Education - The parrot’s way!

Education - The parrot’s way!

I always got  complaint from family members that there is no pressure from the teachers or schools here in Australia at the pre school stage. I had an opportunity to review the kid’s book here in Australia. The curriculum and syllabus are designed to bring out the real talents of every child. Besides many exercises, project works are given more important. I am sure this will develop their creativity and innovative skills.  I often noticed from the News Papers that University professors and students are engaged in research and development work for Industries on a contract basis.  We have also developed a systems in Australia called “Professional Year!, where each students including overseas students can register to undertake professional year with any corporate firms.  Australian Government will provide extra points for student when they apply for migration against the ‘professional year’ they have undertaken in Australia.

The scenario in India is quite different. We force our children to memorise their lessons, gets the first rank, even without grasping the real meaning or implications of what they studied. After the limelight the Rank holders disappear from the scene or news papers.  There is exceptions!    I think there is change coming in the younger generation but we yet to follow the passion of the children. I get really disappointed when I see Chemical Engineers and Electrical Engineers turned up for a clerical job in my office.  We must change our Education systems into a stage where the children given opportunity to express their passion or given enough time to find their passion before they engage in a professional courses or education.  Professional law graduates spent their valuable 5 years in Law School cannot write up a memorandum of association or even fill an affidavit.  There is something wrong in our systems. 

I was a backbencher and an average student in my pre university exams, my friend toped the exams and he was awarded the best student in the college.   He now work as as the Team Leader in the Legal Department for one of our Branch office,  I am the owner of the firm. I mentioned this to say that nothing will STOP you if you have a real desire to achieve something in life not even your professional education. Professional education can be continued followed by your passion.  All the great achievers are ordinary people with extra ordinary determination.  If you have the WILL and desire then impossible is NOTHING.  

In India, some Universities are still maintaing the old age syllabus, which never ever need to be used in a real work place environment.  Interestingly, we have Bachelor Degree in SAP in Australia but I may not be able to find a similar courses in a Country where we known as the IT HUB of the world.  

School and my lovely Teacher!

This is a little note about my school in Kerala. Whenever I pass through my school, I could hear the enchanting voice of ‘Jayanthi Teacher’ like a background music!. Her favourit poem was “MOHAM’ and eventually it become mine too. She was our class teacher and used to recite this poem. 

Our class was quite infamous due to some of our class mate’s behaviour. Few of my class mates have been addressed with an initial of “N.P” (Naikurana Podi case Prathi) by the students and teachers. They have been caught red-handed for delivering “Naikurna podi” (Mucuna prurita) to the senior classes including Staff Room. The whole school had to close that particular day and school re-opened only after cleaning. Some of the Seniors will never forget the effect of “Mucuna Prurita” in their life!!!!

Mostly it’s hard for the teachers to properly conduct the class due to the heckles from the back bench. However, whenever ‘Jyanthi Teacher’ comes into the class, the entire class room will go silent. She was one of the most beautiful lady, we have ever seen but I always noticed ‘little sorrow’ in her eyes. When she starts reciting the poem ‘MOHAM’ our class will get into a sort of ‘settled mood”. All villains in the class room become the most peaceful folks in the class room. We were about to reach our end of the Academic year but all of sudden a new Teacher replaced our dear ‘Jayanthi” teacher. We later came to know that she was in hospital for cancer treatment and then soon the sad news hit the School ‘Jayanthi Teacher had passed away”. It was really sad for my class and the entire school. We all visited her home to say good bye. Since that incident all the villains in my class changed evidently and they become the topers! I am sure ‘Jayanthi Teacher’ would have touched their heart like she did it in mine!!

Little Kindness

WHEN a child is born, who rejoices ? 

The parents, relatives and friends. But who cries ? The Child.

However, when we die, it should be the other way round. We should be rejoicing and have the satisfaction that we made a contribution to the world and left the world a little better place that we found it. Let the world cry that it has lost a good soul and become poorer. As people pay their respects, the most common things talked about are the little acts of kindness performed by the person during his lifetime. Little acts of kindness don’t go unnoticed. In fact, their impact become even more potent after a person is gone. That is when people realize how much those little acts of kindness and humanness meant to them. 

