Around the World Project 6: Interview in India
Hello!
This time, I interviewed Megumi Shimonaka, who, after her experiences living abroad, has become a working professional and is now volunteering for educational support in India.📝
About Ms. Shimonaka
Ms. Shimonaka has a British father.
Because her father believed that seeing the world is a valuable learning experience, she had many opportunities to spend time abroad.
She first went abroad to Thailand in her second year of junior high school, and from there, she traveled through neighboring countries like Nepal and India. During that time, she experienced local volunteer activities, saw the sparkling smiles and happy faces of the local children, and began to wonder what happiness really is, which led her to become actively involved in volunteer work.
Since becoming a working professional, she has adopted the motto of doing what she can right now, and she is volunteering to provide educational support so that children in India can continue their studies even after graduating from kindergarten.
Characteristics of Education in India
Schools in India have their opening ceremonies in June. This is thought to be influenced by India's climate, such as the monsoon season.
Regarding education, students learn at least three languages at school, and it is standard to learn English, Hindi, and the local language (the language of each respective region).
Also, unlike in Japan, schools in India have a continuous 10-year system from elementary school through to university entrance. While the education system itself is not vastly different from Japan's, it is also characteristic that laws and systems are fragmented and not unified by state.
The Impact of the Caste System on Education
I think the caste system is something that affects life as a whole, not just education.
Whether it's ways of thinking, values, or long-standing customs, there is a possibility of falling into two extremes: parents who want their children to receive an education because they didn't receive one themselves, and parents who say, 'We didn't receive one, so our children don't need to either.'
I think the way of thinking really differs depending on the parent, but if you want your child to have a better life, I believe at least basic literacy is necessary. This is because if you cannot read or write, the jobs you can work are limited. So, in that sense, the caste system greatly affects a child's life.
For example, because there are differences in prescribed occupations based on the caste system, if we have the mindset that we can only do these kinds of jobs, we lose the energy and dreams to try to become anything more.
It is said that the reason the IT industry grew rapidly in India is that it was an occupation not included in the caste system. It grew rapidly because there was a dream that anyone could rise up if they studied and acquired skills regardless of their birth. In this way, it is certain that in an environment where one cannot escape the Indian caste system, it has the effect of dampening the learning motivation of people in the lower classes from the very beginning.
Recent Changes in Indian Education
As Indian law has established a minimum threshold for accepting children from impoverished families, although it is a slow process, systems to support the education of children from impoverished backgrounds are increasing.
In India, where children are treated as an important labor force, I think it is very good to see these changes in the system, as I believe it is important to first get more children into education.
Lux;'s Around the World Project focuses on introducing educational issues around the world.
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