Our education system is one of the most centrally planned sectors of society. From the textbook curriculum to evaluation systems, the learning environment is heavily institutionalised and follows a one-size-fits-all approach. From the very beginning, children are taught ‘what to think,’ moulding them all to follow a certain narrative instead of carving out individual identities. An education system like this kills independent thinking and curiosity, stifles creativity, and leaves students stuck in a cycle of passive learning. Despite such strong central control over the education system, the learning outcomes of students have shown little to no improvement.
What if the education system were reimagined? What if the education system were allowed to flourish without centralised top-down planning? What if there were more freedom and choice for students and parents?
First of all, it is imperative that no central authority can ever design a foolproof system that can understand the preferences, needs, and contexts of millions of individuals. It is important to understand that each young mind is unique, each teacher has a different teaching style, and in a diverse country like India, the local contexts are very different. Therefore, to implement a centralised system in such diversity means to force a sense of uniformity when there is none to begin with. Now, if we rethink the learning environment as an ecosystem where students, teachers, and schools have the liberty to function, adapt, and flourish according to their own local needs and contexts, all stakeholders in the learning process gain the freedom to decide what and how to be taught.
A spontaneous learning order means that a system is allowed to emerge bottom-up instead of designing a new system top-down.
A system that has a centralised textbook curriculum will end up holding examinations that focus on the retention of textbook content. In a spontaneous learning environment, there will be diverse pedagogical approaches that can co-exist, such as online learning, project-based sessions, etc. Successful practices would spread organically, not because they were mandated, but because learners and parents would freely choose what works best. A system of trust-based learning will take over.
This, however, does not mean that there is complete abandonment of the state. Here, the role of the state will shift from being a provider of education to acting as a facilitator, by ensuring access to quality education to all and enabling diverse models of learning to exist. In India, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a step towards flexibility in the education system. However, there is still a lot of regulatory power that remains with the state that can be further scaled back. In order to build a trust-based learning environment, there needs to be freedom for schools, teachers, and students to innovate learning strategies without much bureaucratic control.
In conclusion, a reimagined spontaneous learning environment can benefit all stakeholders, meet the requirements and needs of each student. It will not be a one-size-fits-all policy, allowing each student the care and attention they deserve. This will nurture curious minds by allowing them to learn in a manner that best suits their ability.
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The opinions expressed in this essay are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CCS.
