Coimbatore: While the country celebrated its 72nd year of Independence last August, Tushar A Gandhi, the great-grandson of the man who fought for independence and began the freedom movement all across the country was of the opinion that the people of India should gear up for another freedom movement against the education system.
Coimbatore: While the country celebrated its 72nd year of Independence last August, Tushar A Gandhi, the great-grandson of the man who fought for independence and began the freedom movement all across the country was of the opinion that the people of India should gear up for another freedom movement against the education system.
Tushar Gandhi who was at Jenneys Residency on Monday to deliver a talk on ‘Mahatma Gandhi and Education Today,' an event organised by Ratna Sagar Private Ltd., said that the system has provided a way for bureaucrats to rewrite history according to their agendas.
“Though we boast of a freedom won from the British, we are slow to realise the reality that we have all become slaves of today’s education system. It is forced on us and the textbooks have become largely corrupt. Since they are designed by the Government, there is a danger of them becoming propaganda platforms of the Government,” he claimed.
Opining that it was teachers who should decide what to teach and what not to, Tushar Gandhi also said that the Government should play a role in teaching but only to facilitate education.
“Gandhiji meant for freedom to liberate the individual and not a draconian Government that still treated its people as slaves by filing seditions on those who questioned it. Freedom should start at the school level where one is free to educate himself on his or her own terms and free to exercise the right to question. Only such a society or school can produce Abdul Kalams and great minds. If we are after exams and marks, we would still be slaves,” he added.
Tushar Gandhi felt that people do not deserve to even talk about Gandhi when the country was in a shameful state in its education, economics and exercising rights. “A good education system that does not depend on textbooks is the only key to liberate us from this slavery,” opined Tushar Gandhi.
Addressing the audience, Tushar said, "Gandhi should not only be remembered by his memories and monuments and signs but by following the ideas he has left us with to shape our education system. It starts at the Primary school level and is attached with basics of life including handling our wastes."
He encouraged the teachers to take up the role of surrogate mothers and create better individuals and not just top scorers. “In a system that needs to be fought against and destroyed, the teachers play a major role in shaping the next generation. You should teach students the real history and not let people in power change it,” he warned.
Tushar Gandhi later interacted with children and teachers and answered their questions. Cultural performances including group songs and mime shows were performed by the children.
Earlier, Rajesh Govindarajulu, a historian and writer from the city shared some memories of Gandhi and his connection to Coimbatore.