Right to Education Act

Not long along, in 2010  the "Right to Education Act" changed the trajectory of youth in India.   Better known as RTE, it entitles every child between 6 and 14 years to a free and compulsory education under the Indian Constitution.  Since then student attendance has improved, but literacy and growth in student achievement have not shown significant gains. To follow RTE's path of progress please take twenty minutes and watch this video clip fro Rajya Sabha TV, it presents the multifaceted challenges of what I have coined the "India Education Equation."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiiqrlf2xT0       

If RTE was designed to strike a balance between the need for all children to receive a quality education and the socioeconomic condition and social fabric of India, what is the measure of quality in education?  If a student is passed along to grade 8, regardless of attendance or meeting academic standards, how can he or she be prepared for the all important exams of Grades 10, 11, and 12. Meanwhile, a missing link is career pathway awareness that promotes more than the two main streams of science and commerce.


                                           

If you look at the industry sectors of the "Make in India" initiative, two questions come to mind. First, which areas are being taught in a secondary school setting?  Second, how will India's youth achieve the skill development to work in such sectors?

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Agra Fort....day 16 continues

The Agra Fort is described as a walled city and stands on an ancient site, it is a World Heritage Monument.  Here are several pictures to show the number of richly decorated buildings showcasing the Mughal style of art and architecture.

Day 16....Taj Mahal and more

TGC fellows saw the The Taj Mahal at sunrise.  A central point of this wonder of the world, is the tomb and its four minarets, flanked by a mosque and assembly hall.  The Taj is exactly as wide as it is tall,  55 meters.  A highlight of the monument is the exquisitely carved pietra dura inlaid with semi-precious stones.  The color of the transparent marble keeps changing from dawn to midnight giving it a magical aura, keeping with Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's vision that the tomb and garden should represent paradise on earth, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

 

Day 15....on the way to Aura

Today we had our last school visit as a large group to Sesame Street Schoolhouse which is a Pre School program and has been selected to develop a school readiness program by the government of India.  We heard a marketing presentation on how the Sesame Street curriculum, Galli Galli Sim Sim, develops school readiness, promotes literacy, and uses mixed methodology to teach academics and emotional well-being.  The school follows a revenue and franchise model, with over 30 centers in the country. 

Teachers took us on a tour of the different interactive learning classrooms, which are set up like learning stations.  There is a strong digital presence including educational videos on MP3 players, broadcast TV, the web, phone messages, RSS technology, and text based messages. Teachers and parents can find teaching tips on educational strategies and content online.  Their current challenge is to produce content to use globally, in the preschool sphere, and open source.

On the way to the hotel, we drove by Lotus Temple and took pictures from afar.  Visitors were lined up for hours to visit the Bahá'í House of Worship, where people of any faith are free to pray or meditate. The structure is made up of pure white marble. The lotus shape was chosen because it is a symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Around the blooming petals there are nine pools of water and it is set among lush green landscaped gardens.  

Day 14....cultural day in Delhi

Today was a busy cultural day, sightseeing at Dilli  Haat,  Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb  and Chandni Chowk. Then a sound and light show at the Red Fort.                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                      

Qutub Minar is the second largest minar in India, at 73 meters tall.  It is a watchtower protecting the Qutub Complex.  It is surrounded by ancient and medieval monuments.  Here are several pictures illustrating a blending of colors, textures, and architecture.

 

Day 13....on to Delhi

Today each India teacher team traveled to Delhi to reconvene with our cohort group. It was exciting to hear about the other schools, cultural experiences, and escapades.  Matching the diversity and multicultural environment of India, each host school was unique, yet shared similarities.  Together, there is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate on global vision from the framework of academic achievement, business and industry developments, and inspiration for the future.  In my visits to schools in India many had words of wisdom to pause and think about, such as President Lincoln’s letter to his son's teacher..."an adventure that might take him across continents." 

Throughout this trip I found connections with global education and lessons to bring back to my students and community, from innovative ways to interact with the world, to cross cultural customer service, to branding, to a simple restaurant task such as folding napkins, as seen in the video clip below.  

Day 12....Friday at Jubilee Hills

Today the entire Jubilee Hills campus participated in International Yoga Day during the morning assembly.  After that Robyn and I visited a school just a short walk from Jubilee Hills, called Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School.  The eight acre campus has an environmental focus, including plants and animals.  I met a student who proudly held a plant he brought in for his birthday. Students are encouraged to celebrate their birthday by planting a plant or bringing in a book for the library, something that will be enjoyed for years to come.

While observing the Business Studies 11^th Grade class, students discussed the characteristics of business and the opportunity in India for trade.  I was able to share the kinds of products and services my students sell in our high school and the unique business perspective living in West Michigan brings to sales, as we are a test market for many products.  Students made predictions on which Indian goods would sell in West Michigan and why or why not. Next in the math class, students drew a Square Root Spiral.  The teacher modeled what needed to be done on the board and students were actively engaged in the assignment.

Back at Jubilee Hills we met with the Chairman, A. Murali Mukund, Sree, and another board member to reflect on our experience this week and initiatives in global education.   After school we went to Sree’s home to relax before dinner at a popular restaurant known for Hyderabad favorites, biryani chicken, Apollo fish and haleem, a Ramadan food.