In this era of Make in India, when Skill India campaign is being promoted vigorously and the government is trying to develop entrepreneurship skills among its youth, are our schools competent enough to lay the foundation of such abilities, skills and capacities among our kids, which will eventually help them in culminating into an efficient, responsible entrepreneur? The need of the hour is an education system which is future ready and employment oriented.

Employment-oriented education refers to education that not only creates an employable person, but also creates an employment-generating person who is a reflective, imaginative, future-conscious citizen. He constantly assesses his present situation, remains always on his tenterhooks and designs strategies to deal with impending difficulties. 

To be able to reap the benefits of the twenty first century knowledge society, the seeds of creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking must be sown in young minds of school goers.

It is true that we have consistently achieved many successes in the field of education since last decade. From the National Curriculum Framework (2005), to the Right to Education Act to the new Education Framework, we have achieved some important milestones. But a cursory glance at the present scenario of elementary education in India reveals that there remains a lot to be achieved.

Several educational reforms in form of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, Age Appropriate admission, and focus on activity-based learning have been introduced at elementary level, yet rote learning and periodic pen and paper test are still being practiced in schools. 

Several educational reforms in form of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, Age Appropriate admission, and focus on activity-based learning have been introduced at elementary level, yet rote learning and periodic pen and paper test are still being practiced in schools. Children have little opportunity to ask questions in the classroom, discuss among themselves and took participation in debates. In some schools it has been found out that Instead of removing social stereotypes and beliefs such as caste system and discrimination against girl child, are being strengthened and nurtured. In such a situation it’s doubtful that whether campaigns like Make in India and Skill India will be successful.

The need of the hour is that the teachers themselves be aware of all these and go ahead and try to remove existing flaws in the education system. It is evident that there are many obstacles in the path, and it is very daunting to achieve the goal. But one step at a time will make the journey happen. If the teacher comes forward and asks for help, rest assured, there are many people and organisations who are more than happy to help them and undertake all possible measures to make their journey smooth.  The Sampark Foundation is one of them and for the past six years it’s tirelessly striving to empower teachers in every possible way.

(The writer is a pedagogue with Sampark. Views expressed are personal)