SCHOOLS, HERO WORSHIPS AND PROFESSIONALISM

SCHOOLS, HERO WORSHIPS AND PROFESSIONALISM

 In early 50s, when I was a student of a government aided school, I was asked  to stand in a line along the roadside, holding a paper national flag to felicitate a leader who was coming to the city.. As such the entire school was standing.. and there were many other schools .. and imagine the hot son.  He was late by three hours.. a few students fainted on the road...The leader who was driving past a closed car had neither time nor interest to have even a wink at us because his schedule in the city was for just three hours!

Twenty years before, when I landed at an airport to inaugurate an education conference of some local schools, I had a shock of my life when I found an entire school band was present at the airport.. it was a nauseating experience... Why should the students of a school be transported to receive a guest at the airport? What about their safety? Is it the height of hypocrisy? I had to express my contempt and disapproval to the organizers.... There is no need to impress or please anyone once they have agreed to be a part of you... If you have some other purpose or favour to be availed by their visit, then it is improper to call them..

Things have not changed in 2015! We have been brought up in a culture of celebrating people than systems.. Why should the poor children of schools be tortured to stand a line, to beat a drum (unless it is a ceremonious occasion of the school), walk down in the streets in processions at least once a month?  What are we trying to achieve? Whom are we trying to satisfy and for what reason?

I think it is time we tend to be more professionals.. just focusing on purposes.. rather than wasting material and human resources in terms of time and energy..It is time the educators should try to stand up and say “NO” than “yes” to some of their master who are engaged in “Pleasing the boss syndromes”!!

When I visit some professional programs I feel it is absolutely unwarranted to have an inauguration at all and spend nearly two hours on non-relevant engagements.  Shawls, bouquets and mementos are sometimes display a kind of vulgarity (exceptions are always there)  rather than real love and respect for the individuals concerned. I think with a brief introduction of the objective of the program we should step into professional engagements.. We should know to value time..

Training children in hero worships doesn’t really help them in learning respect to the people.. it has more of a negative impact..

Professionalism is the call of the day... let us stand up!!