensions of their feelings towards each other. Sometimes these feelings resemble passion, sometimes love, sometimes adoration, but finally there is no singular definition, which the two can trust. Although they share a relationship by being there for each other, an eternal void keeps filling their lives. In totality, the play exposes the system mired by unreasonable arguments that draws fissures in hearts and prevent them from seeking the inner harmony that forms the basis of peace. |
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A prominent educational institution, Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, is rendering noteworthy service to the student community in academics, sports and socio-cultural spheres.