Everybody wants to go to heaven; but nobody wants to die for it!
India is a secular country with diverse languages, cultures and traditions. The people have lived in harmony with acceptance and tolerance for others since ages. They have fought for the freedom of our country together; they celebrate and mourn together, and help and assist each other whenever required. The constitution of our country guarantees equal rights, opportunities and wages to all citizens.
Our is a capitalist society where a small percentage of the population controls the majority of wealth and resources. The rich are powerful and have an access to the world class facilities such as quality education for their children, unadulterated and organic food, the best in healthcare etc. On the other hand, the not so rich have food, shelter and daily sustenance as their priority. Their children may go to government schools or give them a helping hand in earning a livelihood for the family. Education, which is the most important tool that can empower people is not readily and easily available even after 71 years of independence and the majority of our children are deprived of quality education. According to Nelson Mandela, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ Education is the key to eliminate gender inequality, racism, superstitions, casteism, reduce poverty, create a sustainable planet, prevent illness and pointless deaths, and foster peace and harmony. Education is the most important investment for any country. But we as a country have not been able to achieve any of this despite education being the main focus of our policies.
Since our independence in 1947, the government has come up with a large number of schemes and plans for the steady and rapid progress of our country. India has progressed well; but not at the pace envisioned and according to the funds allocated. Our country is a victim of crony capitalism where politicians and rich contractors and businessmen scratch each other’s backs; the tenders, contracts and deals are allotted to crooked businessmen and politicians in order to get huge kickbacks. As a result, the poor and needy never benefit from the government schemes. The economically weaker sections of our country have the least probability of ever coming out of their pathetic state because they are unable to reap the benefits promised by the government. The entire system is corrupt and hence there is no check on the public facilities that are specially provided for the destitutes. The needy might have a ration card but ration shops do not provide them with rations as it has already been sold by the shopkeeper; teachers do not report for their duties in government schools and as a result children remain illiterate even after years of attending school; the police are reluctant to register crimes especially if committed by the rich and powerful; the public hospitals are ill equipped in terms of equipment, staff and medicines. The moral degeneration of our society has lead to self-centred and selfish individuals for whom individual interests are above the interests of our community, society and country.
We are not disturbed by these issues as long as they are not pertinent to us. We are happy living in a corrupt setup, paying huge amounts for grocery and medical bills, saving each and every penny possible for our children’s higher education, and trying to sustain in an environment full of pollution. It is high time that we wake up and take corrective measures! As parents and teachers, we ought to be role models. In case each and every one of us decide to do our bit by saying no to bribes, keeping our environment clean by not contributing to the pollution, and doing our duties with utmost honesty and diligence, there is a possibility for a better future for our coming generations and that would diminish the divide between the classes and masses.
‘Some people cannot sleep because they have insomnia;
I cannot because I have an internet connection.’
As a parent we are overjoyed that our one plus year old kid can do wonders on our smart phones. He is able to change settings without any help, can watch videos and play games. We feel proud that of our child is a tech genius. The smart phone is his favourite toy. It is also a sure way to calm him after a long and tiring schedule as working parents. We, as parents, are also glued to our tablet, smart phone or laptop. We bring home loads of work from office and don’t want any distractions. The chattering of our child seems like a big nuisance and providing them with their own i-pads or smart phones can take care of the situation. Children can play computer games or watch cartoons on it while we take care of our official deadlines!
What happened to the story sessions, discussions at dinner table, outdoor games, connecting with nature in the garden and quality time spent with kids and family?
Let me describe to you a typical-21st century urban kid - he is physically unfit, has difficulty in interacting with others but has thousands of virtual friends on facebook, someone who has derived values from television shows and online videos, is moody and hyper and goes into a shell easily. According to an article in Forbes magazine - Research has shown that people with internet addiction have demonstrable changes in the brain - both in the connections between cells and in the brain areas that control attention, executive control and emotion processing. Most intriguing is the fact that some of these changes are similar to people with substance abuse or drug addictions.
