Drawbacks in Traditional schooling | Which Educational board? | part 4

Posted on Jun 10th, 2025

by Monisha

Categories:

Parenting & Childcare

drawbacks of traditional schooling homeschooling india

Click here to read part 3 of this article.
The homeschooling chapter spans a total of 5 articles.

The article here refers to only those schools which run under a targeted category

DRAWBACKS WE SAW IN TODAY’S
SCHOOLING SYSTEM WITH OUR DAUGHTER:

A fundamental understanding of education,
or the ability to absorb knowledge, is essential for a successful life.

Most schools in cities today offer air-conditioned classrooms for various reasons. While good infrastructure is important, many classrooms are kept dim to accommodate LED-based teaching and reduce glare. As a result, parents are increasingly prioritizing infrastructure when choosing schools.

For children like ours, air-conditioned environments can be necessary due to extreme weather and rising pollution levels. However, if centralized systems are not properly maintained, they can circulate dust and allergens within closed spaces, which may negatively impact children’s health
From Grade 1 onwards, this becomes more noticeable. In kindergarten, chalkboard systems are still used, which can contribute to dust-related allergies—especially in centralized air-conditioned environments. With our daughter already dealing with allergic rhinitis, she would return home every few days with sneezing and flu-like symptoms, and most weekends were spent helping her recover.
Until the age of three, she had rarely needed medication and was generally healthy. However, this sudden change in routine and environment began to affect her well-being. Her condition is further complicated by her sensitivity to antibiotics, which can trigger severe allergic reactions. This left us with very limited medical options, making prevention and care even more critical.
At the same time, due to her dermatitis (past history) & allergic rhinitis (ongoing), she could not be in constant heat or sweat, which made air-conditioned classrooms necessary. With rising pollution levels, many schools are now air-conditioned, while others still lack adequate infrastructure—leaving parents in a difficult position when choosing the right environment.
The rising cost of education for no reason adds another layer of concern. School fees have become significantly high, yet much of the academic and activity-related responsibility often falls on parents. Children are left balancing school expectations along with additional pressures at home, raising questions about the overall value of such systems.
Another concern is the frequent reshuffling of class divisions each year, often justified as a way to build adaptability. But at the age of four or five, children primarily seek comfort and connection. Friendships are one of the few things they look forward to in school, and constantly disrupting them can affect their sense of security and confidence. Gradual or partial transitions might be a more balanced approach.
The daily routine itself can feel overwhelming. Early mornings, long school hours, and extended activities leave little time for rest or free play. Children often return home exhausted, facing evenings filled with homework or structured tasks, which can be too demanding for their age.
Nutrition is another concern. Packed meals prepared early in the morning may not always be appealing or fresh by lunchtime, and children often struggle between eating reluctantly or staying hungry. Over time, this can impact both their physical and mental well-being.
There is also a common belief that frequent illness in school helps build immunity as quoted by the schools. However, repeated exposure to infections that leave a child constantly unwell does not necessarily strengthen them—it can, instead, drain them physically and emotionally. True immunity develops through a balanced lifestyle—outdoor play, connection with nature, and overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
For families where both parents are working, these challenges become even more complex. With limited support systems, managing childcare, schooling, and work responsibilities can feel overwhelming. Every family’s situation is different, and not everyone has access to extended family support or flexible work conditions. These realities shape the choices parents are compelled to make.

“It takes a whole village to raise a child.”

In the current scenario, schooling often seems to add unnecessary stress to children.
In the post-pandemic phase, young learners have been among the most affected,
along with many other professions.

The lockdown showed us that learning can continue even without a physical classroom.
Yet, for children in their foundational years—from pre-primary to primary—
The true purpose and essence of school seem to be gradually fading.

The expenses associated with bus transportation are comparable to those incurred for organ donation. Driving our daughter to school is always a challenge due to the heavy traffic and congestion that occur 30 minutes prior to the closing of the gate, akin to struggling to surface from a deep ocean dive. Young children navigating through densely packed entrances evoke memories of boarding the crowded local trains in peak hours in Mumbai.

Working days for parents and children become stressful. A weekend becomes more of a nightmare with weeklong windups and backlogs. unexpected guest arrival and health issues. Homework is being loaded on Friday, and submission is demanded on Monday.
No time for hobbies and likes or interests. Children bullying each other at this age, schools offering no security to kids, and parents showing no response to this when informed by the school.
Attending school can feel like a gamble, as children are burdened by rules that create immense pressure. This is often labeled as competitiveness. Many diligent students dedicate their lives to education, yet some face tragic accidents or even lose their lives due to this stress.
For instance, last year’s news revealed that a 7th grader jumped off a school building & lost their life, a 3rd grader suffered a fatal cardiac arrest, and a 5-year-old experienced epilepsy from the overwhelming pressure of school during class hours. The escalating demands of traditional education are undeniable, and young children should not have to endure this. There is no assurance that enduring such intense pressure from birth will lead to a successful future.
Today, we are faced with overcrowded school gates, washrooms and classrooms. The quality infrastructure is lacking, hygiene is poor, and there is a shortage of qualified educators. While some institutions address these issues, they are primarily residential schools, and we are not in favor of sending our young child away from home.
Some sports-oriented schools are only bothered about training the child at a very young age towards the sports. The ones who do well get selected for sports, and the rest are just left in the overcrowded facility. No option of choosing the sports is given. It’s only the school that decides what they will do with the child for everything.
In many schools today, from nursery through grade 4, the classwork books are kept in the classroom. When seasonal flu strikes or our daughter gets sick because of other ill children in the class, our attendance record for the week becomes concerning. Then, when parents finally manage to send their kids back to school, the management overwhelms them with missed assignments that must be completed in the classroom.
I have plenty more to express, but I must pause here. Each day, I am working on and getting ready for the future of our daughter and for ourselves.

What board do I follow for our daughter’s homeschooling in India?

We have chosen to unschool our daughter, who is thriving as a homeschooler today. There is a gap of 3-5 years during which she can opt for traditional schooling or continue her homeschooling journey, a decision that will be made in due time.
Until the fourth grade, formal education is not mandatory for children. While I have always aspired to find the perfect school for her and occasionally continue my search, we were unable to locate one before she became disillusioned with traditional education.
She has the freedom to return to school whenever she wishes, which is why I am actively monitoring her academic progress and ensuring her foundational skills remain strong.
We have charted a path forward, grounded in motivation. Our daughter is now gaining a broader understanding of the world through real-life experiences. I teach her at home, responding to her questions and introducing concepts as she is ready to learn.
I utilize both the NIOS and IB curricula with the publication that suits our requirements to ensure she stays academically aligned, believing this will benefit her if she decides to return to school in the future. She has a passion for art and immerses herself in it constantly, participating in various classes and workshops regularly. She studies advanced art, piano, and classical dance; with time, she will pursue more of her interests. We travel frequently, and I take the opportunity to educate her about laws, public etiquette, manners, and discipline as needed.
In the pursuit of competition, schools have significantly diminished the joy of learning and the quality of education. Our country’s education board has maintained a straightforward approach to prepare students for the future.

Having reached this point, I am certain my daughter will surpass us by tenfold.
That is my belief.
Regardless of circumstances, every child deserves an unwavering support from their parents.