Address At The Inauguration Of The Centenary Celebratons Of Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha, Gulbarga

Dimensions of Educational system

I am happy to participate in the Inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations of the Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha. My respects to the descendents of Sharanabasaveshwar and my greetings to organizers, educationists, industrialists, teachers, students, other participants and distinguished guests on this occasion. I am informed that the principle of Sharanabasaveshwar on which institutions are built and operated is that ?no religion is greater than service and service to humanity is service to God.? I appreciate the efforts of this Sangha in creating around forty educational institutions in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region during the last century commencing with the library movement in 1918. This library can be converted in to a Digital Library with the availability of state-of-the-art technology. I would like to share with you the Digital Library initiatives in India.

Digital library initiatives in India

There is a mission of Digital library web portal to create a portal for digital library of India piloted by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Carnegie Mellon University, USA as partners for fostering creativity and free access to all human knowledge. This digital library as a first step will create a free-to-read searchable collection of one million books by 2005 in India. So far we have digitized 80,000 books in India, out of which 45,000 books are available online in 9 regional languages. Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha can seek the help of Prof Balakrishnan, IISc., for digitization of their books through the Digital library initiative. The storage capacity is doubling every year. Today one can get three hundred Giga bytes disks, of a few grams of weight for around US $100. This disk can hold more than 30,000 books. In ten years time, the same sized disk will hold 30 million books, almost larger than the largest of the libraries in the world ? a library on your palm. The main digital library at Gulbarga can be integrated with the all the forty institutional libraries and can be linked with the University of Gulbarga.

Integrated Education

I find that the unique feature of Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha is that it caters to the educational needs of the people right from primary, secondary, graduate and post-graduate level including computer science, engineering and management. Also, number of institutions have been created for providing vocational training to the needy students.

Mission of Education

Education is the most important element for growth and prosperity of a nation. India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed nation by 2020. Yet we have 350 million people who need literacy and many more, which have to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging modern India and the globe. Children who belong to weaker sections of our society are undernourished, and only a small percentage of them manage to complete 8 years of satisfactory education. We need to think specifically for them. Education is indeed a fundamental right of every Indian child. Can we allow the situation to continue in which millions of these children are forced into life long poverty? The requirement is that the parents should be able to go to any school nearby and admit their children and happily come back home with the confidence that their children will get a good and value based quality education in that school. The conditions of differently-abled children require equally important attention. In view of such critical issues and their importance, and also to break out of our historical mindset, an effective and self renewing education system is therefore fundamental to the survival and growth of civilizations, therefore I now propose to address the issues pertaining to education in some detail and suggest some solutions, which can be considered for implementation by Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha.

Inequality of Access to Educational Resources

Let me share with you one important concern: unequal access to educational resources still exists due to a variety of reasons. For example, I have seen in our villages three types of families. The fortunate ones who realize the importance of educating the young ones at any cost, guide them at all critical stages due to their economical well-being. There are those families, who might realize the importance of education, but are not aware of the opportunities in time, nor the procedures and ways to realize these opportunities for their children. There is a third category of families who are economically weak and do not realize the value of education and hence for generations together their children are neglected and continue to live in poverty. I suggest that Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha (SBVVS) can consider allotting at least 10% of seats in all their schools and educational institutions for providing free education to such children.

It is essential that we enlighten and create widespread awareness of education among all sections of society particularly in rural areas and among urban poor. We should use technology for this important social purpose. It is possible for NGOs, other social and philanthropic institutions and media to focus on this area of creating awareness. Let us elaborate the way ahead.

Standardization of Teaching

The preferred school concept is arising because of differential quality and standards of teaching. There is a need to make the quality of teaching high in all schools. Also there is a need for preparatory education even in rural areas to make the child competitive when he or she joins the regular school. For running such schools in rural areas Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha can play a vital role. Also parents who can afford can adopt certain number of rural children for educating in preparatory schools.

Planning for good education for the children in villages

I would like to recall a question asked by Master Kuldeep Yadav, Class X, of Etawah during my visit to Saifai, he asked me:

Mr. President,

Villages are also full of talents but facilities are available in the towns/cities only. Have you planned something for these Children so that they can get good education in the villages?

