“We’re all like Alice in Wonderland, not knowing in which direction to head,” Sunita Gandhi, chief executive officer, Global Class Room, said to an audience comprising school principals and educators on Wednesday.
Dr. Gandhi was delivering the keynote speech at a principals’ meet organised on the occasion of The Hindu In School entering its second year here.
“We need to go back to the drawing board and re-look the purpose of education. We’re all guilty as educators for using the wrong drivers of outcome in education. A change in mindset is all we need,” she said.
Speaking on the topic “New directions in education,” she focussed on common flaws in the Indian education system and what the actual focus of education should be.
Praise, she said, doesn’t help improve learning. “It goes to the head and not the heart.” Instead, it was positive expectations and reinforcement that topped the list of positive drivers of education.
“Involve them in evaluating their own work. Ask them what they think about their work, what they like about it and talk about how they can improve. Lead them through self-reinforcement to perfection,” she said.
Dr. Gandhi stressed the need to rebuild the education system to address children’s material, human and spiritual sides. “Excellence comes from competing with oneself. We need to stop celebrating marks and accomplishment, and celebrate progress instead,” she said.
“Doing things differently or upside down is probably the right way. Think about why it is the high school teachers who are paid more than the pre-primary teachers, when, in fact, we need the best educated teachers for the pre-primary section.”
Venkatarao Mallineni, business head, iON Education, TCS, spoke about the importance of technology in education. Vivek Mendonsa, marketing director, Lawrence & Mayo, made a presentation on eye care for children.
The presentations were followed by a Q&A session that evolved into a lively debate on college admissions and careers.
TCS’ iON Education was the premium sponsor for the event that was supported by Lawrence & Mayo, Central Bank of India, Sports Education Development India Ltd. and UCO Bank.
P.S. Venkat, vice-president (circulation), The Hindu , spoke about the new initiatives being planned to add lustre to The Hindu In School .
