Education & Mass Quality Production
The present system of Institute to students as top to down approach, it should be like flower where students are the colored petals at top and institute is at bottom acting as only the supporting stalk.
However, it is observed that management principles of quality mass production are being applied to run the education institutes ignoring the basic diversity in students ( as of human beings) as regards their strengths and weaknesses and also aptitudes and capabilities.
Mass production of Quality Goods
The aim of quality mass production is to produce uniform high quality products strictly adhering to the required specifications.
Here raw materials have no role except to pass through the well defined processes which will smoothen their abnormalities and transform them into identical pieces of products which will be used for specific purpose.
( Ref : Ref: http://fesconstruction.co.uk/KS3/KS3%20Process/Process_massproduction.html)
Quality Eduction System
In case of education, however, neither the raw products are similar nor the requirements of final products.
Recently, I read an interesting management book which advocated a revolutionary concept of strengthening the strengths and managing the weaknesses.
The book starts with a story of school of animals, where rabbit enrolls for graduation. Running, Jumping, Swimming and Flying are the main subjects. Rabbit fails miserably in swimming and flying. Instructor advises to ignore running and jumping and concentrate on Swimming and Flying. Even after trying hard, the rabbit gets frustrated due to failure and looses his mastery on running and jumping also.
It further elaborated the success stories of top notch athletes, artists and businessmen who pursued their strengths rather than worrying about weaknesses. The world accepted such people in spite of their weaknesses. Even the success made these people capable to surmount their weaknesses.
Many a times, the uniform education pattern and ranking based on average performance thwarts the development of many students who have exceptionally high talent and interest in some subjects.
It had happened in my case also. I was studying in 7th standard. I was weak and not good in exercise. I failed to do pull ups in physical education examination. even though my marks in other subjects were good, as I failed in one exam my merit number went to 19 ( I was first in students who failed in one subject) I became very sad and depressed. My parents also tried to consoled me. Fortunately, the very next day of exam results, I got letter from school principal that I got success in district high school merit examination. My sad feelings got washed away due to success at higher level.
Now when I recalled this experience, it occurred to me that those students in my class who were good in sports but weak in other subjects might be getting depression and forceful abundance of sports for improving their rank. Many would be athletes might be spending their life with low level jobs due to average grade. I felt sorry about them. We find many such cases, where parents force their children to study subjects they dislike ignoring their excellence in some field.
Strict Attendance for classes at college level is also questionable and might be counter productive. The teacher at college level has a role of facilitator in learning process. The assistance needed by students in learning a new topic varies and students should have freedom to attend the class or study at home.
Working on research or development projects in college laboratory or in industry requires such freedom of not attending regular classes. The students have to spend extra time for learning and teacher also should be available beyond class hours for any assistance and clarification.
The fields of science and technology are advancing at fast rate and syllabus or teachers knowledge and experience cannot cope with the changing requirements. The role of university and college should be to provide the students all facilities and assistance to develop their own skill and expertise with minimum regulations and restrictions.
Consider the development of students as the main objective rather than development of institute. Believe in sincerity of students in learning and give them freedom to decide their career and plan of study.
Encourage interdisciplinary and collaborative research and promote team building comprising teachers and students of different departments or institutes.
As an institute, explore new avenues for entrepreneurship, identify the needs and opportunities of research and development from society and business world. Apprise the students about these requirements and help them to take their first flight from your nest.
Students must be at the apex of the education system. Give them respect, give them freedom, nurture their inherent qualities, strengthen their aspiration by giving proper guidance and knowledge of expectations from society and business world.
Then these students will definitely remember you like their parents and guardians and help you grow.