I was glad to see a child?s concern for his rural counterparts. We need to address this problem, which has multiple dimensions. It tells about the non-availability of infrastructural facilities in schools, the problem of syllabi followed in the school and the non-availability of quality teachers.

Job opportunities being national, the syllabus should be structured in such a manner that it should meet the changing societal needs, fulfill the needs of the occupation and inculcate high moral values among the students in addition to learning skills. The delivery of quality education is possible only through quality teachers. The teacher has to be a committed teacher who loves teaching and children. And also the teacher has to be equipped with all the knowledge required for effective teaching. The self-esteem of the teacher must be high and the teacher must have the quality to become a role model for the children. Some element of competitive rewarding is to be done based on performance. This competency has to be built up throughout the country through a massive teachers education programme delivered through a tele-education system and continuously updated. This can be funded and implemented by a consortium of Government, Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha with the support of corporate sectors providing value added services. There is an urgent need that every school should have basic amenities such as good building equipped with ventilated, lighted, airy and spacious class rooms besides library, laboratories including the latest IT tools and infrastructure, safe drinking water, clean toilets and play ground. Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha can play a major role in providing such facilities in all their institutions.

The Role of Parents

Parents have an important role in the education of the children and making them enlightened citizens. They must be aware of the need for good education of the child, male or female. Like teachers, parents also should set an example for the child in their overall behaviour and conduct. This will enable the child to develop love and respect for their parents and see them as role models.

Reducing Dropouts

It is reported that 39% of children drop out from school after studying 5th class and 55% drop out after studying up to 8th class. This situation need remedial action, especially since assent has been accorded for the 86th Constitution Amendment Act ? Right to Education Bill for children between the age group of 5 and 14 years. But an Act alone cannot achieve the goal unless the education is delivered in a manner, which will take into account the socio-economic reality, and perception of people to whom it is addressed. Apart from attracting children to schools, the education system should be able to provide nourishment and inject creativity among the children. Also the aim of the education system should be to build character, human values, enhance the learning capacity through technology and build the confidence among children to face the future.

I have seen an education model implemented in certain schools of your state Karnataka, which provides an accelerated learning using the computer aids so that children can have a creative learning with the tools of creative animation through computers. Dropouts are identified and brought to the school. This holistic phenomenon of learning once ingrained in the primary stage where there is a happy learning process and a non-threatening evaluation, has led to voluntary learning by the participants. Now Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha can create such educational centers in this region.

Need for Adoption of Safety Measures

The recent tragedy involving school children at Kumbakonam must have rung some bells in all the educational institutions in the country. It is the responsibility of sponsoring organization to see that their schools maintain basic minimum norms both in the academic field as well as in the physical facilities which they provide on their campuses. Certain safety features must be built-in our school buildings without which it should not be possible to get affiliation by these schools. And there should not be any discretion available with anyone, to waive off these conditions. Honesty in implementation is vital at all levels.

Education with value system

The best part for a person is his or her learning period in childhood at School. The prime learning period is 6th to 17th year of age. Hence, the school hours for children are the best time for learning, and need the best environment and mission oriented learning with value based educational system. This reminds me the echo from Bestolozzy, a great teacher's saying, "Give me a child for seven years, afterwards, let the God or devil take the child, they cannot change the child." That is indeed the power of the teacher. For parents and teachers, school campus and home have to have an integrated mission. During this period it is essential to have a one hour class every week to discuss about good human beings present and past and what makes them a good human being. This class can be called as ?Elevating young minds?. As an example this class can discuss the personalities such as Buddha, Confucius, St. Augustine, Kalifa Omar, Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein, Abraham Lincoln including some scientific personalities and moral stories linked to our civilizational heritage. Twelve-year value-based education of 25,000 hours in the school campus is essential to establish an open and transparent society or a society with integrity. Up to the age of 17 years, the father, the mother and the teacher lead a child to become an enlightened citizen. The next stage is to make available, affordable quality professional education to the meritorious needy students.

Starting an engineering institution in India is not a big event as it is becoming a commercial venture. It is true in almost all the States. Engineering education is not affordable for even lower middle class people, what to talk of people below poverty line. In such a situation, I see a ray of hope with Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha who have introduced affordable education for certain percentage of students. This will set an example to provide affordable quality engineering education to all sections of people including rural poor students and will spread the message of love and value system. Like institutions in Gulbarga, I would request the organizers of Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha to spread the education to difficult areas where quality education is not reachable. The purpose of academic institutions, particularly imparting professional education, is to transform the students into leaders in various fields.

