Education

Manto is my next door neighbour and friend for the last ten years. I like him because he is outspoken but not rude. Although he always calls spade a spade that never hurts other’s sentiment. I know very well that he always do what he believes and never tries to hide  even if it may be a subject to criticism to others.

He likes to meet me if he gets time once or twice a month. We discuss a lot on various subject and we both relish it as both of us like books and share our ideas and our own views to each other.

Last week Manto was talking about the tussles with her wife regarding the admission of their only son Ronnie. This year Ronnie has to be admitted to a higher secondary school. His wife likes to go to a well-known school in the city which is very expensive. Although they have no difficulties to bear the expenditure. Yet Manto differs from his wife’s point of view. And he does not agree with his wife’s firm faith and dependence  on expensive institutions.

-You see, my wife believes that the school is costly because of its excellence in modern teaching method.  It’s a mere stupidity.

– Why do you mind it? The school certainly provides the best ambiance, amenities and highly skilled teachers. So it’s justified as they spend much for their students than others and you have to pay for that. 

I like to establish the logic of his wife.

-Do you actually think so or simply like to continue the argument!

He tried to knock me.

-You see in our country education system is run parallel by both the government and private sector. But the private sector is seemed excellently arranged. So there is the craze to go to private sector schools.

 I elaborated  my views.

-What is the definition of education ?

Though he raised the question he himself gave the reply.

-I believe the sayings of Swamiji-Swami Vivekananda. “Education is the manifestation of perfection already inherent in human nature,” Swamiji said -“The education which does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not bring out the strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy and the courage of a lion is it worth the name! “

As we have a warm rapport between us we never mind of clashes of ideas as it never turns to conflict. So he continued,

-I mention two names who are doyens in their fields. One is our ex- president APJ Kalam and another one is Dr. Moni Bhowmick. One is referred as the Missile Man of India and another one is popularly known for his great contribution in the work with laser rays. Both of them were very poor and started and continued their early education in their remote village school which was not at all famous and expensive private schools.

-But your point is far from logic. You are talking about genius and everyone knows  a genius is born not made.

I showed his childish points he just put as the reference to support his views.

-Yes, I am quite at one with you and at the same time I like to indicate that we think it’s the school that matters to make your offspring an excellent student and in future he will be owed to this type of famous schools for his success. We don’t think of education, we don’t like to manifest the original qualities of a child and guide him to show the way which is the way to bloom his originality. We expect a dice that must bestow him a successful profession and able to an affluent man.

-If you don’t agree with the importance of a good school what is the way you suggest?

– You are overlooking the angle of my views.  I’m not against expensive private schools; rather I’m trying to make you understand that proper education doesn’t depend on only schools ambiance and facilities or amenities. But it only depends on two things. One is the guidance of parents and another one is guidance of teachers. If the parents are of good mentality and inspires their off springs by their daily life and only one true teacher is sufficient who will earn the reverence of the students by his profound knowledge and who will not preach but ignites his craving for knowledge.

Now I could follow his way of thinking.

In most schools the students are steamed with mere theories and information but remain far from proper education that fails to ignite their urge and love for knowledge. The vital adolescence often losses the golden time of finding out the right track of individuals.

He stopped to breathe. After a pause for few moments he continued.

I am tempted to recite the poem written by my friend Shyamal Mitra. He often writes nice poems that you must have to appreciate for its rich thought and expressions. He recently published a poem- a relevant poem on his FaceBook page. Listen to and then you will realise that what I ‘m trying to share, he expressed that very lucidly in his poem. The name of the poem is “GOODBYE BOYHOOD.”

GOODBYE BOYHOOD

In the judicature of erudition,
The juvenile mind is tried and,
Punished internment
In the prison of conscience:
Its movement is restrained within 
An area of existence and reality:
The dreams, those considered farcical,
Are stifled from now on!
Thus, lucidity of vagrant mind ends
With the end of boyhood and, 
He’s to step in the manhood;
A world of Cold War to grab
What’s best from the better!
Goodbye boyhood!
Be the saviour of your dreams
For the dreamers of tomorrow.

Shyamal Mitra

I was spell bound when he finished the recitation

Manto remained silent sometime and looked at me with satisfaction,

-Have you heard of Ron Clark?

I  nodded with a negative gesture.

Ron L. Clark, Jr. is an American educator who had a dream to be a successful teacher and began teaching elementary school in New York City’s Harlem and saw the difference he could make, enabling change in the lives of less-fortunate children.

A film was made in television that dramatized his actual experience where he volunteered to be the teacher of a school where the teachers were frighten of the notorious students. He was regularly ragged by the students and severely insulted and truly mentally tortured by them. Slowly he could bring the change in their mentality and became successful to be an adorable and revered friend to them and the boys and girls who once the menace not only to him but to all the teachers also got the taste of being a good citizen first and then a good student.

Then he founded the Ron Clark Academy a private non-profit school in Atlanta, Georgia, which follows a unique curriculum.

Clark has written four books on education:

The Essential 55, The Excellent 11: The End of Molasses Classes , Move Your Bus,

If possible I request you to go through the books which he wrote from the practical experience through his journey to materialise a new way of teaching and make educated his students as well as their parents at the same time. Enjoy the film available on internet. You will find his patience and effort to materialize his thinking to change the life of his students and put them to the right track and that is the meaning of education I so far discussed with you.

(I’m indebted to WIKIPEDIA regarding the information about Ron Clark.- Sankar Ganguly)