A no, no, quality in academics- Favouritism

The central fundamental of academic learning is to evoke a child’s curiosity, nurture the creativity. Sadly, it is threatened due to the increasing favouritism today. The role and responsibility of a facilitator/ teacher should cater towards encouraging the child for overall development. Inculcating good practises and learning happens at a young age. After reaching certain point in life, mindsets are formed in children. The imprints of what they see and observe are carried with them forever.

In the past, and even now, there are numerous examples to state how favouritism is ruining the lives of students studying in schools and colleges. Often issues like these go unnoticed and unattended. In many schools and colleges, there is no committee or an authoritative body which takes care of things like these. Very few colleges stick to the norms given by the University, and very few colleges implement and follow the norms wilfully.

What is favouritism in academics?

Favouritism in any professional sphere deals with showing liking towards someone and making everything easy for them. Having a special corner for someone in work place is quite common, but it becomes favouritism when rules are broken for them, when difficulties are made easy only for them. In academics, a teacher shows personal interest towards a student, for whatsoever reasons. Traits of favouritism include giving marks even when not performed well, being highly lenient, saving the favourite one, humiliating and putting down the other for the sake of a favourite student.And this doesn’t end here.

Few teachers show special interest and care to those, whom they like. For instance, if a problem arises where two students are involved, the teacher saves the favourite one and goes to an extent of humiliating the other one just to ensure that her favourite student is safe. In the due course of time, this behaviour of a teacher results in the negative learnings of the student.

Quite often a teacher ignores the fact that all the participants are students who are equal. To save the favourite one, there are teachers who go to any extent. They bring in blame game, baseless allegations, humiliation and even spill dirt on the student’s character.

Is this what a teacher is expected to do? Is this how teachers are?

To a great extent not all teachers are like this, there are a few who are like this and are becoming a mark on teaching/ facilitating fraternity.

Who is at loss when favouritism pitches in?

When situations like these arise, we often have the analogy of personal loss and gain. In a larger picture, it is the society which is at loss (teacher is at a loss, student is at a loss, the favourite student is also at loss, institution is at loss, family is at loss, and above all, the society is at loss). If favouritism is on its verge in a class, it’s the responsibility of fellow students to morally support the targeted student.

Forums which will handle issues like these should be made mandatory and should be in practice at schools and colleges. Teachers with this kind of an attitude and mindset are at fault.They need counselling and mental health assistance for better functionality. Teaching is not a mere profession, but a divine act and involves mentoring, counselling, and deals withplaying the role of a mother, brother, support system, friend and a lot more.

What should be done when favouritism is dominant?

As mentioned earlier, there should be a body or a committee which looks into issues like these. Teachers should be given counselling to keep their morals in place. Holding grudges is a negative policy adopted by a lot of teachers these days. They pollute the minds of students for personal growth and well-being. Often students go clue less in situations like these. Students should also be made aware of the support systems available for them. They should be equipped with information and knowledge to tackle situations like these. Primarily, teachers are the cause of issues like these, so ensuring teachers mental health is sound enough should solve everything.

Institutions finding fault with students in spite of mentioning favouritism as a problem will have to rethink about their existence as an educational institution.Issues concerning favouritism are often found in colleges and universities which hold the tag of a reputed institution in the society.There are instances where the student is given a transfer certificate or should undergo a suspension and public shaming.

The power of a teacher should be love, care and knowledge but not the authority of being a teacher. Psychologically speaking, shouting and yelling at students prove nothing, instead, sitting and talking with them will bring a positive change. Numerous talented students are supressed due to favouritism. ‘Change beings at home’, all of us should collectively work towards the progressive goal of overall development of every child.

BY KalyanRaygalla