Is Today's Education Relevant For Tomorrow's World?

There has been little change in how and why we educate children since compulsory schooling was introduced nearly 150 years ago.

Although the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988 provided a bench mark for what children are expected to learn primarily through the memorising of content for the passing of tests and examinations, there have since been no other fundamental changes.

It is therefore difficult to understand why given the ever increasing pace of technological advances with the use of computers, the internet, robotics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology as well as the growing urgency to protect the planet and social changes.

The most obvious reason is political ideology, control and ambition and a desire not to upset the status quo for a system that has seemingly worked for so long for the benefit of the nation's economic prosperity.

This is all very well but are we doing the best for the happiness and prosperity of our children who will be living and working in a world that it is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine in 2033 and beyond.

There are a growing number of pioneering schools around the world that are already providing different educational paradigms that will be relevant for tomorrow's world. Whilst remaining to follow established national curriculums, these are delivered in a very different way that is student-centred and interdisciplinary where different subjects are entwined to promote self-enquiry and relevance to learning. They also foster those human skills and attributes that will become essential to compliment technology as well as sustainability and to develop learners to become global citizens.

It remains the hope that these forward-focused schools supported by leading organisations that include some of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs, will be the pathfinders of long overdue educational change.

To learn more about how we are part of this change, visit www.m21hub.org