The above observation is now commonly acknowledged and many nations
which suffer from the drawback attempt to rectify the problem. But it is easier said than
done. There is a problem of culture here. There is also the problem of the political
system. Creativity needs to be supported by a atmosphere of free expression and ideas.
Freedom is a sine qua non for a liberal education. The reward for creative thinking
plays a role here. If coming up with one’s own analytical idea is frowned upon and
scored low in examination, one would soon lose the zeal of coming up with something
new. The alternative of learning by heart and stick to the text books will be more
rewarding. In a worse case, initiative may be viewed as a defiance of authority and a
display of disrespect for the senior person such as the teacher. Such a culture may even
be extended to the officialdom. People who toe the line of the organization would be
awarded with promotion and praise while those who showed too much initiative may
be viewed as maverick. The ramifications of such an atmosphere on the educational
system is self-explanatory