Early childhood memoir!!

This is a note about my early childhood!

I was born in a remote village (Country town) called Kadavallur, which is a local suburb in the state of Kerala, INDIA . My mother was living with her parents at that time in their home in ‘Chettiyar Madam”, Kadavallur(it's a local suburb). She had to join my father and elder brother, so she then moved to our home in North Kottol and left me with Pettamma (Grandmother) at the Chettiyar Madam in my early childhood. I stayed at the Chettiyar Madam House with my grand parents until I turned 7 years old. My early childhood remembrance is totally filled with the surrounding of this ‘Chettiyar Madam’. Chettiyar Madam was a 2+ Storey Traditional Brahmin house with Thulasitharra, Pathayapura, and Kayyala etc. When I read the novel of ‘Nallukettu’ (MT. Vasudhevan Nair), I always can feel the similarity of the character in me surrounded by this Chettiyar Madam House!

There were so many characters influenced my early childhood, which includes Saidalikka, Neeli, Laxmiamma, Mallika Teacher, Gopiyettan, Valzala, and Jaya. The prime facie character was my Pettamma, who had a long hair and beautiful face. Her name is Beevathumma and she always used to get well with her neighbours. Beefathumma was a typical but caring lady where all neighbours comes in whenever they need some advice or they get short of food or need anything to borrow from us. Our lives where influenced by the Chettiyar Madam House and neighbors, where most of our neighbours from Nair or Namburi background. The home was close to Sri Rama Swamy Temple, which is now very famous for ‘Annnoynnaym (* Puranic Vedha Competition among Hindu Religious Scholars). The neighbors get up at very early in the morning and go to take a bath at the Ambala Kulam. It was interesting for me to see this phenomenon where I see people going especially girls in a group with amazing devotion. I always could hear and make out how energetic they were while they are walking towards the Temple from the noise of their ‘Padhaswara killukkam’ and Kuppivalla’ (Bangles). Our nearest neighbour was Mallikka Teacher, who used to run private tuition at her home every morning. She will not accept students if they had not taken bath. I always felt the smell of “Chembagam Flower” whenever I got close encounter with Mallikka Teacher.

I moved to join my mother and family later in North Kottol, it was a difficult time for our family at North Kottol. I was a teenager then. The size of our family was 4 sons and 1 daughter. The environment in the home always filled with happiness. My elder Brother was the hardworking man I have ever seen my life. He was the agent for ‘Local News Paper Distribution’ who then went away to United Arab Emirates in search of better livelihood for us. The responsibility of the Newspaper Distribution assigned to my shoulder when he migrated to the United Arab Emirates. I had to get up 4 of clock in the morning to go to Kallumburam Bus station, three kilometers away to collect newspaper. Calicut Limited Stop Buses will pass through the Kallumburam Bus Stop but will not stop. The newspaper bundle will be thrown from the running bus to the Bus Stop by the Cleaner boy of the Bus. I then collect the Newspapers bundle, sort out and run around the Village Town with my bicycle to distribute the newspapers in the town. I used to comeback at 6.00 by the time my Mother will give me a simple breakfast. It will be then the time to go to the religious learning class (eg. like Sunday School) before heading to the actual school.

I still remember an incident which I would like to share. As a young boy I was walking, running and studying all together. Among other things, I also known as ‘Vinnan’ (Snobby boy) among my brothers and sister due to my nature that I always demanded more and best quantity of the food served among them. One day, when all my brothers and sister were sitting and eating, my mother went on giving me Food. When I finished eating, my brother called me privately and scolded “Rasheed do you know what was happening? You went on eating Food, and mother went on giving you. She has given all her food to you. It is difficult time. Be a responsible son and do not make your mother starve”. First time I had a shivering sensation and I could not control myself. I rushed to my mother and hugged her.

The best memory of mother is always seeing my mother in a full moon night. She performed Namaz five times and continued to be doing at this present day. She has done her pilmigrage to Mecca and now she known as Aysha Hajumma. During Namaz, my mother always looked angelic. Every time I saw her during Namaz I was inspired and moved!

This note has been dedicated to my mother who is currently living in Kerala, India with my father and extended family.