With the World Happiness Report released recently, perhaps we should look at compiling a World Student Happiness Report
According to the World Happiness Report (WHR) 2022, prepared by United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), India is in the 136th position among 146 nations surveyed. This makes it the 11th least happy nation in the world. Finland, known for its extraordinary education system and excellent work-life balance, is first for the fifth year in a row. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the WHR. Ever since WHR was published, India has been in the category of least happy nations in the world. India is far behind Nepal (84), Bangladesh (94), Pakistan (121) and Sri Lanka (127).
About nine million people, surveyed in over 150 countries, were asked to rate their well-being on a scale of 0 (worst possible life) to 10 (best possible life). The report deals with issues relating to happiness, importance of ethics, policy implications, and so on.. Though the methodology has been questioned by critics in India, it is good to ask these questions — what makes a nation a happy/unhappy? Why is India far behind many developing nations in the happiness index? Is there any link between education and happiness?
Many do not know that March 20 is the International Happiness Day. Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor in the department of Psychology at the University of California and author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, defines happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.”
A report for students
Let us assume that a global organisation conducted a similar survey to assess the happiness quotient of students across the globe and published a report (let us call it “World Student Happiness Report”), what would be the position of Indian students in the ranking? Would it not be a great service to the student community if such a report was published every year?
Do you feel good about yourself? Do you enjoy going to school/college? Do you have freedom to choose the subjects you like? Are you happy interacting with your teachers? Do you have the freedom to express your opinions on various issues in the classroom? Do your teachers consider your opinions? Are you treated well? Are you happy with the education system? Do you lead a stress-free life as a student? Do you enjoy taking exams? Are you confident that you will get a good job?
If we asked such questions to students in India, what would be their responses? How many would say that they have good mental health and enjoy their student life?
Need for stress-free education
On the International Day of Happiness, I had asked on social media if our country’s students are happy and whether the education system and educational institutions make them happy. Suganth Ram, a former student, wrote, “A big NO is my answer. Educational institutions are being run by people of previous generations who haven’t faced happiness themselves. Their stringent and dictatorial methods are being encouraged by parents who haven’t faced happiness themselves. Their toxicity and negativity is being carried over to the next generation. I too was a victim of that and I swore long back that this ends with me and I will do everything in my power to protect my kids from the toxicity in future.”
It is true there are many things that make students feel stressed. Educational institutions focus more on academic success than on their well-being, which includes “mental and physical health, physical and emotional safety, and a feeling of belonging, sense of purpose, achievement and success”. Commercialisation of education, lack of academic freedom, institutionalised religious/caste discrimination, and threatening school/college environment are some of the factors that affect student well-being at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Countless meaningless rules and regulations also make students’ lives miserable. The recent ban on the hijab in Karnataka is an example of meaningless rules that affect the mental health of Muslim girls.. Which is more important: uniform or mental health/education? Any right-thinking person would say that mental health and education is the answer.
For decades, the term “successful schools/colleges” have been defined as those that produce students who excel in exams. In other words, those that focus on scholastic achievements and neglect non-scholastic aspects such as mental, physical and emotional well-being. We need to re-define this. A successful school/college is one that focuses on the holistic development of students, prepares them to face challenges in life confidently, and helps them achieve true happiness. The need of the hour is a World Student Happiness Report. Will any organisation come forward to do research on this?
Albert P’ Rayan is an English Language Teaching (ELT) resource person and education columnist. rayanal@yahoo.co.uk
Source: The Hindu, 26/03/22
