According to the Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO, education needs a major transformation to meet and tackle the potential challenges facing the planet and humanity. Over 1 billion children from all over the world head to class on any given school day. But, the fact is being in school isn’t the same as learning. For example, consider the following sentence:
The name of my dog is Millie.
Sounds like a simple sentence, right? But, three out of four 3rd grade students in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania do not understand what it means. Almost three-quarters of 3rd graders in rural India do not know how to solve two-digit subtraction problems. So yes, the current education system needs to change. Let’s check out the three most genuine reasons why our education system needs to change as soon as possible.
- Politically run education system
The education system of Britain would serve the best example of a politically run education system. In 1965, the Crosland Circular education replaced the tripartite system of education under the Labour Government. After five years, the Conservatives came into power. So, they repealed the current education system with Circular 10/70. This meant that the Local Education Authorities could control the type of education system they want to implement in their local area. Education is barely a fundamental necessity these days. It is now a sector for politicians to exercise their alleged superiority.
What can be done?
- All political parties should come together (at least for the sake of education) and form an inter-party agreement on the education system. This agreement would state how the education system should be run.
- Teachers need to step up, as well. After all, they are the ones who spend most of the time with children. So, they should try to design a curriculum that would motivate children to move forward, care about the environment and change the world in a good way.
- Finally, the education system should be made accessible to every child irrespective of their caste, religion or socio-economic background.
The purpose of education should be to help students learn, grow and prosper. The politically run education system has to stop so that students aren’t confused by all the tossing and turning of curriculum or exams. It has to stop because it is biased towards privileged children only leaving the rest in darkness.
- Lack of mental health awareness
The number of students with considerable psychological issues is a growing concern these days all over the world. 41.6% of students suffer from anxiety and 36.4% of college students suffer from depression on an average. 85% of college students had reported that they often feel overwhelmed by everything they had to do during their academic life. Parents send their kids to school or colleges so that the latter could learn and get a decent job in the future. What if the schools and colleges turn out to be nothing but a brooding ground for stress, anxiety and depression?
What can be done?
- Teachers can work together so that they could avoid piling on too much homework or multiple tests within urgent deadlines.
- Most students either hire essay writers or buy essays online to deal with this insurmountable academic pressure.
- Mental health counselling should be an integral part of the education system all over the world. There should be a professional counsellor who would listen to the student’s issues and address them carefully.
- Schools and colleges can also incorporate certain classroom activities specifically to help students de-stress. These activities are great when it comes to developing a sense of connection or bonding among children.
The statistics are pretty clear. Children and teenagers have shown a significant rise in their mental health problems. Schools and colleges need to take a more collaborative ad emphatic approach to children’s well-being and learning. The world in 2050 won’t be the same as today. Thus, the education system should take mental health awareness seriously so that children have the courage to face the world in the future.
- No climate change awareness
UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova said “A fundamental change is needed in the way we think about education’s role in global development because it has a catalytic impact on the well-being of individuals and the future of our planet. Now, more than ever, education has a responsibility to be in gear with 21st-century challenges and aspirations, and foster the right types of values and skills that will lead to sustainable and inclusive growth, and peaceful living together.” Sadly, nearly 40% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries only have a basic understanding of environmental issues.
What can be done?
- Instead of teaching climate or environmental change as one subject, it can be embedded in different subjects. This will help the young generation understand the impact of climate change based on different social dimensions like the displacement of populations due to natural disasters.
- Students should be encouraged often to write essays on the impact of climate change on their personal lives. They could also create videos about water scarcity problems or any such environmental problems.
- Children are most likely to remember things when they actually do them. So, teachers should lead children by example and help them understand what it means to be environmentally aware.
Education is the only way the future generations or rather millennials would understand the severe consequences of climate change. Climate literacy encourages changes in student’s behaviour and attitude. It helps them empower other men and women to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles. Youth activist, Greta Thunberg began a movement where she encouraged students to incite change on their own since there isn’t any adequate climate change education in schools.
Wrapping Up,
Education systems should empower children so that they can support the transitions to greener surrounding in the future. The young generation should be able to find new solutions for environmental problems. Education forms the basic foundation of any country. So, it shouldn’t be confined to the textbooks and class notes only. Rather, it should foster the right type of skills and values that will help people to lead a sustainable and peaceful life together. The world needs a global education system that can break stereotypes, address mental health, spread climate awareness and respect other communities.
Author Bio:
Clara Smith is a counsellor at a reputed firm in the United State. She also provides essay help at Allessaywriter.com. Clara loves to play with her daughters in her free time.
