Page 22 - Ramanujan Yatra

citizen in elementary school today has the legal right to get mathematics education of good quality. Perhaps India is the only country in the world where this is legally mandatory. A system that is creating fear and distaste for mathematics in most children is clearly not compliant with RTE. The RTE Act requires us to make a fundamental re-examination and re-construction of math education in our country.
Many years ago India produced another outstanding genius – Dhyan Chand. That was the time when children were playing hockey in the streets. Today, when fewer and fewer Indian children are playing hockey in the schools or streets, Dhyan Chand will only remain a memory from the past.
Sawyer’s definition of success in mathematics, simple but profound, applies to every prospective student of math, including Ramanujan:
“Complete success would mean that every individual felt, “I enjoyed the mathematics that I had time to learn. If I ever need or want to learn some more, I shall not be afraid to do so.”
Yes, Ramanujan was exceptional, and not everyone can be a Ramanujan. But everyone can learn to enjoy mathematics. Children playing hockey and learning mathematics with passion in every street and school is the key to growing more Dhyan Chands and Ramanujans.
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Dr Vivek Monteiro is a trade unionist with a background in theoretical physics. He is a founder of and principal advisor to Navnirmiti, a self reliant group of organizations which work for universalization of good quality mathematics and science education. He is a trustee of the W.W. Sawyer Memorial trust.
Ramanujan
YATRA
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