Word games: “creative” mantra for government

One of the greatest talents of ruling politicians at the Center is their ability to breathe new meanings into old words. “Freedom”, for example, seems to mean something other than what was generally understood until now. They have now gotten creative with the word “creative”. There will be a creative writing competition for teachers and parents at Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya schools ahead of the Prime Minister’s discussion with students on exam stress. The idea of ​​the Prime Minister as the friend of students is creative enough, especially when he guides them through the stress of exams. His own youthful experience must be the source of his wisdom. That the Prime Minister, who does not particularly like academics and expressing students, insert himself directly into the thinking of young people and shape their attitude towards exams, it is the height of creativity.

But the government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party wants more. More inventiveness than the gau mata exam driven. The subjects of the Creative Writing Contest, which students in upper grades can enter, immediately indicate that the word “creative” means something new. Stripped of its association with freedom, creativity for parents is something of a duty: lessons to reduce stress for their children. “Your words make your child’s world – encourage as you always have” eg government stands between parents and children and tries to regiment their attitudes with instructions about child and parent writing each sentence in turn. “Be your child’s friend – stay away from depression” is a command, not a subject of creative writing; the parent is responsible for writing the child a postcard explaining why he is special. But putting parents in a competition – a test, in fact – is a sign of the government’s creativity in its own rights. And do its assisted schools teach only that segment of students in which all parents can participate in a written competition?

The topic given to teachers is about the benefits of online education and how to improve it. This is designed to smother any descriptions of the issues faced by a large number of teachers and students across India that profoundly affect inclusion and achievement, while dooming children to the monotony of on-screen communication. without dynamic engagement with teachers, peers and the physical environment. Writing on the benefits alone would be really creative; this is the kind of creativity that underlies most of the government’s favorite programs. The subjects form a bundle. Students have to take the exams being festivals – do they have to be creative contortionists? – on incredible India, on the aspiration not to be but to do and, above all, to be grateful. The grim irony of having to be creative to be grateful does not seem to have struck the wise men of the Center. Seen as a package, the subjects take on their full meaning. There is little room for misunderstanding.