Dr. Padmashree R P | + Follow Poet |
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Chalk Dust and Stardust

Amidst the chaos of chalk and dreams deferred,
We ask ourselves, where can we find the spark
In this labyrinth of rote and rigid words?
The burden we bear, a future stark

We've trudged through dusty classrooms, yearning
For wisdom beyond the printed page
We've learned that silence isn't always learning
And the norms of what education should be
Aren't always nurturing or expanding

Yet the dawn of change is ours
Before we knew it, somehow we do it
Somehow we've witnessed and weathered
A system that isn't broken, but simply unfinished

We, the heirs of Tagore and Kalam,
Where a village girl from the remotest corner
Can dream of coding satellites and stars,
Finding purpose beyond textbook and soil

And yes, we are far from perfect
Far from world-class, but that doesn't mean
We aren't striving to form an education
That is relevant, inclusive, and keen

To compose a curriculum committed to all
Cultures, languages, skills, and aspirations of man
So we lift our gazes not to what stands between us
But what stands before us – a future bright and grand

We bridge the digital divide
We close the gap between rural and urban,
Between genders, castes, and economic lines
Because we know, to put our future first
We must first put our differences aside

We lay down our textbooks
So we can reach out our minds to one another
We seek not to compete, but to collaborate
Let the world, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we struggled, we innovated
That even as we lagged, we leapt
That even as we copied, we created

That we'll forever be tied together, victorious
Not because we will never again know failure
But because we will never again sow mediocrity

Our ancient texts tell us to envision
A world where knowledge flows like the Ganges
Where every child sits under their own banyan tree,
Learning without fear, growing with joy,
Their minds and spirits are equally free

If we're to live up to our potential
Then success won't lie in marks alone
But in the minds, we've freed, the curiosity we've sown
That is the promised land
The hill we climb, if only we dare

It's because being Indian is more than a heritage we inherit
It's the future we step into and how we prepare for it
We've seen forces that would keep us divided,
Rather than unite in our diversity
Would stifle our growth if it meant maintaining the status quo

And this inertia nearly succeeded
But while progress can be periodically delayed
It can never be permanently defeated
In this truth, in this faith we trust

For a while we have our eyes on global rankings
History has its eyes on us
This is the era of just transformation
We feared at its inception
We did not feel prepared to overhaul
Such a mammoth, age-old system

But within it, we found the power
To author a new chapter
To offer hope and skills to ourselves
So once we asked,
How could we possibly reform this behemoth?
Now we assert,
How could stagnation possibly prevail over our resolve?

We will not march back to what was
But move to what shall be
A system that is challenged but dynamic,
Rooted but revolutionary,
Traditional yet transformative

We will not be turned around
Or interrupted by intimidation
Because we know our inaction and complacency
Will be the inheritance of the next generation
Our flaws become their fetters

But one thing is certain:
If we merge compassion with rigour,
And access with excellence,
If we blend our ancient wisdom with modern insight,
And insight into innovation,
Then learning becomes our legacy
And creativity is our children's birthright

So let us leave behind an education
Better than the one we were left with
Every breath from our diverse tongues,
We will raise this exam-driven system into a thought-provoking one

We will rise from the tech hubs of Bangalore,
We will rise from the classrooms of Kerala,
Where literacy first flourished
We will rise from the rural schools of the heartland,
We will rise from the bustling coaching centres of the north

We will reimagine, reinvent, and revitalise
And every state of our nation,
Every child is called our future,
Our students diverse and curious will emerge,
Challenged and changed, empowered and inspired

When the day comes, we step out of the shadow of rote,
Into a future bright and unafraid
The new dawn of education blooms as we nurture it
For there is always a better way,
If only we're brave enough to see it
If only we're brave enough to be it

Copyright © Dr. Padmashree R P | Year Posted 2024

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