October 29, 2020.
TED NewsDesk. New Delhi. English has become vital to learn for anyone wanting to enter the knowledge-based global job economy. Better communication skills provide better job opportunities to people fluent in English, and can also help existing employees in growing and climbing the corporate hierarchy.
A basic online search revealed just one online job portal lists almost 250,000 jobs available that mandate English skills. Sectors like technology, education, KPO, hospitality, advertising, and others want to hire employees who prove fluency in English, thus making English proficiency a crucial 21st-century skill. A recent report by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and consulting firm, Sattva, found that English proficiency was a non-negotiable skill required for 73% of all job roles; 20% job roles categorised English as a ‘good to have’; against only 7% roles that did not need fluency in English.
Where does the gap lie?
The privileged urban populace might argue that English is widely spoken in the country, while the numbers tell a different story. The last census in India revealed that only 3% of rural citizens and 12% of urban citizens could speak in English.
The good news is that Indian families have begun realising the wide range of opportunities that spoken English skills give. This is further proven in the trend wherein more students in urban cities move to English-medium private schools. This essentially implies that there is a willingness among the underprivileged to pay to get access to English learning. Today, almost 40% of students enrol in affordable private schools, and this figure is expected to increase to 60% by 2022.
However, while such affordable private schools grant more educational prospects for children, the standard of English education is not at par across all schools, compared with premium private schools. Students at low-cost private schools are typically 2-3 levels behind appropriate grade competencies in English, leading to unequal access and missed opportunities in their careers.
How much can technology help?
Can technology be a key catalyst towards access to quality English education in India? The answer is glaringly obvious. With traditional learning taking on challenges like the scarcity of good teachers, lack of infrastructure, and fragmentation, technology can bring about an equal playing field. In addition to providing access, online tools can make learning more interactive and efficient.
At this point, there are numerous technology-enabled solutions available in the market, but they prove their incapacity to handle large scale solutions. This has always been due to the most common offer of a one-size-fits-all product without focussing on the individual needs of students. Some solution providers focus only on self-learning and lack conversational practice, which is crucial to English learning.
The way forward:
The results of the Sattva study on “Evaluating the effectiveness of technology in improving spoken English” displayed how blended learning can overcome hindrances that exist in most traditional schools and online learning platforms. Blended learning can be a combination of technology-oriented self-learning combined with high-quality instructor-led training. It carries the best of both worlds- online learning materials, and interactive classrooms.
The ongoing pandemic has reshaped the job economy. With employees across the world working remotely, businesses will soon deal with how to widen their reach and tap into the global talent. Good communication skills in the workplace will become of all the more importance, indicating that qualified individuals sitting in small cities will get the phenomenal opportunity to work for foreign companies. The only gap left to fill is access to an equitable education.
Source: The Hindu
