Reducation!

Another thing I have been pondering upon for many years now, is the education system of our country. I am not criticising it to the core, cos even I have come through the same system, and I feel that I have benefitted a great deal from it. Just bits and portions of it are ruining the system in its entirety.
India, basically, is an agricultural country. We are known for our agricultural exports too. But I, hailing from a family with agriculture as the main profession, have a clearer idea of what's going on now. A decade back, Nilgiris tea was exported to numerous countries. But, with the advancements in technology, all countries have started cultivating tea, which culminates as a disaster for the local tea industry. It's a similar story for agriculture in general. So what remains as our primary forte? Education. Indian brains power the NASA satellites, the Microsoft operating systems, the Ferrari cars, where not?
Indians are known for their brilliance right from the time of Aryabhatta and Brahmagupta. We gave the world Geometry. We gave the world Algebra. We gave the Zero. In short, Mathematics would be a myth without us. Even now, Indian military has the best technology in the world, better than the Big brother. Our "Bhuvan" makes Google Earth look like mincemeat. But will this continue? Is the Indian youth as intelligent and brilliant as their ancestors? The answer would be a dismal NO.
All of this starts with the primary school education. I have seen schools, without even the basic amenities. Another major misconception of people, is that "Education means Academics and getting marks. Nothing else". This is where we are failing. Is that Education? Academics doesn't form even a fraction of Education. Education is the wholesome development of the individual. Education must train to think. It musn't teach. I recollect a certain scientist who never used to attend class. When enquired about it, his reply was that he didn't want his confine his mind to think within the four walls of his classroom.
We love westernisation so much. Why not follow their way of education too? What you see in movies like the "American Pie" is not the reality. Their education system trains the mind. They have the freedom of choosing their career. On the contrary, in India, particularly in TamilNadu, people know nothing other than medicine and Engineering- the so called 'professional' courses. Most of the parents blindly follow the system, not realising what the child's interests are!.
Most of the teachers, see "teaching" as a mere profession. Once the outlook is such, the system fails. Teaching is the most noblest of professions. I have seen many students, who have the uncanny ability of reproducing even a 1000 page book, by heart, but lack in even basic common sense. Personality and character building scantily takes place. What is the purpose of such brains? We can create dumb robots for that purpose. It'll do whatever we program it to do.
An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life.