A Murali Mukund, Chairman, Jubilee Public School, Hyderabad talks about changes in education system over last 25 years. In conversation with Seema Gupta, Elets News Network.
What are the factors associated with the changing paradigm of education system of the country.?
The advent of television has set the change of education system in India. It has not only initiated use of technology for spreading education but also sown the seeds of distraction among the students. Gradually technology in the form of Google, Facebook and education software has become a dominant factor in changing the education pattern in India. In the present scenario the tools of technology have positive influence and negative influences.
The chalk and talk method, slowly was supported by tools of technology, such as over head projectors, smart boards and now it is the ‘age of digital learning’. From being instructors, teachers have gradually become facilitators.
The liberalisation of economy also had an indirect impact on education system because of globalisation. The practices of western world and the use of technology have been accepted in India.
The computer revolution in the world has led to more opportunities in software sector. Services came into limelight and students started opting for different options. Earlier maximum emphasis was laid on Engineering and MEdical courses. The Education system was forced to open up according to these new demands of jobs.
“High cost of land and infrastructure, shortage of quality teachers and restriction by Government in respect of fee collection are major challenges for opening schools.”
Are we striking the right balance between quality and quantity in schools?
Over the years, education system has become commercialised as Government has failed to deliver the required results. The demand for education has caught the attention of many existing entrepreneurs and also new budding entrepreneurs. This has led to mushrooming of new schools everywhere in India and the short supply of teachers was bound to happen. Not only there is short supply of teachers but acute short supply of ‘quality’ teachers.
Today, unless the school is located in a vast area, proper teaching in a natural set up is not possible. The cancerous growth of cities and match box homes culture has put a lot of demand on the land and the land costs have shot up beyond the roof. Hence, government should allot land to schools at a lower price to encourage setting up of new schools. Whilst, the government can impose restrictions on the fees as they have subsidised the land cost.
The challenges today for opening a new school include, high cost of land and infrastructure, shortage of teachers, shortage of quality teachers and restriction by Government in respect of fee collection.
Please share some initiatives taken up by your school.
Our school was established more than 25 years ago and has a good reputation in providing quality education at an affordable cost to all sectors of people. Though our fees structure is kept at a very reasonable level, we have ensured that we provide the best of facilities like in any other corporate school.
During the last 10 years, we have understood the importance of utilising technology in the school and began implementing the same in the best of way and changed our slogan as Tradition and technology.
Our school is now a technologically equpipped institution. We have digitised classrooms, modern English labs, a very advanced professional audio- visual studio set up along with focused development on all aspects such as sports, extracurricular activities.
