Wipro launches school initiative

Education is one of the most fundamental enablers of economic success and subsequent sustainable change. With this idea, the WATIS community initiative tried to facilitate a movement towards quality in education.

The mission of the programme is to help schools produce a generation of students who are lifelong learners, independent thinkers and well-rounded individuals.

The true purpose of education according to Wipro officials is to fertilise the child's mind. The WATIS programme was launched in Kolkata with Vikramshila Education Resource Society as the Kolkata partner for Wipro Applying Thought in Schools (WATIS) initiative.

Wipro co-hosted a round-table discussion 'Quality Education in a Changing Context' in the city today to commemorate the launch.

The child should be encouraged to cultivate the ability to understand, the capability to think, the courage to form ideas and the desire to work as a team.

This empowers them to solve problems however tough they may be. Education should expand the possibilities for children, speaker said.

"The present education system needs to help children to acquire the ability to think creatively and critically. To acquire these abilities, children should enjoy the process of learning so that what is learnt is internalised. In order to do this the approach to the whole education system has to undergo a paradigm shift in approach and action. To accomplish this, the program works with teachers, school management, parents, education boards etc," they explained.

They also felt that the current education system was becoming obsolete and was causing undue pressure to teachers, children as well as parents.

The strong emphasis on text book centred, examination oriented learning has resulted in a scenario where children are not able to correlate education with their fast changing living environment, one that has become increasingly dependent on critical and creative thinking skills.

The WATIS programme therefore aims to affect a paradigm shift in the current education system. Teachers represent the entire system to the child, and children's learning is significantly dependent abilities.

Keeping this in mind, WATIS tries to promote active teaching and learning practices as the keystone of teacher development.