What is to be learned?

I have always wondered, how the syllabus and subjects to be taught in schools are decided? What is the basis? In the modern systems of education, math and science have a high emphasis due to the influence of industrial revolution, medicine and research and development being prestigious skill destinations with high demand.

Now if we re-look at the social structure and skill demand – Information Technology, Research, Medicine are large-scale employment providers. The jump to focus on logic, discrete math, data processing has not yet happened enough in the schools. While science and other mathematical areas are still focussing on facts which can be searched and retrieved rather than experimented and understood for enabling new applications and research.

There is a serious need to re-structure our school curriculum after the internet era. Lack of emphasis on social aspects have resulted in identity crisis, social unrest, jingoism and false pride more prevalent in the current generation. Also art being totally relegated to a favourite pass-time has resulted in lower emotional intelligence, lower creativity levels and lower collaborative and expressive skills.

More I look at this, more I see the importance of curriculum design, academic reforms and determining the evaluation criteria for schools and colleges. It is a very critical situation and as a country and perhaps all over the world, we need to rethink on these aspects and make immediate and lasting changes.