Excerpts of Dr Madhav Deo Saraswat, Principal The Scindia School views on education policy, learning outcomes and preparing students for their chosen careers and jobs.
What Changes does education policy needs for the next decade?
Marks rule the way curriculum is transacted in the class and is changing the relationship between the student and the teacher. It is also responsible for a teacher’s quality of engagement in class. An environment for linear learning should be created for the students. Socio-emotional bonding to be encouraged to enable students appreciate the value system of life from a larger perspective. A very progessive policy structure is required in the coming year. Changes are happening for the good but there is still a lot to be achieved.
How does blending technology in K 12 education influence learning outcomes? Does it really bring engagement to learning?
Technology has infiltrated every sphere of our lives. Technology in education helps learners engage more intensively in the classroom and makes it interesting. It is empowering both the students and the teachers. If used appropriately, technology can enhance the process of teaching-learning.
How do you decide on the curriculum for students? How often is the curriculum reviewed?
CBSE provided with a lot of flexibility in terms of pedagogy. Hands-on approach is integrated into the teaching-learning process to make it more dynamic. Conscious effort is made to design a curriculum centered around the students, his needs and level of learning. Internally the curriculum is reviewed every year to plug the loopholes.
How do schools integrate academics and extracurricular to go hand in hand?
Holistic development focuses on every aspect of education be it curricular or co-curricular. Schools should take care to make extra-curricular activities a part of the learning process for the overall development of the child. Draft a well planned layout and allot appropriate time slots for extra curricular activities to empower the child. The assessment of the students must include co-curricular activities along with academics.
Cost of Education is rising fast. Infact, many times it becomes a hindrance for imparting education to the right meritorious candidate. Your thoughts on this?
Agreed that the cost of education is on the rise and can be inaccessible for meritorious candidates coming from not so strong financial background. Although Government has taken a number of initiatives to provide equal opportunity to such students but the increasing population becomes a roadblock in ensuring efficacy of these schemes/initiatives. The community needs to share this responsibility. A comprehensive scholarship policy that is merit base would promote the spirit of meritocracy and help build the nation in the long run.
Educational institutions are becoming a ‘brand’ by employing marketing money. Has it become a necessity?
This is a new concept. Still the school has to carve an identity of its own. You can do that by doing some genuine educational work in school to organically create an identity for the brand/school and then transfer this identity to public perception for which marketing is important. To do so resources are required and has become a necessity.
Source: Business World Education
