Created with DALL-E

Our outdated educational system is failing students

Mismatch between traditional education and the future of work

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I was captivated by the idea of leading a classroom, sharing knowledge, and a bit excited about using my 4- coloured bic pen to grade my “students”; I would use the black or blue ball points for good and red ball point for bad. I never figured out what the green ball point was for. I walked around with my pen always ready for an impromptu class. My playtime often involved teaching basic math and language arts to my attentive siblings and cousins; and, when that was not possible, to my dolls and stuffed animals, who had no choice but to listen. I distinctly remember at five years old teaching my cousins aloud, on repeat, how to spell “independence.”

In those days, my idea of education was simple and idealistic — a harmonious exchange of information within the traditional, structured environment of a made-up classroom. Okay, I did most of the talking, with little exchange. And the classroom was anywhere. However, as I grew older, and completed grad school, my perspective began to shift. I realized that the system I once idealized was steeped in outdated practices that often failed to meet the diverse needs of students today.

The traditional methods of teaching, which I had once revered, now seemed archaic in the face of a rapidly evolving world and shifting needs in the future of work. That disconnect between what was being taught in the classroom and the skills needed in the modern world became increasingly apparent.

I began to see that education, in its traditional form, was not just about imparting knowledge but often about conforming to a one-size-fits-all approach.

This realization was both disheartening and eye-opening. The role of a teacher, I understood, was not just to educate but to challenge the status quo…