When I was a student in a primary school in Singapore, there were a number of teachers who had only education up to high school level. But they knew their subject and could teach us wonderfully well. Among them was a teacher who could recite stories so well that we started harassing him for stories during his hour. The system then was to complete six years of primary schooling and then go on to do four years of higher schooling leading to a Cambridge School Certificate (O-level). Not one of our teachers had a PhD. They however knew the psychology of a school student. I remember Mr. E.R.Robeson, a wonderful teacher who had a mixed parentage. His spoke fluent Quandongese as his mother was a Chinese and fluent English, from his father who was an Eurasian. He had a good sense of humor and loved to talk to us on many subjects. Built like a wrestler, he drove a huge motorcycle. He could overhelm you with his personality, something a PhD holder can never do. These were real teachers. Not the quacks of today.
Some years ago, the Human Resources Department of the Indian Government through its University Grants Commisison decided that all College teachers , then teaching in colleges must acquire a doctorate in their subject. For new posts, they insisted that only doctorates be recruited and that too after a tough eligibility test. In addition, all Universities had to arrange for Refresher courses for all teachers. Teachers whoe acquire doctorates got three increments in their salaries which were then hiked. Teachers went in droves for training courses and other took off to join PhD courses under various guides. No one checked to ensure the quality of the PhD they were acquiring. The loosers were the students who found that the teachers lost interest in teaching anything. They neglected their work and the students ended their academic sessions with low or poor marks in end of the year examinations. Who was the winner? The Teacher who, returning from the FIP ( Faculty Improvement Programe;some called it Family Improvement Programe) was out of touch with the latest subjects. Most teachers remained computer illiterate and poked like a chicken at the key board, painfully spelling out words. Their PhD was worthless to improving their teaching skills.
The UGC should have ensured that the Universities select the teachers for PhD after evaluating their teaching skills, perhaps through the very same refresher courses they were organizing. The teachers were left to pick and choose trheir guides who unfortunately could not come up with anything innovative when deciding on the subjects for research. The guidies themselves turned out to be poor teachers.
The ancient Indian system of Guru-Shisya ensured that the skill of the teacher was the sole criterion when parents and guardians sent their children to them for schooling. Nobody tied to find out if the Teacher or Sage, was a qualified PhD holder.
The idea that someone could work for a couple of years on some esoteric subject, cooking up some chemicals or testing water in wells and ponds or researching on the love life of a chameleon, could become good teachers, just by waving the magic wand of a PhD thesis. In fact, even highly qualified Professors who guide several research scholars, at times fall foul of cyber cheating. Many cut and paste their thesis, liberally borrowing from past work without changing a single comma. Again the sufferers are the poor students in colleges and schools who have to suffer these specimen as teachers!
Who ever had thought that the teacher with a higher academic qualifications would also be a good teacher, must be hanged with a nylon rope from a jackfruit tree and stoned to death with cowdung. Students are to be taught not to just acquire marks and become doctors, engineers or administrators. They have to be trained to acquire human skills , compassion and ethical behaviour. They are not mere automatons to satisfy the greed of parents and guardians who see in them as economic earners for life. No wonder, students nowadays turn violent, indulge in smoking, drinking liquor, using dangerous drugs or indulge in hooliganism.
Where are the PhD qualified teachers, the highly qualified 'Gurus' who trained these hapless students? Many enjoy their retired lives, on high pensions or indulge in coaching more helpless students who aspire the hights of academic excellance to become high earning doctors,IT specialists and so on. Education in the Twenty First century is an industry controlled by a mafia that only wants wants mediocrity, not excellence. In the end, we are already seeing changes in our society, like Japan, there are too many suicides by students, frustrated with the pressures of a harsh, unreal world of study, study and study.
Chinese students, have proved to be excelling in international competitions in Mathematics and Sciences. It would be relevant to find out, how many of their teachers have PhD degrees. Why do we wallow in this myth that only Phd holders can become good teachers ?
Some years ago, the Human Resources Department of the Indian Government through its University Grants Commisison decided that all College teachers , then teaching in colleges must acquire a doctorate in their subject. For new posts, they insisted that only doctorates be recruited and that too after a tough eligibility test. In addition, all Universities had to arrange for Refresher courses for all teachers. Teachers whoe acquire doctorates got three increments in their salaries which were then hiked. Teachers went in droves for training courses and other took off to join PhD courses under various guides. No one checked to ensure the quality of the PhD they were acquiring. The loosers were the students who found that the teachers lost interest in teaching anything. They neglected their work and the students ended their academic sessions with low or poor marks in end of the year examinations. Who was the winner? The Teacher who, returning from the FIP ( Faculty Improvement Programe;some called it Family Improvement Programe) was out of touch with the latest subjects. Most teachers remained computer illiterate and poked like a chicken at the key board, painfully spelling out words. Their PhD was worthless to improving their teaching skills.
The UGC should have ensured that the Universities select the teachers for PhD after evaluating their teaching skills, perhaps through the very same refresher courses they were organizing. The teachers were left to pick and choose trheir guides who unfortunately could not come up with anything innovative when deciding on the subjects for research. The guidies themselves turned out to be poor teachers.
The ancient Indian system of Guru-Shisya ensured that the skill of the teacher was the sole criterion when parents and guardians sent their children to them for schooling. Nobody tied to find out if the Teacher or Sage, was a qualified PhD holder.
The idea that someone could work for a couple of years on some esoteric subject, cooking up some chemicals or testing water in wells and ponds or researching on the love life of a chameleon, could become good teachers, just by waving the magic wand of a PhD thesis. In fact, even highly qualified Professors who guide several research scholars, at times fall foul of cyber cheating. Many cut and paste their thesis, liberally borrowing from past work without changing a single comma. Again the sufferers are the poor students in colleges and schools who have to suffer these specimen as teachers!
Who ever had thought that the teacher with a higher academic qualifications would also be a good teacher, must be hanged with a nylon rope from a jackfruit tree and stoned to death with cowdung. Students are to be taught not to just acquire marks and become doctors, engineers or administrators. They have to be trained to acquire human skills , compassion and ethical behaviour. They are not mere automatons to satisfy the greed of parents and guardians who see in them as economic earners for life. No wonder, students nowadays turn violent, indulge in smoking, drinking liquor, using dangerous drugs or indulge in hooliganism.
Where are the PhD qualified teachers, the highly qualified 'Gurus' who trained these hapless students? Many enjoy their retired lives, on high pensions or indulge in coaching more helpless students who aspire the hights of academic excellance to become high earning doctors,IT specialists and so on. Education in the Twenty First century is an industry controlled by a mafia that only wants wants mediocrity, not excellence. In the end, we are already seeing changes in our society, like Japan, there are too many suicides by students, frustrated with the pressures of a harsh, unreal world of study, study and study.
Chinese students, have proved to be excelling in international competitions in Mathematics and Sciences. It would be relevant to find out, how many of their teachers have PhD degrees. Why do we wallow in this myth that only Phd holders can become good teachers ?
I personally think, teaching is an art and not merely knowledge about a particular field. The subjects I liked were taught by the teachers I liked the most. The ability to spark interest and curiosity in students is a skill that unfortunately few teachers possess.
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