I got to know about Teach-For-India initiative a year back, and till now I really didn't give it a serious thought. During the last two months, I have been reading up a lot on transformative new ways for countries to look at public education and how the poor-countries can actually build a system to revolutionize the way education is designed and delivered.
The following are my observations on why I think the TFI initiative (although a noble cause) might fail to achieve its objectives:
1. Its remodeled on a successful system of US (the Teach-For-America).
India is not US. its a developing country and things work very differently out here. Education doesn't only mean the ways to improve one's chances of higher-education or quality of life, it also means a way to earn livelihood - and as fast as possible - for the burgeoning population of India. It has to be result oriented, wherein immediate results matter to the poorer sections of the society.
TFI can, at the max, create a sense of quality-education in the minds of students from smaller towns and villages, but the economic parameters in this part of the world is evidently different to that of US. Requirements and expectations are different. The Government tried to solve the "education to all" plan through their Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and meals, but things just didn't work out the way it was expected to.
There are revolutionary work being done by some great people (including our own country's Sugata Mitra), in the field of education and its distribution that will be best suited for a country like India. I will suggest this video that will tell you more on the research thats being done by some people:
As it is apparent, just remodeling TFA is not the answer to our special needs and objectives.
2. Talent issues
The "heart" of a teacher is something that old-schoolers like us were always fascinated about. The very person who toiled hard on getting us good education, and developing us through those years so that we become good talents, are also derided by the society as "unsuccessful" by comparing their financial success against other trades.
I am not saying that today's traditional teachers are still the respected figures in student circles. Thats probably due to the kind of activities that these people get busy with. But getting good talent for TFI is definitely questionable. I guess they have tried solving this by answering a question that some (if not all) people who will contemplate joining TFI will ask - "what's in it for me?"
I am aware that when rewards to join a certain organization or cause is not related to the cause, and it is anchored somewhere else, then things fall-apart for the cause. In the case of TFI, there are mentions regarding international Universities accepting this as an excellent work-exp and that might really attract good people to join for TFI.
But for what?? Simply to be there for 2 years, and then fly onto some of those Universities and caring nothing for the cause of TFI or education as a whole. It hurts to see that to try and give quality education to masses,the best that can happen in this - attract with some reward these people can have post their role in TFI.
Its like a perpetual system of entry and exit. Only time will tell if these MBA grads from international Universities will ever come back to TFI or the cause and do something worthwhile.
3. It's being a part of the broken system
The current public education system in India and other developing countries are broken and primarily predicated on the whims and fancies of political establishments. Research from the last decade has shown that efforts are being made to revolutionize the education delivery and design system entirely to make some sense for the children who are studying and are affected.
I am not sure if TFI goes to the extent of changing syllabus and other things neccessary to revolutionize the design and delivery of education in India,in case it isn't then its contributing to an already broken system of education available in India.
There has to be re-think of whats the best way forward. There is existing research available on this subject and change-agents are available to get everything designed - from the syllabus, to design, and distribution. Its important to note here that getting teaching talent is again going to be the major challenge. If people join TFI for their own future benefits and this is just a passing phase, then imagine the kind of delivery that will happen through these talents.
There is not "One" answer to this problem. It (TFI) needs to really think and carefully implement each and every part of the process. I feel it will lose the plot very soon, but I am praying against all odds that something meaningful comes out of this. If I come to think of it, almost every initiative that I know of (the large ones - that involved nationwide implementation/distribution) has FAILED to achieve the objectives. I hope that TFI gets it right soon.
The following are my observations on why I think the TFI initiative (although a noble cause) might fail to achieve its objectives:
1. Its remodeled on a successful system of US (the Teach-For-America).
India is not US. its a developing country and things work very differently out here. Education doesn't only mean the ways to improve one's chances of higher-education or quality of life, it also means a way to earn livelihood - and as fast as possible - for the burgeoning population of India. It has to be result oriented, wherein immediate results matter to the poorer sections of the society.
TFI can, at the max, create a sense of quality-education in the minds of students from smaller towns and villages, but the economic parameters in this part of the world is evidently different to that of US. Requirements and expectations are different. The Government tried to solve the "education to all" plan through their Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and meals, but things just didn't work out the way it was expected to.
There are revolutionary work being done by some great people (including our own country's Sugata Mitra), in the field of education and its distribution that will be best suited for a country like India. I will suggest this video that will tell you more on the research thats being done by some people:
As it is apparent, just remodeling TFA is not the answer to our special needs and objectives.
2. Talent issues
The "heart" of a teacher is something that old-schoolers like us were always fascinated about. The very person who toiled hard on getting us good education, and developing us through those years so that we become good talents, are also derided by the society as "unsuccessful" by comparing their financial success against other trades.
I am not saying that today's traditional teachers are still the respected figures in student circles. Thats probably due to the kind of activities that these people get busy with. But getting good talent for TFI is definitely questionable. I guess they have tried solving this by answering a question that some (if not all) people who will contemplate joining TFI will ask - "what's in it for me?"
I am aware that when rewards to join a certain organization or cause is not related to the cause, and it is anchored somewhere else, then things fall-apart for the cause. In the case of TFI, there are mentions regarding international Universities accepting this as an excellent work-exp and that might really attract good people to join for TFI.
But for what?? Simply to be there for 2 years, and then fly onto some of those Universities and caring nothing for the cause of TFI or education as a whole. It hurts to see that to try and give quality education to masses,the best that can happen in this - attract with some reward these people can have post their role in TFI.
Its like a perpetual system of entry and exit. Only time will tell if these MBA grads from international Universities will ever come back to TFI or the cause and do something worthwhile.
3. It's being a part of the broken system
The current public education system in India and other developing countries are broken and primarily predicated on the whims and fancies of political establishments. Research from the last decade has shown that efforts are being made to revolutionize the education delivery and design system entirely to make some sense for the children who are studying and are affected.
I am not sure if TFI goes to the extent of changing syllabus and other things neccessary to revolutionize the design and delivery of education in India,in case it isn't then its contributing to an already broken system of education available in India.
There has to be re-think of whats the best way forward. There is existing research available on this subject and change-agents are available to get everything designed - from the syllabus, to design, and distribution. Its important to note here that getting teaching talent is again going to be the major challenge. If people join TFI for their own future benefits and this is just a passing phase, then imagine the kind of delivery that will happen through these talents.
There is not "One" answer to this problem. It (TFI) needs to really think and carefully implement each and every part of the process. I feel it will lose the plot very soon, but I am praying against all odds that something meaningful comes out of this. If I come to think of it, almost every initiative that I know of (the large ones - that involved nationwide implementation/distribution) has FAILED to achieve the objectives. I hope that TFI gets it right soon.
