Disruptive Technologies, Web, Wireless and Education
July 12th, 2008 — Education
While our govt is bent upon banning mobile phones, and our so called social and cultural leaders protesting against the internet and schools violating personal freedom and media misleading its readers about the mobile phone, This video seems to be very relevent.
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July 11th, 2008 — Education, Experiences
Until now it was the colleges who were after banning mobiles phones from campuses. Now it looks like the Kerala Government is bend upon banning mobile phones in schools and colleges. The claimed reason being the misuse of phones by children.
What ever the government or the principals say about children using mobile phone, one thing is sure. No child can misuse a mobile to a greater extent than an adult can misuse it. Will this ban be effective for teachers also. I know quite a few teachers who are “misusing” their mobiles.
Media reports about the ban quote a principal who said that the daily routines of the children are affected by using mobiles phones. I wonder what routine he is referring to. Is it
The biggest argument against giving phones to children is an mms clip showing an intimate moment of a school girl and boy. Hey…… thats just one clip. There are thousands of other clips shot by adults. Shouldn’t we be considering a ban on adults using mobile phone considering the fact that they are misusing it more.
What does this ban tell the younger ones ?
Does it convey the message that its ok to misuse mobile phones when one becomes an adult ? Why do we certify certain movies as adults only ? Does a wrong become a right when someone crosses 18 yrs of life.
Why are we always after the kids. They dont invent crime. We teach them crime. Its us who needs a change and not the school kids.
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June 21st, 2008 — Education
In the last 15 years entrance coaching institutions have flourished in Kerala. They specialise in teaching the tips and tricks to gain a better rank. But during the years they have grown very powerful and arrogant also.
Now they are misleading the students and controling them in ways we never imagined. My cousin, studied in Brilliant (palai) and he got a rank of 600 in Kerala entrance. We are were really happy for him cos he put in a lot of hard work and effort to achieve this. He missed many family events just to attend classes.
But everyone was surprised when he decided not to take admissions this year and repeat the exam once again next year. The Brilliant institute convinced him to repeat so that he could get into an IIT. He joined for classes again this monday.
Poor boy even deleted his orkut account to stay away from distractions and to concentrate on the studies. His orkut friends formed a “Memorial Community” in his name. He is a victim of the “Entrance coaching Mafia”.
The saddest part is that the boy has got no clue about engineering or the IITs. He wants to do an MBA and start a company. I suggested that he repeat for CAT, GMAT or GRE and not for engineering cos that can get him into a better business school or even a good university abroad. But he has no idea about these exams or the opportunities. He trusts and believes in his teachers at the coaching institute unaware of their business interests.
And when we speak of the entrance coaching institions we cant ignore the one lead by a semi God Man in the cultural capital of Kerala. I have never heard any of his students saying anything good about him. Every one complaints that he abuses the students and uses a lot of bad words. I think its a common trait of all God Men.
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June 19th, 2008 — Education, Uncategorized
One nice evening dad comes home after a busy day. His son who is in the 9th STD approaches him with his progress report from school. He has not done well for some the examinations and there is a special note from the class teacher that reads.
“Your son is not studying well. You must come and meet the Principal this week itself.”
Worried dad meets the principal on the next day itself. The principal says
“Our school is one of the best institutions in the state. We have maintained 100% pass for the last 25 years. Your son poses a risk to that status. I dont think he will pass the board exams next year. We can either issue a TC or he will have to continue in the 9th STD until we are confident”
If this is what the school thinks, then why do we need schools in the first place ? If schools will teach only bright students then we dont need schools at all.
We send our children to schools, we also send them to tuition centres for additional coaching. But if the student fails the blame goes to tuition teacher. Noone ever asks the school teacher why the kid failed. The situation is such that the teacher will ask this question to the parent.
This raises a question. Who is responsible for a students education.
The father who has busy job ?
OR
The Tution teacher who gets 2 hrs with the student max daily ?
OR
The school whose sole purpose is to teach and who gets paid for it ?
Our education system will never change, until we figure out an answer for this. An education system which is not student centric is never gonna add any value. A system which is controlled by some percentages, pride and politics is ultimately gonna kill the student.
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June 7th, 2008 — Education, Experiences
Yesterday, just 2 days after the schools reopened, I had to see a very cruel incident. In a famous school in Trivandrum, outside the principals office 3 high school students were standing. From their looks I could say that they were awaiting something horrible. And then came the principal (A priest) with a cane. Then he started beating them, and that too like they were some kind of animals.
After the principal had gone, I enquired to the peon why the students were beaten.
Crime 1 :- Wearing an ear ring
Crime 2 :- Military cut hair style
Crime 3:- Talking to a girl in the next block
I was vey much angry to hear this. Are these reasons enough to beat someone. Is wearing an ear ring a crime ? Then wearing rings on fingers also should be considered punishable. Isnt hair cut a personal choice ? Who the hell is a principal to say that every student must follow a particular hair style ?
Talking to a girl, and that too from another block is defenitly a crime. What if some affair is going on ? What if they run away tomorrow ? What if the girl gets ………. ahhhhhh When will we learn to respect and trust the students a little bit ?
We allow all sorts of stupidity in the name of religion. Sikhs can wear turban, muslim girls can wear their veil. Even school timings are adjusted on fridays to acomodate for prayers. When all this is granted in the name of God, why not allow students to wear an ear ring or cut his hair in a way he likes. ?
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