Democracy, Student Empowerment and Equity

Gone are the days of Stick

Today even toddlers of primary school may dissent autocracy. So the best way out and more effective way is only to treat the students with equanimity.

With the coming of democratization in Education we see students being handed over more and more power to lead the way they want the education process to be delivered to them. You may see them asking for various methodologies to be followed to make learning easier for them.

Empowerment is good and for the better of the system as a whole and is likely to increase the quality of the manpower churned in an economy. But it is a double edged sword.

Empowerment to students should in no way dis empower the faculty and the educationists. This way sure it can lead to a power struggle between the two and result in erosion of the goals for which the democratization and empowerment process itself has been initiated in the first place.

Empowered student can more often give voice to their opinion about the delivery systems in education and the difficulties which they face in the same. This can lead to over all improvement in the delivery and better satisfaction level and grades for the students.

Democracy and Empowerment interventions which can be used in Education setting:

1. Student leaders can be elected to act as interface and interlocutors between the faculty, management and student groups.

2. Steps may be taken to create harmony between the stakeholders by conducting various group initiatives like educational tours and outings.

3. Students should be able to suggest the pace of teaching and some hold on the curriculum to be expanded and shrinked according to the student preferences and capabilities.

4. Students should be provided with guidance to learn beyond the textbook by providing tools of education like internet, educational CD/s DVD's, Web site subscriptions, Practical Project kits, Industry internships.

5. Regular feed back should be taken from the students which can be anonymous and also direct bu using avenues like suggestion boxes.