Education

Today the bulk of the South African 2018-matriculants received their final school report. I value education. Education is important.

Others are writing about the quality of the education the matriculants received. Others are questioning the real value one should attribute to the matriculation certificate.

I am not going to add to the above debates.

I want to refer you to another topic – predicting the future. The Star published an article entitled 35 years ago, Isaac Asimov was asked by the Star to predict the world of 2019. Here is what he wrote on the 27th of December 2018. In this article, Asimov writes profoundly, as he usually does:

Education, which must be revolutionized in the new world, will be revolutionized by the very agency that requires the revolution — the computer.
Schools will undoubtedly still exist, but a good schoolteacher can do no better than to inspire curiosity which an interested student can then satisfy at home at the console of his computer outlet.
There will be an opportunity finally for every youngster, and indeed, every person, to learn what he or she wants to learn. (sic) in his or her own time, at his or her own speed, in his or her own way.
Education will become fun because it will bubble up from within and not be forced in from without.

Asimov’s prediction has largely come true – for post school studies. Adults have access to a multitude of cheap or partially free life-long education. Kids can access this material as well and they surely spend a lot of time on YouTube.

That the education system (that I know of) is still as rigid as it was decades ago, saddens me. The education system largely enforces uniformity and often blocks curiosity; for the larger portion of learners.

I support Asimov’s vision of how education should have been by now. I support reading widely or deeply (depending on the child’s interest) even more.