Date:17/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/17/stories/2008021759970600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

“School education system should pass on traditional wisdom”

Special Correspondent

Present method does not achieve this objective, says former Vice-Chancellor

— Photo: R. Ashok.

SUGGESTIONS: S. Muthukumaran, former Vice-Chancellor, Bharathidasan University, and chairman, Equitable Education Committee, addressing academicians in Tiruchi on Saturday.

TIRUCHI: The school education system should pass on the traditional wisdom of our ancestors to the students, kindle the quest for knowledge and help them assimilate the acquired knowledge into wisdom, said S. Muthukumaran, Chairman, Committee on Equitable Education and former Vice-Chancellor, Bharathidasan University, here on Saturday.

Unfortunately, the present education system does not achieve any of these. The competition among different streams of school education has only increased the burden on the students.

The concept of equitable education does not mean identical education.

It seeks to promote uniform quality standards, he said addressing academicians at a seminar on Equitable Education held at the K. A. P.Viswanatham Higher Secondary School.

Once uniform standards were established, the concept of neighbourhood schools would gain ground.

Ensuring equitable education was inevitable under the present circumstances.

However, the concept itself could change from time to time.

Making it clear that he was not speaking about the Committee’s report to the government but airing his personal views on the subject, Dr. Muthukumaran said the objective of school education should be to make students understand the people around him, the culture of his society and its relationship with national and international cultures and to produce good citizens. Students should also be taught vocational education or prepared for that.

Pointing out that children have their own likes and dislikes, he argued that the schools should be able to identify the same, assess their requirements and provide appropriate need-based education.

Though students were required to know various subjects, they need not have to pass all the subjects.

Dr. Muthukumaran mooted the introduction of different grades of examinations in the subjects so that students could opt for any grade which they feel capable of attempting.

The school finals certificates should give comprehensive information about the students, including their academic performance, sports and extra-curricular activities at various stages.

The secretary of the school K. Kesavaraj and headmaster K. Rajendran also spoke.

Dr. Muthukumaran also released a compact disc of ‘Purananuru’ and ‘Kurunthogai,’ brought out by a group of people, including some of the school alumni.