Mythology shows the existence of teaching and learning process even from the time of God and Goddess. Education has started since the evolution of human with the sharing of knowledge and skill.
In course of time, today education comes into its 3rd phase known as 3rd generation education (3G-Ed).3G-Ed implies the title of education during a certain period as well as its system.
1st generation Education (1G-Ed)
The system was based on activity and a kind of professional learning/training. The fields of learning were entertainment items like song and music, dance, play, lessons related to politics and religions, constructions, productive works etc.
2nd Generation Education (2G-Ed)
This was the general system of education that made a person literate essentially. In India this system was applied up to class-8 till the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) act. Everybody has a well experience of it.
3rd Generation Education (3G-Ed)
It is the system that exists today. It is derived from 2G-Ed by today’s scenario. Let us see some of the changes in the characteristics of education in
3G-Ed and their effects:-
1. Today education has become a part of life, so, it is a right for one to achieve it. In India the right is protected by the RTE Act up to class 8. [Education is a combined process of teaching and learning done by two different persons i.e. a teacher and a student. But RTE act does not mention any right for a teacher]
2. Annually examination system in 2G-Ed is replaced by Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).Examination is simply a test to understand the learning status of a student but evaluation has a diagnostic property. It means remedies have to be given individually to the student who has not improved in the general class.
Evaluation is a team work consisting at least 3 subject teachers, an educational psychologist, a physician, a person closed to the student but not from his / her family, and a family member. Working areas include observation, analysis, and correction. But in India, all the responsibilities of the different members in a team of evaluation section including even the responsibilities of a parent are taken by a single teacher. (I apologise for my words but this is to no particular individuals.)
3. There is no rank as well as division of a student in any assessment result in 3G-Ed. Ranking and Division system is deleted because evaluation is not a competition but it is a process of teaching. Every student has the same right, ability and chance to score the maximum marks. In games and sports there may only be one winner but in education all are winners at the same time.
What I would like to mention here is that learning should not be completed only by evaluation because learning may not be a competition but survival is a competition by nature and needs a number of challenges to the problems.
During learning, students may need to appear a number of common examinations on their convenience to develop a competitive mind. Some advantages of appearing common examinations are:
Students can realize that competition is a natural process so it does not give any wrong impact to anybody.
It shows that competition is a progressive process.
It removes the hesitation/fear to face any selection examination in future.
It helps to improve self-confidence and self-reliance.
Appearing of common exams regularly brings a positive psychological change and inspires that learning is not a burden but a duty and a Challenge to problems is a responsibility. In our time we had common examinations in class-3, class-5 and class-8 at different centres. In the first common examinations (class-3) we were very happy to think that we could do something on a common stage.
4. CCE assures that every learner is a successful student. So there is no question of detention of a student in the same class in 3G-Ed.
We know that education is a right for everybody. Education is a priceless possession in life, so it is also one of the fundamental rights. But we should not forget that with every fundamental right there is a fundamental duty. Students know that they cannot be detained in the same class and if improvement is needed they will be taught until and unless they get promoted to a higher class. So, since the year of implementation of RTE (Right to Education) act students up to class 8 have been enjoying their rights.
Implementation of RTE act is a respect to the students’ community and a great change in the history of education. But my question is how much have the students changed? Are they performing better? Have they become more responsible? Now, the problem is not about right to education but about the sincerity and the responsibility. Responsibility of a child is a reflection of his/her family and society. So, it is not only the teachers and the students but it is everyone in the society who is to be responsible.
RTE act will be much more favorable to the places where the individuals are sincere and responsible but in places where the individuals are irresponsible and insincere, RTE Act may create a generation gap in education .As a whole the ultimate consequences will be big differences among people and among the states in all respects. What is the root cause of these differences? Is it the right to education, the act, the system of education, our living status, our mentality or any other non-harmonic situations?
“To get Education is a right but to be successful is a responsibility”. Success is more important than education. So responsibility is more important than right. And I believe everybody in a society is reasonable enough to be responsive and responsible enough to be sincere.
Okram Sunder Singh
(www.okramwebzine.org)
St. Joseph’s School, Kohima
