Blog 4: The Global Search for Education

The Global Search for Education: More from India

http://www.educationnews.org/international-uk/the-global-search-for-education-more-from-india/

The author of this article interviewed Dr. Madhave Chavan, CEO of the largest NGO in India, about poverty and education and what is being done about it. The biggest focus of the article was partnership with different countries, especially the US, and education programs. 1 in 5 children in the US live in poverty, therefore affecting their educational status. Although this is also a worse problem in India, Dr. Chavan says that if India schools partner up with US schools, they will look at how the US has developed over the past 2 centuries. Each day more and more the basic model of school is becoming outdated, and India is having a problem keeping up with it. Some of the biggest challenges that India faces are poverty and the struggle of build schools and maintain them enough for children to receive a good education. The plan is to start offering pre-school education to children who live in the slums of India, and from there started the launch for the Read India campaign to help Indians ages 6-14 learn how to read, write and do basic mathematics. Dr. Chavan said the biggest issue is training the teachers on how to give the children the best education they can receive. This will lead to improving quantity in schools and then eventually the quality of testing in each school.   

A child’s education, no matter what country you live in, is important for a stable future. Children around the world receive different types of education on different levels, but it is better than nothing. Having India partner with the US is a great first step in improving education around the world. Although many countries live in poverty, and some more than half their population, but Dr. Chavan is taking an initiative and has a vision for the children of India. Receiving an education is a social problem around the world because it is needed for everyday life, and to earn a living. In the article Dr. Chavan states that there is too much emphasis on textbooks and that we need to focus on health, sports, arts, and craftiness to give children a broader perspective of the world. I could not agree with this more, and I believe this is not only true for children in Indian schools, but also the US schools. Children need the opportunity to be more hands on and explore more things on their own. Although being able to read and write are critical objectives, I believe that Dr. Chavan partnering with the US to compare and contrast ideas with further expand both ends of education.