Page:SELECTED ESSAYS of Dr. S. S. KALBAG.pdf/146

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Education must have a multiplier effect With a very large and growing population, any system we choose must have the potential for exponential growth. The possible constraints on any such system are (a) Trained teachers (b) Material facilities (c) Demand. Demand is the most important constraint. If the education is seen as more beneficial compared to other systems of education or no education, there will be a demand. If the skills to be imparted are properly chosen, it is natural to expect that these will help the learners in earning a living. The current well-educated section may tend to look at this as "education for the masses and not for the classes". This should not be so. The traditional learners will be better educated with the acquisition of skills. RENA What is true of students is true of teachers. Teachers are made of the same stuff as students, only one generation ahead. One major difference is the age. Teachers will have to be given different skills and more important, they will have to be selected on a different basis. There is also a possibility that, after acquiring certain skills, the teachers may get better earning by practicing these skills than by being teachers in a primary school. While this may hinder the spread of the education for a while, it is to be considered a good indication that the education is seen as relevant and produces self-reliance. This will certainly stimulate the demand and also more will volunteer for teacher training. The resources like the building, the land, the equipment, are all essential. There is a possibility that since various skills are taught and practiced by the students, a small fraction may be capable of bringing in some return. It is necessary to keep this income under Rural Development Through Education System 133 - --.