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education as proposed by Sridhar Engaging essay
Rajagopalan in your cover story YOUR TEACHER-2-TEACHER essay
(February). Let’s not forget that titled ‘The future of work’ (EW Feb-
children are suffering severe learning ruary) was engaging. I am inclined
loss and are unable to comprehend to share the authors’ optimism that
new concepts in upper primary 2024 will usher in better work-life
school. Delaying introduction of balance, greater workplace diversity,
English as the medium of instruction and incremental adoption of AI and
will burden them further. climate change practices. Hybrid
Suman Ghosh work certainly seems to be the new
KOLKATA mantra with options to work full-
time or from remote locations.
Now the onus is on schools and
Reassuring practices colleges to produce graduates who
I COMMEND team EducationWorld have the skills needed to adapt to the
for felicitating pre-primaries that ever-changing workplace.
FEBRUARY 2024 have introduced contemporary peda- Suman Rao
gogies and practices in early child- BENGALURU
hood care and education through its
Must-read cover feature EW Grand Jury Preschool Rankings
AS A regular reader of Education- 2023-24 (EW February). My hearti- Rollout Ellie
World, I enjoyed reading Sridhar est congratulations to all top-ranked THE NEWS item ‘PETA launches
Rajagopalan’s insightful cover story preschools. Ellie’ in your Ed Notes column (EW
‘What’s wrong with India’s K-12 As a young parent, it’s reassuring February) caught my attention.
education and how to right it’ (EW to read about preschools incorpo- PETA’s life-size automated elephant
February). I must commend the rating ‘health, nutrition and safety’ Ellie is a really good idea to sensitise
learned author for his diagnosis and practices. Particularly for mothers children to develop empathy towards
prescription for righting the infirmi- whose children are picky eaters, animals and other living creatures.
ties of India’s primary-secondary school meals are a big concern. I I really hope PETA does a
school system, especially of the deep- congratulate Bindu Gaddipatti, countrywide tour to disseminate its
rooted problem of rote learning and director of Podar Jumbo Kids Plus, message.
grades inflation by exam boards. Nallagandla for opting to serve local, Shalini Baruah
I recommend all education policy regional, and seasonal food to pre- GUWAHATI
formulators, school leaders and edu- schoolers. I hope other preschools
cators to read this excellent story. follow suit.
Simran Kaur Jyothi R Mamata’s failure
CHANDIGARH HYDERABAD YOUR WEST Bengal education news
‘Reckless neglect’ (EW February)
does not surprise me, but is wor-
Begging to differ Inspiring young achievers rying. I agree with the author that
ANALYSING INDIAN education and THE STORIES of two young social most of the blame for the pitiable
suggesting ways and means to set innovators — Aryan Rajvanshi and condition of school education in the
things right is a decades-long debate Haazik Kaizi (EW February) — are state as indicated by the latest ASER
(EW February). I am sure most of inspirational. By integrating AI and 2023: Beyond Basics report should
us agree that there’s urgent need drone technology, I believe MechaC- be attributed to the Mamata Baner-
to raise the standards of teaching- rop can go a long way in saving lives jee-led TMC government.
learning in schools countrywide. of innocent farmers and their liveli- When she came to power in 2011,
In this context, I found it absurd to hoods. Similarly Smart ship Ervis she promised pariborton but now
draw a comparison between Finland also sounds promising for cleansing in her third term, she has failed
(pop.5.5 million) which hosts a mere the oceans of plastic pollution to miserably to root out the corruption
2,999 schools and India (1.4 billion), some extent at least, if not fully. in education started by the CPM-led
which has 1.4 million schools. My best wishes to these young Left Front government. God help my
I am also not in favour of in- changemaker achievers. state!
troducing English as a medium of H.G. Jain Sumit Sen
instruction at a later stage of school CHENNAI KOLKATA

20 EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2024