Contrary to most of my elementary schooling experience, creativity and innovation is hardly encouraged in schools here. Children seem to be told what to do with strict instructions and hardly any room for personal input. How did I assume this? My first class I gave the kids a piece of paper and color pencils and the only instructions I gave them was 'draw anything you can see'. This ranged from an ant crawling around next to them to the clouds in the sky. Half an hour later, walking around the room, more than half the children still had a blank white paper and a very confused expression. Some of them came up to me every five minutes to ask me what they should draw and were kind of distraught by my lack of substantial response. Finally, to get any kind of art on paper, I had to sit with each of them individually and talk them through the options of what they could draw.
Not only was this some kind of learning experience for them, it was definitely a learning experience for me. The half an hour in which I refused to provide any guidance and was adamant to see them use their imagination, a lot of them felt lost and it seemed to upset them that were not capable of pleasing me. This, according to me, is a second large flaw in their attitude. The artwork or any work that is done, shouldn't be done to please me but in fact for their self satisfaction.
Not only do I see this lack of creativity in children, but this same trait seems to be a big challenge in our project to encourage entrepreneurship for the youth in Bagar. After completing their degrees, BSc, MSc, BA etc, they usually want to find a stable job, which will pay a specific monthly salary with very limited scope to grow. Being creative, taking initiative and 'thinking out of the box' to start their own business is not something they find attractive or even completely comprehend. Ironically, when explaining the idea of a start-up, some of these youths look just as distraught as the 10 year olds in my painting class.
I believe that in situations as these education is not encouraging but hindering personal growth and success in the young community here. They have almost been trained to stop experimenting and even stop THINKING and simply adhere to the rules that are given, just like solving a maths or physics problem. Ironically, the previous generation, despite their lack of education, seem to be more capable of successfully running a house than their children, as they were most likely FORCED to 'think out of the box' during their youth for basic needs. Their children now, highly educated with a MSc in physics, maths and chemistry are incapable of taking what their parents have built and expanding or even running it. They fail to understand the scope of growth and the potential success, but rather prefer to apply year after year to get a position in the army. Why? The army has rules, the army has a salary, the army guarantees that salary, the army has someone telling you what to do and there is no requirement or need to 'think out of the box'.
The three extremely successful business families, Piramals, Maheshwaris and Roongtas, all began their establishments in tiny Bagar and since then have built a myriad of educational institutions throughout the village to promote youth education. However the question remains have these educational institutions indirectly slowed down the youth's growth and success and in turn left them at stand still instead?
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