Effective Principals 2020 | Ms. Aisha Singh, Founder of Creativekidz
Deconstructing the liberal arts education in India
Ancient India had a tradition of liberal arts education. The centres of learning at Takshashila and Nalanda were possibly the Harvard and Yale of the ancient world. Where students from across the world came to study various subjects from Sanskrit to metaphysics. Then the modern school system was brought to India, including the English language, originally by Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay in the 1830s.
The curriculum was confined, teaching was restrained to classrooms and the entire process of ancient education was fragmented. India is a rapidly changing country, education is a very important factor in the economic development of any country. India since the early days of independence has always focused on improving the literacy rate in our country. Even today the government runs many programs to promote Primary and Higher Education in India.
We have invested significantly in building broad research-based universities and even formed an alliance of top universities analogous. Still we are not as innovative in educational system as we could be, our education system teaches the basics very well, but it does not nourish a student’s complete intelligence, allowing the student to range freely, experiment and enjoy while learning. Our millennials can no longer just garner only specialized skills, they need 21st century skills that will allow them to evolve as old industries get obliterated and new ones are created.
Inflection in pitch! Liberal Arts is a multidisciplinary system of education that includes a diverse mix of subjects from various disciplines including humanities, sciences, commerce, and technology. One can say that Liberal Arts is the disruption in the field of education in India (now as its history was derelict). The Liberal Arts curriculum provides a learning experience that empowers students with the skills to deal with change, diversity, and complexity, to make them problem solvers, critical thinkers and responsible members of the society.
It gives you the flexibility to design your degree. The program is such enormously diverse that it allows you to combine research and academic-focused programs in various fields. The essence of liberal education is to develop the freedom to think critically and independently, to cultivate one’s mind to the fullest potential and to liberate oneself from prejudice, dogma and superstition. Students in Liberal Arts will be exposed to a variety of subjects and encounter new ideas at anastonishing rate.
Current education system is a trace of the British model for passing on expert data to administer a far-flung empire. Our curricula and pedagogy at most institutions reveals no real revolution of ideas – the basic system of teaching and assessment still relies on rote learning and an exam-based, lock-step method. Our millennials are ready for a new form of education, they are acute to befit well-versed personalities who can think critically about issues from multiple perspectives, communicate effectively and become leaders with a commitment to public service.
It’s our turn as educators to lay strong emphasis on foundational knowledge, thorough academic research based on rigorous pedagogy, and hands-on experience with real-world challenges. And prepares our students to be ethical leaders in a diverse and complex world. Liberal Arts as a stream aims to achieve- it produces critical thinkers, who have the confidence and flexibility to continually learn new skills and material. We have to take the initiative to restore liberal education to its rightful status in India to embrace and carry forward its rich legacy by redefining and shaping liberal education for the 21st century not just for India but for the world.
Effective Principals 2020 | Ms. Aisha Singh, Founder of Creativekidz
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