Reflection Note – 3

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course  

Instructor: Prof. Kathan Shukla

 Submitted by  
Aditya Maitri (PGPGC202100377) 
   
  Date of submission 
8th February 2023
Reflection on today’s visit to Eklavya. What are the significant learnings for you?
My idea of a classroom was restricted to 4 walls, a teacher dictating the question &
answers, & 45+ students in a class writing whatever was dictated. The students who could
remember whatever was dictated excelled in life & those who couldn’t remember were
blamed
The visit to Eklavya school truly shook me from within. Their fundamental vision is to
impart high quality learning to the students. They wish to make their students
independent. I wish I had to opportunity to study in such a school. Following are my
primary learning:
1. Good Research & Development
The founders spent 15 months travelling worldwide to learn about the best education
practices followed by brainstorming sessions in Ahmedabad. The people included in the
sessions were a common man ( Cycle Repair Store Owner), retired Chief Justice of a High
Court and other academicians. This shows founders’ propensity to view all perspectives
and their willingness to develop solutions catering to the needs of people belonging to all
the strata of the society. The founders interviewed 94 people and listed down their
learning in a publicly available document.
2. Classroom Atmosphere and Curriculum
The Teacher-Student ratio of (1:25) allows teachers to individually focus on every
student. This leads to effective knowledge impartment. The equal emphasis on sports, arts
and academics helps in the all-around development of the child. The vocational training
which includes pottery, music, embroidery, wood and chalk art gives students to explore
many things at an early age. The art of growing plants, nightouts, hiking, stargazing,
nature camps inculcates a sense of responsibility and independence in the students.
3. Own RTE Scheme
To impart education to all strata of the society, their scheme to give free education to 150
students is commendable. The practice of visiting the houses of every applicant to
evaluate the value that the family gives to education makes it possible for the most
deserving candidate to get access to the free education scheme. This allows children of a
IIM-Professor and of a home-maker to study together and exchange each other’s’ ideas.
4. Teachers and their recruitment
The school prefers to hire recent graduates who are passionate about teaching
youngsters. Prof. Sunil Handa, the founder,, claims that by doing this, teachers are freed
from the ideological baggage and the emotional baggage associated with having worked
for a separate organisation. By doing this, they are guaranteed to bring new ideas, many
of which can improve the way the school educates and thereby improve the experience of
the students.
5. Infrastructure and organisational structure
There is a breakdown of the students into pre-school, Junior, Middle and High School.
Each of the component has its own principle, building and libraries. This shows the
importance of decentralisation in imparting quality education. The use of open-air
classrooms and open library where in students can self-issue books is commendable.
Usage of research based findings into their curriculum keeps them updated with their
practices. The use making students bicycle in a single path to raise their mathematics and
art skills is an example of this.
6. Team-building amongst teachers and students
Their annual theatre play, Pheonix tells us how students of different classes ( Divided on
the basis of houses) collaborate with each other with minimal help from their teachers.
This inculcates sense of independence and responsibility amongst the students.
The weekly meetings between teachers helps them understand the different perspectives on
problems faced by each student. The meeting between teachers teaching a particular
subject ( For examples, meeting between the science teachers of class 4 to class 9) helps
them understand the progression of the curriculum and make changes as required.
What makes a high-quality education system? Justify your response.
Finland was ranked #1 in education by Newsweek and topped the PISA assessments
consistently. UN ranked Finland #1 in technological achievement. This top ranking of
Finland in every educational measure makes it safe to assume Finland’s education system as
a high-quality education system.
Following are the factors which make Finland, a high-quality education system:
1. Relaxed atmosphere & equal opportunity for all
Average child begins school at 7 years. Most develop social skills in pre-school, while
language is learned at home. The environment in school is relaxed and casual where in
students address teachers by their first name. Primary school students often stay with the
same teachers for several years, making learning patterns easier to understand
Since 1980s, Finland has adopted a comprehensive school where same quality of
education, curriculum is provided to all the students irrespective of their economic or
social background free of cost based on the principle of EQUALITY & EQUITY
2. Classroom Structure & Flexible timings
The class size is small where there are only 20 students in one class from grade 1 to
grade 6. This leads to intimate working relationship between teachers and students. Each
class usually runs for 45 minutes. There are no fixed school timings. There are flexible
timings as per the course selected (11 AM to 2 PM or 12PM to 4PM) for senior schools.
Students can complete secondary education in 2, 3 or 4 years based on their choice.

3. Decentralised Policymaking

Finnish national board of education sets the core curriculum for basic education and
gives levy to schools and municipalities to operate and make their own curriculum.
National board TRUST local schools and their curriculum to operate basis their local
needs. At 3.5% of GDP, Finland spends more on R&D than all but Sweden and Israel.
Finland has more researchers per capita than any other country. This is the result of
autonomy in the hands of local decision-making body.

4. TRUST in the system

All teachers need master’s degree to become a teacher. There are no inspectors who visit
schools for inspection. There is a lot of TRUST by the system on the teachers. Teachers
are trusted to do their jobs and often they outperform. There is a lot of trust amongst
various stakeholders in education system including parents and students.

5. Teacher Recruitment, Teaching Methodology & Training

Teachers are respected professionals and not considered assembly line workers. They
are considered as knowledge workers, working collaboratively with students, and doing
continuous innovation to impart high quality to every student. Teachers facilitate
students to create innovation & knowledge work together. In Finland, majority of
teachers continue until their retirement

Finland has a research-based teacher education. Class Teachers and subject matter
experts have bachelor’s and master’s degree. Teachers begin lectures with a warm-up or
cool down exercise using YouTube and other resources. This helps to set the tone and
later use the conventional textbook. Music is used to cool down the class

Future teachers come and watch the current teachers (Master Teachers) teach. There is
a constant interaction between the master teacher and the future teacher. Master
teachers attend the lecture and give the future lecturer feedback face-to face after the
lecture. On an average in a class 60% of the time is dedicated to student work time and
40% of the time is teaching by the teacher.

6. High School Curriculum

Students have a choice between pursuing academic track or vocational track. 45%
choose vocational (technical) track as it will help them prepare for a job right after high
school. There’s a balance between vocational and academic discipline. A high degree of
flexibility is given to students can join academic in universities after vocational too

Students assume a high degree of personal responsibility in the classroom. As a result,

7. Innovation and Entrepreneur-based Education

Once in a year, Innovation session are conducted where students in a group are asked to
come up with a product/service overnight by staying in the school