If we learn the basics we can learn skills.

School leaving examinations, known as Board exams, are taking place all over India and results will decide which student gets a choice of subjects in top rated colleges. "What is inexplicable is that this experience by and large mirrors what their parents went through three-decades ago," wrote an editorial in the Mint. "One would have imagined parents seeking less stress for their children, and greater learning and skill-development." The last time Indian children appeared for Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam, held by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretariat every three years, they came second last, beating Kyrgyzstan to last place. Following that dismal result the government banned our children from taking the exam but Indian children will participate again from 2021. Shanghai in China topped in 2009 and 2012 but other regions did not do as well in 2015. In the last test Singapore came first in every category, but this may be due to selection bias, as these cities chose their best students, so the scores do not really represent teaching standards, wrote G Sands. Indian parents "justify the current education system, which emphasizes obedience, rote learning, and ways to max examinations, as a 'tried-and-tested' formula for success". "Many experts say that original thinking and creative skills will define the cutting-edge jobs of tomorrow." Instead of burdening our children with "outdated skills and mindsets" we should be imparting "ideation, collation, collaboration and presentation". Japanese children are taught all these things and perform very well in the PISA test, yet some parents take their children to other countries for school education, wrote I Tsuboa-Newell. Chinese children also have to learn a lot of things by heart, wrote M Pipenko. Chinese children are taught to work hard, discipline and respect for elders, much like in India. Children are the future of the nation so education is most important. Condemning the present education system is easy, but what should replace it? Every child has a mobile phone and every phone has a calculator. Does it mean that children should not be taught basic addition, subtraction and multiplication. The education system in Finland is cited as an example, but it is a small country with a total population of 5.5 million. Schools and colleges are free and teachers give personal attention to a small number of pupils. Millions of students in India means a large number of teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. Exams were banned by the previous government but teachers just stopped working because, without exams, there was no way to judge if students were learning anything. The trouble is not that our education system is outdated but that most children are not being taught even that. Perhaps we should concentrate on basics.