Why Bharat Cannot Wait Any Longer to Fix Education

Riya is in Class 6. Every evening, she spends three hours at tuition after finishing school. Her mother proudly says, “She studies so much!” But when asked to explain a math problem in her own words, Riya hesitates. She has learnt the steps by heart, not the idea behind them.

In another corner of the city, a teacher, Mr. Sharma, stays up late at night filling out registers and updating online dashboards. He entered this profession to inspire children, but most days he feels like a clerk. “When do I actually teach the way I want to?” he wonders.

And in a small town, Principal Singh flips through government circulars, trying to balance compliance with what she knows her students really need. She dreams of starting a coding club and outdoor projects, but the timetable is already packed with syllabus drills and exam prep.

Different people, same story. Parents, teachers, and school leaders all want better. But the system often pulls them in the opposite direction.

The Weight of Knowing Better

Every teacher remembers the first time a child’s eyes lit up with understanding. That spark is why they chose teaching—not to run after targets and tick boxes.

Every parent remembers their child’s first questions: “Why is the sky blue? How does a bird fly?” No parent wants that curiosity to disappear under the pressure of exams.

Every school leader once imagined building a space where children thrive. Not a factory where they are processed for board results.

We all know the truth: the system isn’t giving our children the education they deserve. And once we know better, we cannot look away.

Who Are We Really Fighting?

Not teachers like Mr. Sharma, who already give their hearts to their students.
Not parents like Riya’s mother, who sacrifices daily for her child’s future.
Not principals like Ms. Singh, who fight against impossible odds.

The real enemy is the outdated factory model of education:

• A system that measures learning only by marks, not by meaning.
• An approach that treats millions of unique children as if they were identical.
• A culture where compliance is rewarded more than creativity.

This system doesn’t prepare our children for life. It prepares them only for the next exam.

Breaking Free—Together

Change won’t come from one person alone. Teachers are exhausted, parents feel powerless, and leaders face constraints.

But when we act together, even in small ways, the system begins to shift.

• A teacher choosing to spend 10 minutes in class on open-ended questions instead of rushing through the textbook.
• A parent praising effort and curiosity, not just the grade written in red ink.
• A school leader carving out one period a week for projects, debates, or experiments.

These choices may look small, but across thousands of classrooms, they become powerful.

The Cost of Waiting

Every year, millions of Indian children pass through schools without truly learning. They sit in classrooms, take tests, and move forward—but with gaps that pile up silently.

We’ve all met the engineering graduate who can solve advanced equations on paper but struggles with basic problem-solving in real life. Or the Class 8 child who cannot read fluently in their mother tongue.

It’s not that they didn’t work hard. It’s that the system failed them.

Bharat cannot afford to let another generation go by like this.

Time to Take a Stand

Each of us has a choice: keep following the system blindly, or start bending it in the direction of real learning.

• We’re on the same side. Teachers, parents, and school leaders are allies, not enemies.
• Every act counts. Whether it’s a teacher slowing down for understanding, or a parent asking “what did you enjoy learning today?” instead of “what marks did you get?”—it matters.
• Courage grows in community. One teacher or one parent may feel powerless. But when we act together, we gain strength.
• Our children deserve more. Not just coaching for exams, but learning that prepares them for life.
• Change begins now. We don’t need perfect solutions. We just need to start.

The stakes are too high for silence. Riya, Mr. Sharma, Principal Singh—and millions like them—are counting on us.

Our children cannot wait. And neither can we.

👉 At Tailwnd, we believe Indian classrooms can be places of joy, curiosity, and growth. Together, parents, teachers, and schools can move beyond survival learning and build futures worth fighting for.