Learning itself should be a celebration!

March 20 is celebrated as International Day of Happiness. Happiness has many ways and paths. Celebration of learning is one interesting path. The concept of learning is important, and it should be a cause for celebration. However, the way learning is happening in the education system, mostly, is far from it.

When one goes around classrooms across different institutions, one observes that generally, classroom learning has become a burden or source of stress not only for students but also for teachers.

When one talks to students or overhears their conversations or those of teachers, it doesn't look like learning is celebrated or that learning is a cause for celebration; it looks like learning is a huge burden, full of stress, without any joy or happiness. And the reasons are different, and the explanations are different. For example, some people would say that there is too much theory, some people would say there is too much application, some people would say the faculty is not good, some people would say the class atmosphere is not good, some would say it is just to get grades and move to the next class and so on and so forth. The reason might be different, but one thing that is generally common is that learning in itself is not a cause of celebration among many educational institutions. Learning looks like a monotonous thing which needs to be done to clear exams and then move to the next class, and then maybe get a job, and so on and so forth . So learning is done more in a mechanical way without enjoying it, without celebrating it, and that reflects in the poor quality of graduates and post-graduates emerging out of various institutions, which are not employable, as shown by multiple studies.

However, this is not only an India-specific problem. It happens in many countries across the world, where learning itself is not a celebration.
Is it good for learning? The answer is no. Is it good for students? The answer is no. Is it good for the teachers? The answer is no. Is it good for the education system? The answer is no. So why are we doing it? It looks as if the majority are running in an autopilot mode and just doing the formalities of learning to meet the requirements, such as getting degrees, and getting placements or jobs.

Let's go back to basics and ask ourselves some fundamental questions: how learning should happen, why we need to celebrate learning, and how we should celebrate it. Each of us in the education field needs to find our own answers that meet the requirements of students and institutions. When learning in itself becomes a celebration, real learning happens. And that is what the world really needs: to take care of the changing times and the emerging challenges

(This article is written by Dr. Rajesh K. Pillania, Professor, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. This is an opinionated article; EPN has nothing to do with this editorial.)