Is our education system effective in the modern world?
The UK has fallen to 26th in the PISA league tables for maths, a downward trend reflected in sciences and reading. So things bring us to the question of whether our modern childhood education is effective.
Nowadays, most of our education focuses on academic topics, which have little application for students at present. Further, the introduction of strict specification for many courses does little to encourage natural ability to flourish. Practical and active learning is always more effective than passive learning, for then you have a use for what you learn. It is frustrating when a teacher cannot answer your question because “it’s not on the spec.” Yet in humanities you are encouraged to read around the subject, broadening your mind in areas that interest you.
The average student wakes up early in the morning, tired from a late night and has to drag themselves to school for a day’s worth of free but generally, unwanted, education. Why is this? These students desire education on a topic they enjoy, not the lists of facts and trivialities peddled to us by exam boards.
As a matter of basic values, everyone wants to do well. But unless the motivation can be found, there is little chance of this. Education needs to be stimulating and interesting for a student in order for them to enjoy it and thus make best use of it.
It could be said that schools reject the idea of education being ‘fun’ and ‘enjoyable’, but this could just be due to our obsession with getting a good career and money, in the belief this will bring us fulfilment.
Some schools are not capitalising on their pupil’s abilities. Thankfully, Lawrence Sheriff School has recognised that education must be in the student’s interests. I personally believe that everyone is talented, in different ways and we should all make use of these. It is up to the schools to find and unlock our natural ability and help us to further our interests.
Cameron Butt
Pupil at Lawrence Sheriff School
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