Talking about the present Educational framework, the founder of British Orchard Nursery, Ms. Vandana Gandhi stresses upon the fact that core teaching for children will continue for preschoolers as they don’t separate pay from learning, but draws upon the similarities in character in order to promote creativity in future generation.” These children require this type of teaching, curriculum and the ratio for primary and pre schools will still continue to be Pedagogy.
What is it that India can imbibe from the West when it comes to higher education?
There is one thing that I found out during my research studies that we in India help our graduates to graduate through theory based textbook learning or let’s say master’s education which is also textbook based. I would suggest that we should have research based assessments where every graduate or post graduate must contribute to the economy through a project or a research based assignment. I will lead to innovation and all of us can expect great research based assignment where innovative technologies can be found out and this is the way graduation and post graduation should go.
With such a huge population, do you think its a viable model for India to move on to research based sort of study?
That is our strength. We have the famous Nalanda University, we have had the greatest research universities 100 years back. It’s the right approach from all starters of the stake holders starting from the government level, funding level, university based approach, private institutional investors, they should look research based approach. I am proud to say that even in UAE, there is a great environment with the great leadership of the UAE government where its moving towards research based assignments. I myself had to conduct a regressed research for my Phd and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I come from Delhi based board but still I find Research based learning to be the best option. And that’s how the West hjas so many patents under them. We are the biggest democracy and we have the lowest patents in the world which will only come through research and assignment based graduation ceremonies
With respect to domestic corporate, providing Education or trying to innovative Education, do you feel it is time that India opens their arms for foreign players to bring innovation or domestic players need to consolidate to bring that kind of innovation in the market? What do you think will be the game changer in the Education sector?
I think IT has already caused a disruption and there are no boundaries now. We can easily access their courses an the research based approach of these universities is great which Is commendable. Having said, of course, Indian Universities are very creative with technological development through ERP software’s and so to provide solutions to the west,
Universities yes, they are learning from each other and will go o very long way by their collaborations. Coming back to my sector of pre primary schooling, the UAE government encourages pre schooling environment for the working mothers. We are focusing on research based Technological Education but we have to understand that education starts at the grassroots level. A long with Higher Education in mind, pre schools and primary schools are to be given importance too. So, if policy makers can make these changes at the top levels where pre schooling is made accessible to everyone in the corporate environment where the mothers can be at the workplace and not be stay home mothers, making balance between the two. Family emotional well being is very important for it plays a big role when these children go on to become graduates.
Comment on the importance of women in Education. How can they be the game changers in this sector.
I will be a bit biased with this answer. Women are the game changers because when you say women it includes all the mothers, teachers or leaders of this institute who play a major role in the Educational framework of a country, forget the family or the society. And s I come from UAE and we have our centers out there, I will praise the UAE government for the role that it has taken to have this conducive environment or women to be at the workplace, to include them in ministries and support the women workforce.
