Future is all about skills not grades or marks

                    Future is all about skills not grades or marks

 SOURAV DUTTA

A large group of educators used to believe that grades based on individual memorization are of no use. But due to the lack of substantial evidence, data & case study we never believed in those words. On October 30, 2019, UNICEF made a press release based on the data processed by Global Business Coalition for Education, which says that most of the South Asian countries lack skills which they need to find work for the rest of 21st century and beyond.

So how bad is the condition?

For India, it is projected that about 47% of the youth completing their education will lack the skills required to acquire a decent job in the next decade or so.

Youth Opinion

UNICEF’s Voices of Youth made a survey recently where the sample size was around 32,000 under the age of 24 years from the South Asian countries. The youth agreed to the fact that their education systems are outdated and do not prepare them for employment. Around 26% of the poll survey says that their education system fails to give the real-world work experience, also inadequate support services to improve employ-ability (23% received no support and most received limited and not comprehensive support), among others bribery demands/discriminatory and unfair hiring practices (44%) are some of the key barriers to employment even after they have graduated.

What we can do?

The UNICEF report ended with few lines from the Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, who said, “The world of work is changing fast. If governments invest in better and modern education, and businesses create better opportunities for young people to enter the job market, South Asia can set an example for the world. But this can only be done if we act smart, and act together.”

Unfortunately, we know well that our government is not working towards anything like modern education, better job opportunity for the youth, nor they are thinking or acting smart & together. So as an individual we need to take a step for our future generation. Below are the five things that we can do for our children.

Skill learning & training from primary education

Introduction to STEM education can deliver many skill learning practises at one go. Introduce your child to Witblox & Arduino.

Creative thinking & problem-solving attitude development

Other than mainstream education introduce your child to various alternative forms of learning skills. Involve in different physical & mental skill-based games & sports.

Self-learning/exploration or invention/discovery & feeling the happiness out of it

Involve your child in ‘Self Oriented Learning Environments’ or SOLEs. An advanced form of STEM education can also create multiple opportunities for innovative inventions with electronics and science.

Developing the skill into a profession to earn money

With all the above, slowly turn the passion and skill into entrepreneurship. Think of a small startup or business based on skills, soon your child will start earning money. Such an idea will also make children independent.

Understanding the meaning of right education, eco-friendly lifestyle & inclusive development

Most importantly children need to understand the importance of such an education which will help them grow big and free into an individual with skills and all kind of problem-solving attitudes. The morality & understanding of the need for an eco-friendly life with an inclusive development can only be achieved once we learn & experience the world with our senses, not through any book or examination.

If the future is all about the skill then we must immediately stop the game of memory that our children play in schools, every day.