The destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms

 

Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.

The educational system of a nation serves as the solid ground standing on which its citizens chart the path to its progress and development. In this journey, a classroom is not merely a physical space. An ideal classroom provides a centre or a space conducive to learning, unlearning and relearning. The knowledge imparted, skills taught, and experiences provided here strongly influence people's ability to positively shape the destiny of the nation. 

In this essay we will explore, with the help of examples, the impact that educational and classroom experiences have on the trajectory of a country. 

Drawing from the rich cultural history of India, we can appreciate the significance of ancient Indian educational spaces and learning centres. The Nalanda Mahavihara established by Kumargupta in 5th century CE, for instance, served as a great centre of learning. It not only attracted foreign travellers and scholars to India, but also led to flourishing of mathematics, sciences, literature, logic and Indian philosophy. A similar role was played by the Vikramshila University set by the Pala emperor Dharampala in late 8th century CE. 

Further in the medieval ages, there were 'ghatikas' or learning centres in the Pallava kingdom. The emergence of these ‘ghatikas’, especially the one at Kanchipuram, led to a huge surge in intellectual and literary activity in the region. It is perhaps because of this focus on education and learning that we remember Pallavas today not just for their conquests, but also for their cultural contributions to India.

Today, the scholarly contributions from all these centres of learning form an integral part of our nation's soft power. 

The role of classrooms and education in influencing the destiny of a nation can also be appreciated if we look at India's experience under the British colonial rule. It was the English education with its emphasis on ideas of democracy and liberty that empowered the newly educated middle class to question the exploitative policies of the British colonialists. 

Beyond the experience of our nation across different ages, the education system continues to influence the trajectory of nations even in contemporary times. The Nordic model of education in Finland, for illustration, focuses on equality, tolerance, quality education and personal learning styles of students. Therefore, the contribution of the educational environment in classrooms of the Scandinavian countries has been widely acknowledged as a reason behind their steady social progress.  

But how do classrooms shape the future of a nation? 

The skills and knowledge imparted in educational spaces empower the citizens to directly contribute to the nation's economic, cultural and political progress. This is evident in the role played by IITs in India in producing talent which is much sought after by companies like Google and Microsoft. The software industry which attracts talent from IITs has indeed been an asset to the nation in terms of its economic growth. Similarly, the education and skills imparted in IIMs have also begun providing a thrust to entrepreneurship in India. 

Moreover, in the dynamic world that we live in today, classrooms, especially in higher education can provide opportunities to strengthen the industry-academia linkages. This can prepare citizens who have skills relevant for the kind of jobs that exist today and foster a culture of innovation in the nation. 

In addition to the hard skills, classrooms also provide chances to develop soft skills among individuals. They impart lessons in discipline and consistency. Teachers act as positive role models who are emulated by the students. These spaces also offer opportunities for socialisation and learning from peers, enabling individuals to pick up useful qualities of intellect and character from their professors and peers. 

Classrooms, especially  in higher education, also act as spaces conducive for discourse, debate and discussion about a nation’s journey towards development. Beyond knowledge of academics, they can also instill qualities of perseverance, resilience and determination in people allowing them to make meaningful contributions in nation building even in times of distress. 

The role of classrooms in shaping the attitude of citizens is especially worth noting. For instance, in Japan, the schools do not employ janitors for cleaning the classrooms. The students are responsible for cleaning their own classrooms as well as other physical infrastructure in the school. This practice instils a strong sense of ownership for cleanliness among them from a young age, which remains with them as they grow up. 

It is important to note that it is not just established educational institutions that provide spaces of learning to individuals. In fact, the institution of family serves as the first classroom for any child, where caregivers and other family members act as first teachers in life. The values, ideas, habits nurtured by them stay with the children throughout their adult life. This can be seen in the case of the Tagore family. Rabindranath Tagore, who contributed significantly to the cultural renaissance in India, came from a family which was actively involved in issues of religion and politics. Both his father and grandfather were social reformers. 

The importance of the role of classrooms and learning spaces in shaping a nation is now widely accepted and acknowledged by many nations including India. The Government of India, for instance, had launched the initiative PM- SHRI (Schools for Rising India) with the objective of nurturing students in a manner that transforms them into an engaged, productive and active citizenry. Additionally, with its New Education Policy, India has also set a foot in the direction towards improving the learning experiences in classrooms. In recognition of the importance of learning opportunities, the government has also initiated the SWAYAM programme. It provides a repository of a wide variety of free yet quality teaching-learning resources to all citizens in the country, so that they can upskill themselves and contribute productively to the nation's development. 

Conclusion 

As evident from the multiple historical and contemporary examples examined above, it is indeed true that classrooms and learning environments provided to citizens play a significant role in shaping the destiny of a nation. Therefore, it is important that we as a nation devise better ways to efficiently allocate more resources and attention towards the improvement of learning/educational experiences made available to our citizens.