The SSC results were finally declared on May 16 in Goa, and as usual, there was a sense of anticipation, as people always seem to be fixated on numbers for some reason. Unfortunately, this year’s results were the worst the state had seen in the past 6 years, sparking widespread discussion. It wasn’t just people in the education field who had something to say; ordinary citizens on the street, in the markets, newspaper vendors, and even bus conductors were discussing how and why the students performed so poorly compared to the previous 6 years.
I work in the field of education myself (not mainstream education) and I am naturally disappointed by the numbers that the state witnessed this year. Instead of focusing on the students who didn’t make it, why not celebrate the 92.38% of students who acatually did? As a community, we tend to overlook the positives and only focus on the negatives.
The obsession with grades and numbers in education needs to stop. While education and passing exams are important, we should take a moment to understand what education really means to students today. Let’s delve into that for a minute, shall we? Students are taught subjects such as languages (English, Hindi, state language, and optionally French/Portuguese in Goan schools), history, geography, math, and science. Learning about the history of a country or memorizing latitude and longitude lines on a globe doesn’t necessarily make us smarter; it can be seen as a waste of time in schools. How much brain activity do we really use in math calculations in day-to-day activities? How many frogs will we ever dissect in our lifetime or mix chemicals in a lab? Education often seems more like a means of obtaining a certificate to move forward in life, rather than truly making us smarter. Apart from the languages we learn, it feels like schools haven’t taught us anything else truly important.
Culinary art schools are often credited with producing world-renowned chefs, but in reality, YouTube also deserves recognition. Many self-made entrepreneurs have risen to prominence overnight thanks to their ability to follow instructions carefully.
I believe that being educated is not solely determined by studying in a school Life experience can be a better teacher. Therefore, I’m not too concerned about the statistics mentioned. While there may be students who are not academically strong, one of them could potentially become the next prime minister of the country. After all, our current Prime Minister of India proudly talks about his humble beginnings as a tea seller before becoming the Prime Minister.
So much is said about education. Yes, higher grades and higher percentages look good on certificates, but how well-prepared is the school student to take on the world? Sometimes being street-smart can take you to places that no educated person could ever dream of reaching.
