Education today is not the same as it was a couple of years ago. Each one needs to educate an upgrade continuously and constantly in order to remain relevant in the field of his/her choice. Advances in technology and science have changed the way we live our lives today.
Although a lot of things have happened with respect to development in our country a lot remains to be done. We the people need to ask ourselves a few pertinent searching questions.
Why was Google born in America and headed by an Indian? Why was Microsoft born in America and headed by an Indian why was. There are several examples where Indians have excelled and they are taking over giant MNCs as CEOs and top officials. What makes these Indians so successful in a foreign land and is it same back home.
Asha Jadeja Motwani has tried to answer this question very innovatively while attending a summit in New Delhi this Dec 2018. She has boldly asked, "But why should Babu have never done a startup in their lifetime should be in charge of it. Why can't they enlist the help of those who have demonstrated that ability by founding successful firms such as Paytm, Ola or Flipkart while choosing startups that need to be supported?" She continuous to say, "I didn't mean politicians who would come and go but Babu who are sitting in important positions of power which they don't want to give up".
Motwani is no ordinary lady. She announced the setting up of a 30 million endowment fund - Motwani Institute of Thought Leadership in Innovation (MITLI) to promote academic exchange between Indian institutions of higher learning and Stanford University, USA.
First of all, we have different education systems in our own country. To begin with the child has to prepare for either SSC ICSE CBSE and so on. Most of these systems encourage rote learning and memory skills. Very rarely a teacher or student puts on his thinking hat. As a result our education system creates straight jacket mindsets with little room for out of the box thinking.
"There is a huge gap between what we learn in school and college and what is needed in real life"
In the past few years, Indians in India have taken the lead in innovation and have realised that it's important to solve our issues with our solutions. Unfortunately, most of the startups which begin in our country have been started by alumni from premier institutions with a few exceptions. These exceptional think tanks are trying to solve day to day issues on scale which is not an easy task by any means.
Out of several hundred startups very few survive the test of scrutiny. Even fewer manage to raise funds which are required at various phases. These startups have found a place in our society since they deal with simple solutions for the masses. There is a huge gap between what we learn in school and college and what is needed in real life. Premier institutions like the IIT and IIMs try to fill this cap.
The reason for this imbalance in our education system is highly debatable.
Is it due to the different languages we have in our country or is it because of the people in charge of education? Is education really important for most people in our country or is it only for those who can afford? There may never be an answer to a long list of questions but there is one thing the government can do. To make education accessible to all without the barriers of language, caste, creed, religion, etc.
Education is the very backbone of any developed or developing country. Without education the people of that country are easily swayed by emotional manipulation and cunningness. Those in power can dominate and dictate the illiterate in a manner most beneficial to them.
While India is better off in terms of education, several other countries are trying to build a sustainable education system. Shabana, an Afghan educator and crusader is a shining example of being educated and what an educated girl can do for her country. In a country like Afghanistan where girls are not allowed to study, Shabana cofounded SOLA, (School of Leadership in Afghanistan) the first and only private boarding school for girls in her country. She she is the recipient of various international awards and recognitions and her goal is to operate a school where 175 girls study on a permanent campus in safety and become Afghanistan's new generation of female leaders. Shabana follows the apostle of peace Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who once said "if you wish to know how civilized a culture is, look at how they treat its women".
While India is better off in terms of education, several other countries are trying to build a sustainable education system. Shabana, an Afghan educator and crusader is a shining example of being educated and what an educated girl can do for her country. In a country like Afghanistan where girls are not allowed to study, Shabana cofounded SOLA, (School of Leadership in Afghanistan) the first and only private boarding school for girls in her country. She she is the recipient of various international awards and recognitions and her goal is to operate a school where 175 girls study on a permanent campus in safety and become Afghanistan's new generation of female leaders. Shabana follows the apostle of peace Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who once said "if you wish to know how civilized a culture is, look at how they treat its women".
Sandip Kothari
Sandip Kothari is the CIO of Wonderchef Home Appliances, promoted by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kappor. Sandip is a veteran technology manager who has extensive experience in the consumer industry. His previous assignments include CIO of e-commerce company Baggit India, VP IT at Travel Food Services and Head IT at the Bombay Store.
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