ABP Ideas of India: Three top-most education entrepreneurs in India Friday disagreed on how the education sector should function, but agreed on one thing people in India don't want education to be privatised, and that this mindset needs to change.
Anand Kumar, founder, Super 30, Sumeet Mehta, co-founder and CEO, LEAD, and Phalgun Kompalli, cofounder, UpGrad, were speaking at the inaugural session of ABP Network's Ideas of India Summit. The event is bringing together visionary leaders from different walks of lives to share views and visions on the ideas of India.
The trio spoke their minds during a discussion on 'Revolution 2022 | Deepening Democracy or Amplifying the Divide?' Author Chetan Bhagat chaired the session.
“There is a lack of trust on public private partnership in the country. It comes from the mindset that education should not be private. This means that there is a lack of trust which needs to be bridged. PPP is the way to go,” Sumeet Mehta said.
Phalgun Kompalli shared a similar view. He said a kind of PPP has already been done, but that it is not substantial, and therefore it has to be seen how it can be changed. For Anand Kumar, PPP is the way.
The trio, however, disagreed on many issues discussed during the session. One of these was the age at which online education should start. Kumar said children of any age group can do it if it is done in an attractive way. Sumeet, however, quoted a study to emphasise that online education was not effective up to 12 years old, and hence schools need to be upgraded so that children can benefit.
He also said that about 96 per cent of schools are not delivering due to lack of facilities, infrastructure, and quality education, and that needs to be corrected. “Our education system is working in a way that after graduation, most of the students don't have skills. Schools are preparing for exams, and not life, this again has to change.”
UpGrad co-founder Phalgun Kompalli said because this is the problem of the scale, it cannot be improved in physical mode. So digital infrastructure is the way, he said, because physical infrastructure is cost and time driven.
“So if we want to change in time, we have to improve digital infrastructure,” he added.
The three also talked about the attitude towards the professions. Anand said different attitudes towards professions can only be changed when a son of a rich person will do carpentry and plumbing. Otherwise, the scenario will remain the same.
He also said government jobs lure people because of a lack of accountability and competition. There is comfort and security attached to the job, making it competitive, results will follow.
LEADS co-founder Mehta said the dignity of labour does not exist in India, so education is a ladder for ascendency. He said India is going to grow irrespective of government jobs because the future of India is dependent on employment creation, which only happens in the private sector. He did acknowledge that government jobs are the highest in the country, but this will change.