My kannada teacher told us about an incident which took place a few days ago. It left her very disturbed and set her thinking about how creativity is snubbed by the pretext of "knowledge".

She'd gone for degree papers valuation, and one day, the person sitting next to her was silent for a moment and was thinking deeply. She asked that person if anything was troubling him(or her? I dunno. She never told us if it was a he or a she. for convenience, I'm gonna write he. Sorry feminists, If you think it is too sexist, it wasn't intended. It's just that she contains a letter more than he. And writing he is waaay easier than she. so...!) He turned and handed the paper he was correcting and asked her to read it. The answer booklet consisted of 24 sheets and the person (she thinks it's a guy coz girls, according to her, don't have to guts to write stuff like that in their answer papers.. hmm back to the point now) had written in 16 sheets of the booklet. And he had written the review of a kannada movie!!!!!(aa dinagalu) Yes, a review of it.. he'd completely analysed it.. and had written it so well that even a critic would've hung his head in shame for writing depressing nonsense in the newspapers and magazines(ok fine.. i accept I am exaggerating. but, she said the review was really well written). but the point is that his handwriting was beautiful and the language was impeccable, but unfortunately, our rigid, inflexible, crappy, dogmatic education system does not appeciate this type of creativity. He got a big zero in the exam. What do we learn languages for?! To improve our writing skills or to improve our handwriting or to critically examine a given fact situation or to mug things up and vomit them on paper? I think they have to first get their priorities right.