The text presents some alternative schooling systems. The author shows the dissatisfaction to the current schooling system at school and describes some ways with reference to the practice prevailing in the World.Down with School:Schooling is usually taken place in a school or high school with the help of teachers formally through the designed course for a six or eight hours a day, five or six days a week for at least 11 years. The writer mentions Social Theorist Ivan Illich who said that to think learning is the result of teaching is a great mistake. With reference to the learnig environment being created outside schools, he advocated learning without teacher. Learners need to be motivated for learning and any means like movies, music, magazines, e-friends, games, computers, etc. might get them motivated and they devote themselves for developing life long skills like climbing, diving, drawing, photography, etc. to mould their own destiny. Pupil should learn skills, knowledges and attitudes relevant ot their life and for this a wide variety of stimuli is not necessary. It happens on the basis of their will and interests and somehow with their internal potientials.At school, emphasis is given on only study, study academic subjects, concentration on theory, learning by rote and preparation for the seemingly endless exams. On the other hand, School doesn't do justice to the majority of the students. It teaches good lessons but it doesn't value the individual differences. Resultantly, few students get good position but the majority feel inferiority and hurt. The outcome of school is not satisfactory as it produces the downtrodden employees and the smug employers of the future. The schools haven't become ideal centres of learning. So, the prevailing schooling system should be reformed so that the experiment of school is much more positive for all students.Gurukul System:Gurukul System is the oldest schooling system in the World. It aimed at moulding good character according to the principles of religion. It focuses on the knowledge which is not confined to the intellect, its actual realization and it must reveal itself through thought, word and deed. Purification of thought and action is the main aim of this system.Gurukuls were traditional Hindu residental schools (like present boarding schools in Nepal) of learning usually at thee teacher's house or a monestary. Gurukul Edaucation was free but it was limited to the higher castes people. The deciples had to go to the teacher's house (Ashram) and request him to teach the needed knowledge. Guru would teach everything the child needed and wanted to learn. The holy scriptures of Sanskrit, Mathematics, Music, Metaphysics, Medicines, etc. were the major subjects taught there. The teacher or Acharya imparted them knowledges and helped them to would their character of high morality. The Acharya was an affectionate father and an ideal person with sincerity and honesty. The students were called Brahmacharin and had to dedicate for knowledge forsaking their personl tempt greed and desire. A student had to be calm, patient, self-restrained and self-denying.The aim of the vedic educational system (Gurukul System) was to produce a rational individual, free from passions, full of universal affection constantly striving to reach the state of realization of real germs of knowledge.Homeschooling:Homeschooling is the term commonly used in North America and it's unterstood by home education in United Kingdom and in many common-wealth countries. It refers to the education i.e, the learning process that takes place at home by a parent or tutor.Homeschooling doesn't believe on sending children to school and tries to create freindly and family learning environment at home. Home teachers or tutors are hired and schooling takes place at home. In the modern sense, in many countries, it's taken as an alternative form of attending private or public schools. But in many countries, it's against the compulsory school attendance laws and it is a illegal system. Yet, the trend of homeschooling is increasing day by day.The concept of homeschooling has emerged with the dissatisfaction of the local schools and their learning environment, quality of academic instructions, the curriculum and bullying as well as lack of faith in the school ability to cater to their children's special needs. Parents homeschool to have greater control over what and how their children are taught, to better cater for children's individual aptitudes and ability adequately for better socialization.The children's inherent potientials can be easily identified and given shape to foster it through homeschooling. Homeschooling can be used as a form of supplemental education and can be supervised by umbrella schools. In some places, an approved curriculum is legally required for homeschooling. A curriculum free philosophy of homeschooling is sometimes unschooling, according to John Holt. It emphasises on the more spontaneous, less structural learning environment.The concept of homeschooling has become dominant in many societies. In Nepal, It's become a means of supplementary schooling and being practised in Urban areas.
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