One has to be challenged to grow up

While I was delivering lecture on some aspects of chemistry curriculum to undergraduate students recently, a question came in my mind --- What level of difficulties should a curriculum for university students entail? Italian writer and academic Umberto Eco said, "Every government should seek to improve education. Before the First World War only around 20 per cent of people in Italy receive an elementary school education. Today, the problem is for universities. The risk is that we reduce the entry requirements in order to give more people access to university but also lower the quality in the process." Eco continues "Encourage more people to attend university, but don't make courses easier." By this statement Eco means that a curriculum must be challenging.

We can use body as a metaphor to understand what will happen when we challenge a student using some educational questions or ideas. German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger". Some recent studies suggest that some trauma leads to positive changes and enhanced personal development, known as post traumatic growth. Our body is developed in such a manner that it can adapt and respond to demands that imposes on it. Scientifically, physical muscles continue to grow and strengthen through the principle of progressive resistance. A challenge tests the limit of a student. It reveals whether a student, after going through a challenging environment, emerge as a stronger or as a weaker student. This is one of the many reasons that challenge should exist in education to test the limit. Full measure of potential cannot be ascertained until limit of such potential has been tested. It is not the issue of challenging a 'point' rather to challenge a 'boundary' that occupy lower and upper limit of a student.

I would like to draw some examples from Japanese education system from my observation at Kyoto University, Japan. In Japan, academic freedom is well regarded, as the Constitution of Japan stipulates that every citizen is entitled to equal opportunities to receive education in accordance with relevant laws and according to his or her ability. Higher education institutions have been asked to play increasingly important roles. Japanese rules and regulations about Education stipulate that independence, autonomy and merits of education and research by higher education institutions shall be respected. This principle of self-governance has been assured by Japanese Supreme Court decision. A report published by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan indicates that higher education in Japan starts upon completion of a total of 12 years of primary education (six years in elementary school) and secondary education (three years respectively in both lower and upper secondary schools). Japanese higher education institutions include universities awarding bachelor's, master's, doctor's and professional degrees, junior colleges awarding associate's degree, and colleges of technology, where lower secondary school graduates are admitted and receive practical and creative completion education throughout a five-year period, and specialised training colleges (specialised schools) which offer specialised courses for the purpose of developing professional or practical abilities.

Quality assurance activities in Japanese higher education sector are very autonomous. Universities themselves address such assurance independently and autonomously.  In order to do this, universities implement self evaluation and generally address issues such as making information for educational and research purposes open, clarifying the teaching contents, plans and the standards for performance assessment and giving the teaching staff training or research opportunities required to improve teaching. Different accreditation boards also examine and approve programme before delivery. In recent years, several universities have mutually collaborated in their educational activities, and their consortium has been formulated. Besides this structural issue students get maximum autonomy about their choice of course or choice of research topics. Students start thinking about their project before getting any help from their respective tutors. A challenging environment waits for them at the beginning of their study. A challenge at the beginning of the study can focus student's attention. Some say, a great challenge is like a great romance. Our confidence level relates to challenge.  Challenge might increase one's confidence level, though it depends on other factors such as attitude to challenge and motivation just before and during the space and time when a challenge has been encountered. Landscape of student's vision can be changed when they encounter real educational challenge. However, it has limited value if challenge is not overcome. This is the challenge for a teacher to facilitate student in their educational environment. Without the will, heart and mindset, it is difficult to take on a big challenge. A challenge calls for an indomitable spirit. I have noticed that every morning and evening in Kyoto University students are doing all sorts of physical exercises and making them ready for next day challenges. They are relentlessly tested for their commitment. But that commitment requires empowerment for freedom. The decision to meet a challenge boils down to the desire for greater freedom in one's life. A Japanese student gets that freedom.

There is another dimension of education, known as citizenship education, which has been embedded in the National Curriculum in England and Wales. This is about enabling people to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their own lives and communities. This is a compulsory subject on the National Curriculum in secondary schools. It is not just teaching citizenship, it is also to demonstrate citizenship through the way they operate. UK Government recommended citizenship education for implementing its anti-extremist prevents duty. This is the tool educators are using for exploring British values. Citizenship education is also important because it builds character and develops soft skills such as communication, social interaction, teamwork and initiative. It is interesting to note that elements of citizenship education also appear in many subjects such as English, History and Mathematics.

Democracy and Citizenship education are interrelated. Democracy needs active, informed and responsible citizens. We need citizen who are willing and able to take responsibility for themselves and their communities and contribute to the political process. Curriculum for Citizenship education should be developed in such a way that students aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizen, informed about the social and political world, concerned about the welfare of others, articulate in their opinions and arguments, capable of having an influence on the world, active in their communities and responsible in how they act as a citizen.These capacities do not develop unaided. They have to be learnt. While a certain amount of citizenship may be picked up through ordinary experience at home or work, it can never in itself be sufficient to equip citizens for the sort of active role required of them in today's complex and diverse society.

Citizenship education involves a wide range of different elements of learning, including but not necessary limited to, knowledge and understanding, skills and aptitudes and values and dispositions. Values and disposition address respect, democracy, rule of law, openness, tolerance, courage to defend a point of view, willingness to listen and stand up for other. Skills and aptitudes related element, develop critical thinking, expressing opinions, taking part in discussion and debates, conflict resolution and participating in community action. On the other end the knowledge and understanding elements of Citizenship education improve the capacity of one to understand sustainable development, justice, equality, freedom, economy, and diversity, human right and democratic process.

The most effective form of learning in Citizenship education that we follow in our curriculum delivery in England and Wales involve learning by doing, discussion and debate, focuses on real-life issues, encourages young people to think for themselves, group work and participative learning.

In his book, "Ignited minds", APJ Abdul Kalam wrote, "Vision ignites the minds". Kalam also wrote, "Dream, dream, dream; dreams transform into thoughts; and thoughts result in action." In order to transform a vision in to action we need to form an appropriate attitude, skill and knowledge (ASK) through a curriculum. This curriculum must be challenging in order for a student to grow up. Without such challenge a university could be a breeding ground for violence. In case of developing countries like Bangladesh some of the ingredients that have been mentioned above needs to be incorporated in their education system in order to build a balance and violence free society. In the current climate of violence by comparatively young member of the society Citizenship education may be a starting point in primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh. Challenging curriculum should be a general norm in order for a member of the society to grow up. Japanese and British education systems may be an example for this.

The writer teaches Chemistry and Environmental Sciences in the United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Environmental Sciences in UK