Between theory and practices

On the quotation “Practice what you preach” many says Preaching and practice are twins that often get separated and also If some of us practiced all we preach, we’d soon work our fool selves to death….

“Small family is a happy family” a catchy slogan to curb population explosion has its way to vanity. In reality which businessmen wants less customer, which doctor wants less patience in his/her clinic? Which educationist who passes on this massage wants less student in his/her school? Which politician wants less populace at his/her disposal? Bigger population size means power for politician, profit for businessmen, educationist, and doctor.

Citing these two debatable examples I would like to build my argument that there is ocean wide gap between theory and practice w.r.t educational institute and functionaries. This is purely my personal view based on little exposure so far.

RTE and NCF faced the most critics from the lower level school functionaries. RTE as a law and NCF as guidelines were laid out after intense research, consultation, dialogue and revision of existing law related to education. But, confusion still lies if an assumption, consideration, theories, philosophy and guide behind RTE and NCF are just phronesis or episteme. Phronesis refers to knowledge gained from an experiential, practical approach to practice and epistemic knowledge is that knowledge which is based on sets of propositions and has emerged from a theoretical base. The biggest question rises by teachers are that children should learn with fear of exam and punishment. Teachers are in the opinion that children are not natural learner. Teaching and learning cannot be done without all the required resources completely available. Thus many of the ground functionaries in education department directly contradict to the guidelines and law abiding them. Thus it is highly vulnerable that the aim and objective of education will not be achieved. If goals are to be achieved stakeholders should bind philosophically and emotionally to the guidelines abiding them or venture new and better strategies and recommendation for formalization, if not it is doom to failure as far as long term objective of education is concern. 

When though goes concern:

          If you think you can do it than obviously you gonna give a try on it. Never mind the adversity or the tide against you. You will never take a chance but give a shot. With high per-centum of uncertainty, we trod in fare but hope has its way in style. We try our best to articulate of what we wanted in life and what we are becoming of. Often we reflect and function to the action around us. Some stand their ground firm but at the cost of being mock to. But, for them “who cares” is the subtle holding them. Those like a waving flags on the comment of the wind are the one who fail to live life in sync with the value of life. Woo are all who glorify in contemporary not contemplating what lies in the future. In this Gen.Smart creating a name, fame, wealth and zeal has done much destruction to humanity than our lazy ancestors (?). Never like before we are feed with ideas, knowledge, wisdom, information, choice and flavor but ism, ignorance, arrogance, pollution and hunger has taken its tool but we conclude with the headlines “once again nature has played a cruel joke on us”. Have’s and have-not is your faith and your base line to start the journey of where you long for. Your joy is someone’s sorrow and your lost is a vantage to the citizens next to you. A child is design, defined and prefix with a profession tag but of parent choice. Too insured is the child that parents can finance their future to desk or road. Find underweight child in country side and will not missed to see obsessed child in urban.

          Kings are gone, Detectors/Authoritarian almost gone, but who can fixed these mess of democracy, the way of majority? “Let’s do business not war” is the giant MOU binding countries to artificial cease-fire. Be part of modern warfare or be the victim of cross-fire. How many have died with peace in battle ground? How many are prepared to be killed for no gain? But this we justify as “preparing for the worst”. Thinkers have more follower and critics than their thought(s). Physical connection of the world around has shrunk so as the tolerance has shrunk lately. Democracy also detects which cartoon has its place in our free society. We love the word freedom but hurt when see someone’s thoughts on free run. What can I do for someone with what I have is too odd as an approached rather fashionably replace as Hey Man what do you have for me?  If you demand the best, chances are you will be sideline as “idealistic”.

         Before we lay down in peace we got theories to learn, philosophy to believe, truth to reconcile, bitter pill to digest, fake hug to master and miles to conquer. But one day I hope to overcome this rough sketch of thought and smile wide before it’s too late. I have a small wish, a small role in this robust design for failure (?). I name myself as a “world citizen” rather than the small house I was born so, I pine for the better man of all as a citizen of this beautiful world.  

Review on Quality in education: competing concepts

       Paper by Krishna Kumar on “Quality in education: competing concepts” (review):

      He reluctantly used the term quality in education. He also raises the question, if education devoid of quality is at all education? The two meaning of the term quality are the attribute one possess to be identified and the second meaning refers to the rank or superiority of one thing over the other. In case of India like other developing country dichotomization of access and quality guide policy on education. He critics on the effect of long term goal of education by trying to achieved short term goal.  He upholds that quality of education should not be compromised for universalization of education. The debate of quality of education is often broken down to a limited view of learning and therefore failed to retain the idea of quality as the characteristic of education.

 Neoliberal approached in education intensify state withdrawal and more space for private as it emphasis choice as the goal for economic and educational reformation. Krishna Kumar rebuke by saying that choice is only limited to the thing already invented so thus not served the real purposed of education but also subdue the child inborn learning quality. He discussed the complexity of using competition for determining talent. If talent selection from divers’ pool of human diversity is replace by narrow pool of talent then the selection process of talent become more incomplete so, he concluded that equality is an aspect of quality, not contradict to it. Reservation in education will serve the desired goals in course of time. Gender inequality at school, home and society if not removed totally quality education cannot be expected. He clarify that universality does not means uniformity as every child is unique in her/his own way. Quality means learners should control of her own growth but not succumb to the detection, demands and orders from any one.

"Broken Republic" by Arundhati Roy (review):

1.    

     The author project the gap between the have’s and have’s not in Indian society. The mania of development that create havoc to forest dwellers who inherit the natural resources and have lived for century in a sustainable way. All out displacement without any alternative arrangement by corporate miners has left no other option to the effect community but to take up weapon for their survival.

The uprising in Naxalbari has seed the ideology of Maoist movement with objective to overthrow Indian state with arm struggle. But whatever their objective the picture in the ground reality is killed or be killed i.e. totally a struggle to survive in their own land and protect their natural right over the forest. She has strongly criticized the nexus between the corporate house, corrupted politician, media, NGO, and police in Indian society. 

The author expressed the dilemma if Gandhian philosophy of peace will work in the battle ground zero fought in the once peaceful land of forest dwellers. People who have taken up weapon have faced sufficient discrimination and exploitation from the businessmen, police, forest department, middle men and land owners. She is so skeptical about the way the state brand anyone interested in the issue as Maoist or Maoist sympathizer. She shared here first-hand experience with comrades walking deep into Dandakaranya forest to witness grand celebration in the middle of war zone.

 The author expresses her reservation on the functioning of “People’s court”. The author is clueless about other means to survive other than taking up weapon as her view on this war as deliberately design to make corporate entry in to the deep forest to suck out all the natural resources. She never admires the success of red revolution due to its violent nature. Increasing GDP as the sole objective of the state has hurt the democratic and republic nature of our country. There is an ideological hatred of Maoists by the right wing middle class, CPI and CPM. Space for sincere dialogue has been totally wiped out from both the party.

The author has written the book with an activist mode but will it not serve the purposed better if she approached in an intervenist mode. With all out clash preparation from both the parties i.e. state and Maoist, a mere campaign would not serve to control the conflict. Remodeling of development pattern, trust building, equal share holding of any profit, humanitarian and justice should prevail to bring lasting peace within this broken republic