Why our today's education system is fundamentally wrong

What is the one thing that we (mostly) all have in common? What is the one path that we couldn't avoid? What was our dream at an early age that eventually transformed into a source of stress and boredom? School. The very institution that is meant to shape young minds, ignite curiosity, and pave the way for a brighter future for the next generation that will faced unprecedented challenges is doing the exact opposite. The thesis of this essay is that the current education system is in need of significant reform to better serve the needs of students and society as a whole. This essay starts with the statement that today’s education system is wrong, but what is fundamentally wrong is that it is not from today’s age. More than 184 years have passed since its creation, and it's the one that structurally hasn't changed in over a century and a half.

This essay delves into the intricate web of issues within the education system, exploring its short-term learning focus, the degrading evaluation system, the standardized approach that undervalues educators, the lack of infrastructure fostering curiosity, the compartmentalization of subjects, the reliance on outdated curriculum and teaching methodologies. As we dissect these challenges, it becomes apparent that the very foundation meant to uplift our youth may need a radical reshaping.

Greatest discoveries like the gravity law and analysis had happen with the rise of a question (Is school unaware of this) So here's mine: What is school for? Or even better to analyse the current situation : What is school not for?

School is definitely not for learning when it encourages a short-term learning focus. Its reductive thinking structure which focus solely on memorization is producing generations of mediocre intellects. This emphasis becomes questionable when students tend to forget most of the information within a couple of weeks. This approach lacks life applicability, as the knowledge gained is often limited to the duration leading up to a test day. In this scenario, school loses its main purpose, as knowledge forgotten equates to no knowledge gained and definetely 15000 hours of our lives are not wothy for a: "This sounds familiar to me". What a way to prepare students for the future.

The issue of our time lies not in the scarcity of educational opportunities but in the pervasive spread of misinformation. In an era where information is abundant, navigating through a sea of data to discern truth from falsehood has become a critical challenge. The need for preparing the next generation extends beyond conventional education; it necessitates equipping young people with the skills to critically evaluate information, cultivate discernment, and navigate the complexities of the digital age.

Moreover its over focus on grades and test scores eclipses the genuine pursuit of knowledge. Learning is portrayed as something boring to kids, no wonder why kids often associate education with monotony and disinterest. Traditional teaching methods, rigid curriculum structures, and a lack of creativity in educational approaches contribute to this perception.

In school, students often refrain from raising their hands, driven by the fear of being wrong or getting called upon by the teacher, which leads me to my other point: The fear of failure. The classroom, instead of being a nurturing space for curiosity and exploration, becomes a battleground where the fear of making a mistake overrides the eagerness to learn. And not only just that, this directly affects their self-esteem. When failure is such a vital part of life, we are demonizing it within the education system. The emphasis on perfection cultivates a culture where students are more concerned about avoiding errors than embracing the invaluable learning experiences that come with failure.Adding to this issue there's the degrading evaluation system that reduces a student's academic prowess to a numerical figure

Although I have exposed some very nonsensical and unbelievable features about the education system, the one that frustrates me the most (and believe me, it's hard to choose) is the dehumanizing structure. School is providing a service for people in the most active, spontaneous, curious, alive era of their lives. Instead of nurturing and harnessing this energy and potential, the system imposes rigid structures, stifling creativity, and confinding children to spend 6+7 hours a day in a 4 wall room. Young people need to be out in nature, learning from their surroundings and from eachother being in an environment that foster compasion, empathy ,makes people human skills habilities teach them to become fullfilled, creativity, collaboration, audacity, taking responsability for their own learning and sense of purpose.


Another point is the reductive thinking structure, which is producing generations of mediocre intellects this approach limits the development of creativity, analytical thinking, problem-solving skills.

The real-life application is not a school "thing", The compartmentalization of subjects is another significant challenge. The segregation of disciplines impedes students' ability to make connections between different areas of knowledge. This lack of interconnectivity hampers holistic understanding and stifles the development of interdisciplinary thinking crucial for addressing complex real-world challenges.

All this analisis lead us to the question: What school can be?

Primarily, the whole structure of the education system must be reanalised, We need to let go of the prussian model in order to better serve our next generation we must question the current way of doing things, the current role of teacher’s and students, instead of teachers of them regurgitating information and students absorbing it to vomite it later on a test and perpetuate the structure of short-term learning, place the educators on the role of facilitate learning through immersive, effective methodologies, like experiential learning to foster engagement, project-based learning and real-life challenges to implement an interdisciplinary approach, inquiry-based learning to nurture and spark student’s curiosity and many more.

By keeping in mind that education system serves to inspire, spark curiosity, intellectual challenge, prepare and teach young people how to navigate through life and being fullfilled, we surely will be on the right path to improving education and contributing to individual growth and societal progress on the long run. Lets step out of the industrial way and raise thinkers instead of followers.
Sofia M