Conclusion

Ultimately, education in its real sense is the pursuit of truth. It is an endless journey through knowledge and enlightenment. Such a journey opens up new vistas of development of humanism where there is neither scope nor room for pettiness, disharmony, jealousy, hatred or enmity. It transforms a human being into a wholesome whole, a noble soul and an asset to the universe. Universal brotherhood in its true sense becomes the sheet anchor for such education. Real education enhances the dignity of a human being and increases his or her self-respect. If only the real sense of education could be realized by each individual, and carried forward in every field of human activity the world will be so much a better place to live in.

Mission of Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha is to ensure the creation of enlightened citizens who will provide the leadership for transforming Gulbarga, Bidar, Bellary, Koppal and Raichur districts into a prosperous, happy and strong region.

May God bless you.

Questions and Answers

1. Why don?t we strictly implement Family Planning Programme to check Population Explosion?

-Revanth Kumar Sajjan, IX D, Sharanabasaveshwar Residential Public School.

Ans. The solution lies in Womens? Education. In whichever states womens? education has been high there is substantial control of population. Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha students can participate in a movement to impart education to the women in the state. All school children can educate at least five women who are not able to read and write during their holidays and vacation without disturbing their studies.

2. How do you look at your teachers who taught you? Whose influence has been instrumental in making what you are today? Is it those, who taught you discipline ? Jalaluddin, Shamsuddin or those who taught you seek knowledge like Ramakrishna Iyengar, T.N. Shekuriya and others?

- Kumari Smitha, X A, Sharanabasaveshwar Composite Pre-University College.

Ans. I look at my teachers with great reverence. Shri Sivasubramania Iyer, my elementary school teacher inspired me to take up Aeronautics. My father was my first teacher who taught me discipline and values of life. They were the first to influence me which shaped my life.

3. Will the open book system really help the students to be creative and innovative in the existing conditions?

- Manoj P. Kulkarni, X A.

Ans. Yes. The test in open book system is not on memory. It will test your ability to search, collate and present the answer to the real life problems in a limited time. This will need creativity and innovation. Also, the teachers will also have to be innovative and creative while setting the question papers.

4. India has such a rich human resource. Then why is it that we fare poorly in the sporting events? Why doesn?t the government plug this snag and develop sports?

- Revanth Kumar Sajjan, IX D, Sharanabasaveshwar Public School.

or

India?s failure to Olympics is due to the lackluster sports meet and tournaments at different levels in India or is it the failure of the sports policy or is it because of political indulgence?

- Kumari Manjari, X A, Sharanabasaveshwar Composite Pre-University College.

Ans. We have to catch the sports persons young. Govt. can select two hundred children with aptitude, adopt them and nurture them as aggressive players and make sports and games as their career. Alternatively army has a structured way of training. Army can be asked to create a sports brigade for selecting nurturing and fielding sports persons for selected competitions.

5. With every passing year, our country is producing thousands and thousands of graduates who are unemployed and who are frustrated. How can the country get rid of such a threat?

- Apoorva V.P. IX A

Ans. The problem of unemployment has to be tackled by providing entrepreneurial training to the students who can undertake establishment and running of new enterprises in the rural areas. This programme has to be coupled with the Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) which envisages development of our rural area. The students passing out from colleges should aim to become employment generators instead of job seekers.

6. The education system today is just one dimensional, strenuous and faulty. If it affects the all round development of the child, then how will they grow up to contribute to the progress of the nation?

- Kumari Sneha Jawalkar, PUC II B, Sharanabasaveshwar Composite Pre-university College.

Ans. The education system has to be multi-dimensional and it should facilitate creation of enlightened citizens. The delivery of quality education is possible only through quality teachers. The teacher has to be a committed teacher who loves teaching and children. And also the teacher has to be equipped with all the knowledge required for effective teaching. The self-esteem of the teacher must be high and the teacher must have the quality to become a role model for the children. Some element of competitive rewarding is to be done based on performance. This competency has to be built up throughout the country through a massive teachers education programme.