Author:
As a new revolution in post-secondary education unfolds in Asian countries, the most critical constraint will be the preparation of teachers in numbers hitherto unimaginable. In countries like India, the greatest constraint in rapid expansion of post-secondary education is the non-availability of teachers in numbers (and quality, hopefully) that such an expansion warrants.
Policy-makers in India, as elsewhere, are coming up with several measures to deal with such a crucial constraint. In several universities and professional institutions, the government has already allowed extension of retirement age for teachers (beyond sixty?). In some international partnerships, faculty development is being targeted, though largely limited to teachers of management, engineering and bio-technology (a recent news item suggested that Harvard Business School wants to develop this special focus in India).
Other options being explored range from ârecallâ of faculty of Indian origin from abroad, specially designed new arrangements for âfast-trackingâ teacher development, revision of compensation system for teaching community, etc to the possibility of attracting short-term teachers from other sectors of the economy (business and government in particular).
Given the magnitude of the constraint in countries like India, many such solutions may need to be simultaneously implemented.
However, at the core of the problematique in supply of large numbers of high quality teachers in countries like India is the decline of teaching profession in the public perception and national schema of priorities. We all remember our good teachers (all the way from primary school to post-secondary levels) because they had an important influence on us; they taught us some new knowledge, but perhaps more importantly, shaped our mind-sets and value systems too. Many of them were people of modest means, limited exposure and mild manners; yet, their âstudentsâ remembered them for years after teaching was over. Coming from a family of teachers over the past 4 generations, I know how modest means we had in our family, yet how much respect society (not just their own students) gave to my mother, grandfather and uncle who were teachers. Last week, while moving around in a shopping district of old Delhi, I was struck by how many shopkeepers asked about the well-being of my 86 years old mother-in-law who had taught them or someone in their families.
Today, teachers in colleges and universities are spat on, beaten up, abused and humiliated in all manners; in the system of the âpecking orderâ in post-secondary educational institutions today, teachers are at the bottom of the pole. Hence, for the new generation, teaching is no longer an âhonourableâ profession. Many reasons can be attributed to this rapid decline in less than 3 decades in India. Stagnant financial packages, poor career growth prospects and no opportunities for research have been commonly sited as causes for such a decline. In addition, political interference in post-secondary educational system has grown far and wideâfrom appointments of vice-chancellors to faculty to staff. Rapid unionization of teachers themselves, and their factionalism in different political alignments, have further accentuated this problem.
Perhaps, the biggest bane of this malaise is democracy itself. Students of post-secondary institutions around the country have been used as cannon and fodder for political mobilization by all political parties in the country. Look at what is happening in West Bengal todayâstudents affiliated with left and Trinamool parties are fighting with each other. Institutions of post-secondary education (barring a few professional ones) in countries like India have thus become âbattlegroundsâ for political power in cities and provinces around the country. Does any one care for teaching? Or teachers?
The profession of teaching has also stagnated over time, specially at post-secondary levels. New pedagogical methods of interactive learning and teaching, experiential and adult learning, use of new technologies etc have not been embraced in the profession in countries like India; in many cases, very knowledgeable experts do not have any training in pedagogy at post-secondary levels, and thus make lousy teachers. You become a teacher if you have the degrees, no one assesses your competencies in teaching? Finally, the internal regulation, standard-setting and upgradation of and by the teaching profession has been largely missing in India; there has been a general decline in passion and commitment to teach among teachers themselves.
So, the challenge of reforming post-secondary education in countries like India can not be addressed adequately unless the âdignity in teachingâ is restored in the societyâs perceptions. This requires present leadership in societyâpolitical, business, educational, socialâ- to speak to this challenge in a coherent and vocal manner. How will that happen? Any ideas?
Rajesh Tandon
December 23, 2010
PRIA’s MobiliseHER team traveled to Bangalore during the week of June, 10 – 14, 2024. The aim of the visit was to gain relevant insights into the civil society ecosystem in Bangalore and meet different organisations to understand the city through a lens of gender and inclusive mobility.
Working at PRIA, often leads us to various cities across the country. Each trip is an opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of different communities.
Mr. Yedukrishnan V has recently joined PRIA after gaining valuable experience in the development sector. Drawing from his journey in the social sector and personal encounters in Kerala, he emphasises the importance of participatory governance and research in empowering marginalised communities.'
