A panel discussion was held on ‘Education in the age of disruption’ at Edusights, an event organised by Hindustan Times and Mint at Hyatt Pune on Saturday. The discussion highlighted the need for changing practices in teaching methods in the education sector and creating a connect with today’s generation.
Prominent heads of various universities and academic institutes, policymakers from the government sector and experts in the field of education participated in the panel discussion.
Tushar Pradhan, chief information officer, HSBC asset management; Abhay Vaidya, resident editor, Pune, Hindustan Times; professor Kavi Arya, IIT Powai; Vijay Bhatkar, scientist; Radhakrishna Pillai, deputy director, leadership science, university of Mumbai; J Krsihnamurthy of Brighter Minds; Shantilal Mutha, chairman, Shantilal Mutha Foundation and Gyan Sarin, coordinator, Heartfulness Education Trust were present.
While Arya spoke about the environment and how robotics can go hand in hand, Bhatkar highlighted the role of education in today’s time.
Highlighting how education is not helping youngsters get a job, Bhatkar said, “It has become a challenge today to learn how to live in this world as jobs are not easily available. But there are enormous opportunities which we have not yet tapped.”
Pillai stressed upon three points — role models in terms of giving direction to teachers, inculcating leadership qualities and focus on research.
{{/usCountry}}Pillai stressed upon three points — role models in terms of giving direction to teachers, inculcating leadership qualities and focus on research.
{{/usCountry}}J Krishnamurthy highlighted the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4) which is about global education and how India can work towards reaching these goals.
Mutha said, “There are 1.4 million schools out of which 85 per cent are run by the government, while 15 per cent schools are private schools. But, sadly, in the past two decades, whatever improvements and aids have been given have reached only the private schools.”
Mutha stressed upon inclusive growth in all schools and highlighted his Mulyavartan programme which he has started in government-run schools with the change in the thought process of teachers.
Vaidya stressed upon the need for low-cost technologies which needs to be replicated for the betterment of the society at large. “At the same time, there are incidents where students have committed suicide (with reference to recent incidents) when their parents have taken away the mobile phones from them.”
“We also need to inculcate constitutional values in children, for if children are educated then they will educate adults,” he said.
The panel discussion concluded on a high note highlighting the fact of creating freethinking spirited minds.
The hospitality partner for Edusights education conclave is Hyatt Pune and other sponsors include Salon Apple, Gurukripa Nursery and Network Tech Lab.