What should we teach our children to survive and prosper in the new world?

We are worried and perplexed about what should we teach our children to survive and prosper in this rapidly changing and unpredictable world.

Traditionally, the responsibility of dispersing information and knowledge rested with the teacher. But today, with the spread and ease of access to the internet, children have access to every available information in the world. The pandemic has taught children to search for information themselves to satisfy their curiosity and quest for knowledge. In the process, many have become self-learners.

Schools will have to reconsider their role in this changed scenario. Above all, schools will have to focus on inculcating the wisdom in students to distinguish between mere information and knowledge that enriches life.

Uncertainty and instability are the new normal in today’s rapidly changing world. Due to technological advances, jobs and businesses that exist today will be non-existent tomorrow and, new careers will be arising in the coming years. We are preparing our children for careers and businesses which do not exist today. Most of the things we are teaching our children today will be irrelevant when they will be in their 30s, building their lives. Therefore, schools and teachers should focus on developing a flexible mindset and on inculcating the habit of continuously learning and updating. These will be the critical skills for surviving and succeeding in the days to come. Soft skills like emotional intelligence, critical thinking, creative thinking, and people management skills will become the decisive factor in gaining a competitive advantage for securing a high-value job or a contract in the days to come. Such soft skills should therefore be intrinsic to any school’s curriculum.

Our new education policy (NEP 2020) aspires to include these changes in the regular school curriculum. Of course, much depends on its real-life implementation. But schools, teachers and even parents can be aware and alert to these teaching-learning needs of the new world and take proactive steps for our children.

In the past, we have taught our children to build forts with a strong foundation. Now, we must teach our children to construct tents that they can fold up and move to another location, quickly and easily. We need to give them the confidence to consider any location in the world as their new location. And, above all, we need to show them how to remain happy and contented despite everything. Let’s start with being happy and contented ourselves first. Our children will certainly pick it up from us.