Mir Iqbal Hussain
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” (John Dewey)
A student today can sit at home, open a mobile phone and access lessons, lectures and study material within minutes. The internet has changed the way young people learn. Information that once required a classroom, a teacher or a library is now available at the click of a button. This naturally raises an important question: if students can learn so much online, what is the role of the school today? The answer lies in understanding what education really means. A school is not simply a place where information is given and examinations are prepared for. Schools shape human beings. They help children learn how to think, how to behave, how to work with others and how to become responsible members of society. Information alone cannot do this. A student may find an answer on the internet, but education should develop the ability to ask whether that answer is right. Children need to learn how to question, examine evidence, listen to different opinions and reach their own conclusions. This makes critical thinking increasingly important.
The world around us is full of difficult questions. Climate change, pollution, unemployment, social inequality, water scarcity and many other problems cannot be solved simply by memorising facts. They require people who can understand a problem and think of practical solutions. Therefore, schools must encourage students to ask not only “What is the answer?” but also “Why is this happening?” and “What can we do about it?” This is where education becomes connected with real life. Today, society needs people who can understand social, political and environmental problems and contribute towards solving them. It needs citizens who can think independently, communicate with others, take responsible decisions and, when necessary, provide leadership. Leadership does not begin when a person reaches a position of power. It begins much earlier—with the confidence to speak, the ability to listen, the willingness to accept responsibility and the courage to stand for what is right. Schools have an important role in developing these qualities.
A classroom gives children something that individual online learning cannot fully provide. They sit together, talk to one another, disagree, cooperate, share responsibilities and learn to respect different viewpoints. These everyday experiences quietly develop communication, cooperation, patience, empathy and leadership. Schools also have a responsibility that goes beyond academic achievement: the development of values. Honesty, compassion, discipline, respect, tolerance, responsibility and concern for the environment cannot be taught only through definitions in a textbook. They are developed through everyday experiences and through the example set by teachers and other adults.
“The school of the future must shift from rote learning to practical, action-driven education that fosters curiosity and problem-solving. Ultimately, while technology and information access evolve, the core purpose of schools remains unchanged: to shape critical thinkers, skilled hands, and compassionate, responsible citizens.”
A country does not need only educated people. It needs good and responsible citizens. The role of the teacher is equally important. In a changing educational environment, a teacher should not be seen merely as someone who delivers lessons. The teacher can guide students, encourage questions, connect learning with life and help them discover their abilities. This vision is consistent with the direction of the National Education Policy 2020, which gives importance to holistic education, critical thinking, experiential learning, skills and vocational education. Vocational education deserves particular attention.
Every child has different interests and abilities. Some may choose academic careers, while others may find their strength in technology, agriculture, crafts, entrepreneurship, design, trades or other practical fields. Schools should help children discover these possibilities rather than making academic examination marks the only measure of success. Education should prepare a child not only for an examination, but for life and livelihood. Technology and online learning certainly have an important place in this process. They can supplement classroom learning and provide students with opportunities that were not available to earlier generations. But technology should remain a means, not the purpose of education. The real question is not how much information a student can collect. It is what the student can understand, question, create and contribute after receiving that information.
The school of the future should therefore be a place of curiosity and discussion, practical learning and experimentation. It should give students opportunities to observe problems around them and think about possible solutions. A lesson on the environment, for example, should not remain confined to definitions of pollution or climate change. Students can examine waste around their school, study changing water availability, discuss local environmental problems and think about what they themselves can do. In this way, education can move from knowledge to understanding, from understanding to critical thinking, and from critical thinking to action. The India of tomorrow will need much more than people who can score high marks. It will need people who can think clearly, solve problems, respect others, uphold values and lead society towards a better future. Such qualities cannot be developed by information alone. They are developed through education—and schools remain one of the most important places where that education takes place. The world may change. Technology may change. The way students access information may change. But the need to develop thinking minds, skilled hands, compassionate hearts and responsible citizens will never change.
(The author is a teacher and Environmental Science researcher is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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