A Headmaster’s Cry
Now that I’m home for God knows how long, I’m a spectator of the daily drama that is happening in my neighbour’s house. Every day, the little girl next to our house wails and throws a tantrum not to go to school. And every day her mother shouts, threatens (and sometimes beats, I guess?) her to get ready for school. All those crying, and shouting persists only till the auto. After that, I imagine the girl sheds her dislike for school and enjoys the day with her friends.
You would’ve been a spectator or even an active participant in a scenario like this. But for me, this looks and sounds so weird. Strange. In the memories of my school life, My sister and I have never cried to go to school even in kindergarten. My grandmother use to boast that we never have taken leave unless it is an emergency. I’m not bragging. But for a child who had grown up like this, you should understand how weird it is for me.
If you think I’m weird then you should listen to this story. Recently, a situation came where I had dinner with my father’s relatives. The uncle, my father’s brother from another mother, is a headmaster at a school. Throughout the whole dinner, he seemed to be disinterested and brooding while everyone had a nice time. Noticing this, I nudged my mother who in turn indirectly (it was direct only but she never admits) asked his wife.
The aunt in a serious voice said that her husband is brooding and throwing a tantrum at home for a few days. The reason for his behaviour turned out to be shocking and hilarious. It seems the next curriculum starts on the coming Monday and he had to go to school.
Even though everyone laughed at the time, when I thought of it later, I had only one question. What happened?
If he is disinterested and hates to go to school, no wonder students are like that. I’m not blaming him. He is nearly 60 and wants to retire but he can’t. Because the people above him are not letting him. This raises the question, why? What is happening in the education system?
Are there not enough individuals who can fill his position? I’m hearing thousands of people who have cleared TET waiting for the call. What about those who have passed all those government exams but remain unemployed?
Education is the foundation of freedom, they say. Every family who is struggling to make ends meet have their faith in education. So if the teacher is irritated and disinterested to teach, then how can a student grow a liking for learning?
My mother forwarded me this quote (typical mom). It goes like this, “Those days education raised a family’s financial status, these days education razes one’s financial status.” This could be more true. I could remember all those student loans, personal loans and borrowings just to pay the fees.
But I am not satisfied with the education I got out of all these difficulties is worth it. I felt I got very less. I feel that this is the situation for most of us. Who is to blame?
Maybe this all ends when we stop the blame game and take action to rectify the problem.
