Rebuilding Trust in Education: A Call for a More Holistic Approach

While protests over the NEET question paper leak have shown the strength of democracy, it has also brought Gen Z into the limelight. In an interaction with TNIE , Jayaram, Director of Valley School and Secretary of Bangalore Education Centre (BEC) - Krishnamurti Foundation India, speaks on the education system, exams, success, failure and aspirations of the young. Excerpts. What we seem to have understood as education is schooling, which I think is a misconception. Schooling may be a small component of education, but education starts at birth and goes on throughout life. This fragmented, narrow objective of education is leading to a lot of damage to the human mind. Each one of us contributes to it as parents, teachers and society by imposing our ambitions, fears and anxieties on children. The restlessness in young people is often mistaken to be indiscipline, whereas they may actually be searching for meaning. Their urge to learn is smothered by the demands and judgments society places on them. Another concern is that trust has receded; children are losing trust in examinations, parents, teachers and finally learning itself. Schools cannot solve everything, but they can help rebuild trust. The real challenge is also the lack of attention and listening. Education should not merely create efficient, technologically smart people, but help children develop resilience, understand themselves and face the world with confidence.