education

Nuclear Civics anybody ?

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It was a week ago that i heard Teesta Setalvad amongst many others speak. Many aspects of what she spoke stays firm. But if there was one element that stood out starkly, that was the brief discussion on ‘civics‘ lessons in school.

So, i asked a kid i know what kind of Civics lessons they had in school. She was a small kid. And she said, without bating an eyelid that she is yet to receive a driving licence. Only a while later, did it strike me that she was talking of a different civic(s). The Honda variety.

I ran. And ran. And ran. And came here to write this post !

Am not sure how many of you recall fondly, the civics lessons that you studied in school. I recall vividly. Not fondly. There were are few lessons on the Indian Constitution. I distinctly recall sitting up late nights to memorise those acts and articles ! Fundamental Rights. Directive Principles of State Policy. Some lessons on parliament. Its formation etc. And invariably mix up the years !

And i still remember, the chap who scored the highest marks was the one who could memorise those acts, amendments to the acts, the year in which the amendment was made etc. etc. For example, It made a big difference, if i wrote ‘Arbid Blogger’s bill of 2006′ while in reality it was ‘Arbid Bloggers Bill, 2007′ !

Aside : (I wonder whats come of the brilliant soul who got the year right, repeatedly. (The last heard, he had emigrated, if that was any consolation). But i know whats become of the soul, who got the stats and spells wrong. Repeatedly. He finally has a go at the chap who got the year right. By writing this post !

Thinking about it seems to bring to the fore many of my ideas to the fore. I suddenly seem to have found an answer to the nations woes. Even the world’s woes. Civics it is !!! Reforming Civics education suddenly seems to be such an obvious solution to the worlds problems! Yes. That is my eureka moment in a long while !

How wonderful would it be if the children of the world all understood different constitutions. Cultures. Different laws. Rules. By understanding, i mean understanding. Not learning by rote !

Think about these as actionables…

How about making young minds think and reason out between the right and wrong. According to the constitution.

How about focusing on the essence behind each law and not the year on which it was passed.

How about giving children, assignments to research on how the constitution is working. Of it is at all working ?

How about getting children to understand different constitutions of the world ? Ok. At least a few countries ? Ok, at least a few frameworks ?

How about getting Civics back to the forefront and give it a status akin to Physics or Chemistry or other important subjects ?

At one point we needed Physics and Chemistry like nobodys business. But now we have enough abuses of those subjects by mankind that we need ‘Nuclear civics’ more than ‘Nuclear physics’ !

The world can definitely do with some more civics sense ! What say ?

That Revolving Light !

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Cochin. 22nd Sept ’08
That name plate and revolving light with a siren on, has so much going for it !! The common man bows. The traffic gives way. Prospective (rich) fathers-in-law will kill, for a son-n-law with that kind of light. The District Collector in essence, is the administrative head of the entire district, and hence is entitled to the privilege of the blue siren !

Many years ago, the allure of the civil services beckoned me as well. Teachers told me, that ‘for your IQ’, i would get through easily. That was in class six. I took them seriously. A few years later, i realised that they were kind souls, and certain acts & words were out of kindness. And nothing else !

Well, to be fair to them, i did score some decent marks and was an above average quizzer. (Those were different days. The closest i come to quizzing these days, is the quizzical look that seems to keep me perennial company )!

Constantly egged on by relatives, friends and family, i thought i would have it too. The revolving light atop the car and unmitigated power. Besides which, the thought of ushering in change & a new way of doing things and making a difference did lurk. I swear. (And i have a strong feeling that Obama somehow took that theme from me)!

In that hope, there were issues of Competition Success Review that were picked up with great regularity. Profiles of people who did make itto the civil services were analysed. Idolised. We also had a few neighbours from the IAS. Talking to them helped stoke a fire too. ( If they could do it, i could too )

And then, one fine day. I gave it all up. To put three years of life ( assuming that i cleared the exams etc) on the line, for a distant promise of power, a revolving light & possibilities of impacting society…. didnt quite add up.

With a promise to stay socially engaged and strive for change, in whatever i did, i walked away. Much to the dismay of many. Till date.

The MBA came along. Life took a different turn. And I didnt have regrets. Still dont. That revolving light dream was firmly on the rear view mirror. What remained for a few years, were the old dusty issues of the Competition Success Review ! With reams of material on how to give interviews and group discussions ! And those profiles of people who made it. Idolised once. Dropped then !

These days, however, a revolving light passes by, an apparition of possibilities turn up. Maybe i could have done a better job, i think, than all those who made it ( perhaps by continuing with Competition Success Review )!!

But that thought refuses to linger. Am happy here. I didn’t have to stick to that magazine and read arbid interviews and come face to face with BSRB question papers !

The road forked long ago. And i took the one more traveled. And am glad i did. My life has evolved in a very different clime ! In a different light ! My calling has been elsewhere.

Education post !

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Having been having conversations with various people on children and their education. Matter of fact ones, with no intended result.

The needs of parents sometimes amused me. But caused a lot of concern. One of the chief drivers seems to be, “he should go to a good school. A school which will give him a great pride that he is going to such a big school”. By then, I was sure that it wasn’t the child’s need. But the parent’s need.

I shudder to think of what would become of such a child, living out his parent’s needs. I don’t know. I hope things will all be fine! To me education is mired in capitalism, and children are so closeted in fragmented learning and competition which is not leading them anywhere in the right direction.

Coincidentally, I stumbled upon a book “Education & the significance of life” by J. Krishnamurthy. I have just commenced, but it seems to offer a world of insight. I am capturing the first paragraph of the book over here.

“When one travels around the world, one notices to what an extraordinary degree human nature is the same, whether in India or America, in Europe or Australia. This is especially true in colleges and universities. We are turning out, as if through a mould, a type of human being whose chief interest is to find security, to become somebody important, or to have a good time with as little thought as possible.”

We need to provide our children with education. To listen. Learn. Discern. Love. Talk. Hold hands. Build. Build on their passions. Grow as individuals and human beings. That will lead them to sustained, holistic & long lasting fulfillment. When I put these on the table, a good friend and a parent began “it depends.”

Yes. I thought. The future of our civilization depends!