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Ailing secondary and high secondary education

By Iftikhar Ahmed Dand. Dated: 1/19/2018 5:05:12 PM

The most important segment of school education comprises of class IX and X known as secondary education and higher secondary consisting of classes IX and XII popularly known as plus too. At present there are more than 1.5% of GDP.
There are two important reasons why secondary education should be considered important. First it is bridge between upper primary school and higher education or would work if one has opted for vocation education in these classes. So it is watershed in one's learning career secondly it consists of students between the years14 and 18-20 years, the teen years which are more people learning times in students life. These are adolescent years, when physical changes take place which affect a child in one way or the other, unless right guidance is given during these crucial years. There is scope for child to go off track, either through irresponsible behavior or through recourse to bad company leering to indulging in drugs and violence and ultimately to depression or may even be suicide.
The first and foremost priority for impressing quality education in schools a quality of teaching at secondary and plus two level. For this one has to look at teaching skills that teachers have in their subjects and in communications. This is important in any sphere of education but more important at secondary stage and up. Classes have to be joy feel and interesting and promote inquisitiveness in adolescent children encouraging them to think independently.
Relative emphasis needs to be given to subject curricular particularly on Math and Sciences where we need competent and committed teachers who know their responsibilities. We need alternative to the existing examination systems that encourages cramming and rote learning rather than understanding and learning.
To support an alternative system, we need more libraries, laboratories, playground, physical education equipments and execution tours. The reading habits and focus on experimental training needs to be greatly enhanced.
In what ways is value education being promoted? We need to follow what Gandhiji said: Live simply so that others may simply live. The spirit of tolerance and mutual accommodation must be fostered so that this can happen through outreach activities whose rural and urban boys and girls the rich and the poor the able and differently able learn to live with one another in healthy and helpful ways.
Are students encouraged to discuss events happening in neighbourhood, community and the nation to encourage them to see for themselves what is right and wrong in things? Is there discussion of diversity issues? Are they encouraged to become upto date in current affairs? Activities designed to promote introspection in one's own attitude to public and societal issues need to be encouraged in teen years. General awareness, thoughts of Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore and energy economics; these are of immense importance and they should find place in curricular.
*(The writer teachers mathematics at Hr. Sec. School Sartingal, Bhaderwah contact No. 7006424474)