Our children are growing in a world where they have an access to data that is not age appropriate. Our children are becoming addicted to violent video games and pornography which is freely available on the net.
Let us all pledge to go back to having normal children with right values. We cannot do away with the internet but we can limit the usage of the same. There can be small internet free outings to begin with; where we decide not to access the internet. We can play games, go for a movie, read books or just talk and connect with each other. Rules such as limited internet time, computers in the living room, cellphones to be handed over to the parents at bed time, internet settings for parental control over access and random checks can ensure right and proper usage of the internet. We can teach our children to safeguard their interests. Social media websites such as facebook and instagram could be an easy way to find out personal information about children, which sometimes could have alarming repercussions as perverts and criminals could stalk them online.
I feel that as parents, the best we can do is to communicate with our children on a daily basis.
This may be done by ensuring that the family has at least one meal together where we spend time inquiring about our children’s day, sharing our experiences and providing our feedback (without being judgmental or self-righteous)
Similarly, as the old adage goes – ‘a family that prays together stays together’; we spend time as a family thanking the Almighty for all the blessings in our life which, in turn, inculcates a value based spiritual relationship with God (as we understand Him).
An Ideal School
The definition of an ideal school varies from person to person. For some parents, an ideal school is one that lays a lot of stress on academics whereas others feel that the school should have a balance of scholastics and co-scholastics. If a child’s performance in school is excellent, the school automatically acquires the status of an ideal school for that parent and vice versa.
Why is it that some children excel in one or more areas while others are mediocre or low achievers? The school provides a similar environment, learning opportunities and facilities; however, there is a difference in their achievements. The gap between high and low achievers widens with time and progressively becomes difficult for the school to bridge.
According to me, an ideal school is one in which the school and parents contribute collectively toward the development of children. They seek, respect and nurture the individual differences in children and work accordingly. There are no preconceived and clichéd notions about excellence such as high grades in exams etc. History has repeatedly proved that success can be attained without excellent grades and good schooling. The parents and the school should always motivate, support and encourage children. There shouldn’t be any comparison or parental pressure for grades or selection of subjects/profession. A positive attitude and constant encouragement can make a lot of difference.
Home is the first school for any child. Parents need to instill a sense of self-worth in their children. Students, who face a lot of parental pressure to succeed, risk being defined by specific activities and their individual ability to perform the same. The school and parents can collectively support children with low self esteem due to average or below average performance by identifying another activity of their interest such as sports, playing a musical instrument or artistic performance, which causes their self-confidence to blossom.
An ideal school has happy children who can pursue their passions. The children feel empowered and are able to decide for themselves. Let us together create an ideal school that is free from presumptions, prejudices and pressure.
The basic function of education is to inculcate in the students a desire to evolve. At The Maurya School we have a warm friendly environment where we challenge our students to expand all their potentials in a challenging, stimulating and secure atmosphere in the care of extremely dedicated and highly professional staff.
On a journey of educating delicate minds, The Maurya School proudly makes its way towards that glimmer that promises a good, sustainable future that is full of improvements for our children. We strive to instill in every student a sense of ethics, virtue and wisdom, sensitivity to the needs of self and others, the skills, the hunger, the attitudes and habits that would help them explore and excel, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and the irrepressible power of action.
Life at The Maurya School is about working hard while enjoying a student experience to help nurture and develop each individual.
It is our endeavor to see all Mauryans grow up as competent & confident learners & communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society. Today, education is all about a wide range of choices, children usually emulate their elders in terms of career or profession. When they hear of a soldier guarding the borders or a doctor saving a life; they dream of the same future for themselves. They see their teachers every day & grow so fond of them that they wish to be like them. But things have changed to a large extent in recent times. New opportunities are emerging with every passing day. We urge each child to be creative & think out of the box. You never know what the future holds. "Your life is a blessing. Do not treat it like a joke!"