79% Parents Feel Our School System Lacks Freedom

Time and again, our school education system has been receiving flak. A recent survey conducted in Mumbai considering 800 people reaffirm the concern of parents about the current academic system.

Parents are losing faith in the prevailing education system as 75% admit to alienation of school learning from the real and practical world, a study by upcoming Next School suggests. Mumbaikars feel that schools are not preparing children for their future as learning in schools has very little to do with what makes people successful in the real world job market and economy. The survey was conducted by market research agency IMRB, under the aegis of Next School, a non-profit school supported by Marathon Group, a real estate developer.

According to the survey, 75% parents feel academic school curriculum is at odds with the practical world. Questioning the democracy at the grass roots of the country, 79% of respondents feel that freedom is lacking in our school system.

The research found that 46% of parents feel that the current education system did not help them figure out what they wanted to do in life. Around 59% felt that the school system does not sufficiently cater to every child in the classroom.

Whereas, these thoughts are often expressed in casual discussions, a survey confirms them into statistical data. Parents are often blamed to curb the passion of their children for a ‘bright career’. But nearly half of the surveyed parents here blame education system for not allowing students to discover their passion.

“We are still following a 150-year old school education system at a time when the world is changing rapidly due to technology and globalisation. Our education system is desperately in need of new ideas and new paradigms that makes it relevant to the modern world. Every aspect of our lives has undergone drastic change and it is time to revolutionise education,” said Parmeet Shah, Founder and CEO of Next School, who spent over six years researching on the existing education system in India and abroad.

Tuition classes have become an integral part of the Indian education system. Especially the urban students are seldom found to be sailing the sea without tuitions. Parents however see it as a negative trend. About 67% described the current culture of tuition class as ‘unhealthy’.

The examination system seems to be bothering parents with concern for their wards. As per the survey 45% city dwellers felt the examination system is not good enough to measure the students and 67% said that marks and examinations have gained undue importance. About 54% felt that lectures in school are boring

The survey was conducted by Next School with an objective of understanding the perception of education system in India and gaps in the current education system.

The survey results were announced during an event in Mumbai. The event was organised to announce the entry of US based non-profit organisation Big Picture Learning with Next School.

Aiming to bring a paradigm shift in the education system, Next school brought in Big Picture Learning that focuses on building real world skills that go much beyond just academic and bookish knowledge. Here, students from an early age connect with organisations and professionals from the real world, taking up projects and internships in their field of interest.

“The Big Picture Learning framework is based on addressing these issues in the education system. Big Picture’s core principle is to personalise education, so that schools can focus on the individual needs of each child, ensuring that every child is given attention. And by personalising education, Big Picture schools can focus on unearthing and developing the talents and passions of each child. Each student has a personalised learning plan, which captures not only individual needs and areas of improvement but also identifies their talents and passions,” added Shah.

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The CSR Journal Team