Development

Modern education focuses on producing employable citizens

The sole purpose of education is not just to produce employable people. It should be to prepare children for life, nourish their potential and enable them to contribute unique ideas and abilities to society. Education must simultaneously provide children with solutions to survive in a complex world of constant turmoil. It should perpetuate in them moral values that help them live in society. The modern education system focuses largely on producing employable citizens. Their aim is simply to ensure that the end product is a group of people who are prepared for the work force.

It would be progressive if we promote an education system that takes its fundamental cues from students themselves, even at primary school stage, and then uses skills of its teachers to mentor, nurture and facilitate the strengthening of innate talent. This way, both students and teachers would find lasting passion in what they do. It would in turn translate into quality of life. Students need to be led to discover their individual passions and talents, rather than being discouraged from learning. However, to some extent, children need to be guided to develop skills that they aren’t naturally drawn to.

For instance, a child who is drawn to music would also benefit from understanding how to do things they consider boring, such as spelling or doing basic mathematics. So I believe that some skills are essential for all children to learn, especially at the primary level.

From Mr Sameer Hussaini

Business devolopment executive based in Dubai

 

Skills

Purpose of education has changed

I read in an article in the Washington Post early in February that the Governor of Wisconsin in United States tried to change the century-old mission of the University of Wisconsin system by proposing to remove words in the state code that command the university to “search for truth” and “improve the human condition” and replacing them with “meet the state’s workforce needs”. Walker backed off when the issue became public and sparked intense criticism from academics and others, but the issue remained a topic of debate.

According to Margaret Ammons, Associate Secretary of Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a global non-profit organisation for education: “[The purpose of education] has changed from that of producing a literate society to that of producing a learning society.”

While many may feel that the purpose of education is to produce workers. I feel that while that is the outcome of education, it is not the sole purpose of it. Yes when we send our children to school or college, we want to equip them with the skills they will need to make an income and stand on their own feet. But, I believe that education is more than that. If we just produce workers we would stagnate as a society. We need to foster a variety of skills, talents and creativity. The purpose of education is to educate all students and give everyone the opportunity a means to succeed in life through knowledge and skill.

From Ms Sonal Tiwari

Associate producer at a film-production company based in Mumbai, India

 

Cost

Costly education has better outcomes

Schooling resources which cost money, including class-size reduction or higher teacher salaries, are positively associated with student outcomes. In some cases those effects are larger than others.

Many of the ways in which schools currently spend money do affect student outcomes. When schools have more money, they have greater opportunity to spend productively. When they don’t, they can’t.

Resources that cost money, matter, and I feel that a more equitable distribution of school funding can improve outcomes. Somewhere it is engraved in people’s minds that an expensive degree at a traditional university will pay off. This is not just the perception of parents who plan to send their children for higher education but also of employers.

As a result, often skillful people are not paid as highly as people who may have studied at an expensive school or university, but may not be as skilled. This creates unfair employment opportunities.

If fees, atleast across primary schools everywhere are regulated, students may have a fair chance to succeed later since everyone gets uniform education and skill training. The mindset that costly education is better will not change any time soon, and this has caused education to become an industry.

From Mr Fredrick Francis

Student based in Louisiana, US