The Child Who Knew the Answer but Not the Question

In a Class VI classroom somewhere in Kashmir, a teacher asks, "What is photosynthesis?" A girl rises and recites the definition flawlessly, word for word. The teacher nods, satisfied.

Minutes later, the same girl glances at the walnut tree outside the window and wonders why its leaves turn yellow in October. She does not ask. She is unsure whether the question belongs in a science class, and she fears being wrong in front of her peers.

She knows the answer. She has no idea she is standing in front of the question. This small moment holds a large contradiction.

Are we educating children to…