Outdated, Outpaced, and Out of Time: The Education System Is Broken—No More Band-Aid Solutions, Real Change Is Needed NOW!

By Ross Paraskevas, Founder of TeachingTutor.ai

The education system, as it is now, is in extreme serious need of major change. It’s in trouble, and what’s worse, now more than ever, we need it to be at its very best—not at its worse ever. It’s not about who is at fault or why, it’s about fixing it, changing it entirely. Full stop!!! It’s not just about the future lives of our kids but about saving humanity. This is the unprecedented era of AI. Don’t let anyone kid you—it’s real, and the current education system, mediocre at best over the decades and getting worse, has now been caught flat-footed.

I really don’t like saying this, but the education system, as it stands today, simply is not going to work. It’s not preparing students for the growing and rapidly changing AI-driven world we are racing into. And believe me, this isn’t an exaggeration—I wish it was. It’s an urgent call for action now. As I see it, the system is failing to evolve alongside the rapid technological advancements we have witnessed. AI is reshaping the world faster than I ever imagined, impacting every industry, every job, and every life. Yet, education remains shackled to outdated practices built for a world that no longer exists. We are training students to memorise, comply, and compete for a set curriculum that is very selective and fixed in its ways. What we should be doing is inspiring students to create, innovate, and take risks. We need students who are fearless, imaginative problem-solvers—people who embrace challenges, work collaboratively, and think critically. More than anything, we need students who are excited about their learning. Because here’s the truth: an excited brain is the best learning brain.

My name is Ross Paraskevas, founder and director of TeachingTutor.ai, and this is my mission. I want to transform education into something that sparks curiosity and ignites passion—a system where every single student is empowered to pursue their very own unique goals, their unique dreams, in their unique way. And I want it now. Not tomorrow, not in five years—now.

We all know schools constantly promote diversity, equality, and inclusivity, and I completely agree with this mission. However, diversity and inclusivity must also extend to diversity of thoughts, ideas, and political differences. This inclusion allows for debate and discussion, which not only enriches the learning experience but also excites and expands the brain to new levels. We want kids to share ideas. We want them to express political beliefs. We want to hear their thoughts, especially those that oppose our views. There is an incredible learning experience in sitting with someone who holds completely different political views, engaging in a debate, challenging their ideas while they challenge yours—and then sharing mutual respect for each other. This is a great learning experience and enhancement.

Trying to force or restrict kids' ideas, thoughts, or political views doesn’t work. In fact, it’s worse—it harms brain development and limits cognitive capacity. We want to create a society full of deep learners.

What is deep learning? It’s not memorizing facts or completing worksheets. It’s about actioning knowledge—applying what you have learned to real-world problems, meaningful goals, and personal aspirations. It’s about diving into the unknown with curiosity and courage, solving problems that matter, and finding excitement in the process. Imagine a young aspiring entrepreneur who loves gaming. Instead of being confined to a generic curriculum, they use AI to design their own video game while learning coding, storytelling, and even business strategies for launching their creation. Or picture an aspiring future engineer passively absorbing information—they’re creating, applying, and experiencing. That’s what deep learning looks like. And it’s not just for tech-minded kids—it’s for everyone, and yes, at any age. The younger, the better. The artist who wants to use AI to master digital design. The writer who wants to create a podcast analyzing literary themes. The chef who wants to map the cultural history of recipes while designing new dishes.

This is the beauty of personalized education: it connects learning to life, making every lesson relevant and engaging to the individual. The world is drowning in information—too much information—and critical thinking is our life raft. Without it, we risk creating a generation of followers instead of leaders, people who accept what they are told instead of questioning everything. Yet somehow, critical thinking remains alarmingly absent in most classrooms. Why? It’s not because students can’t handle it—it’s because the system doesn’t prioritize it. I still don’t understand why. We need classrooms where students tackle big, messy, complicated questions. What are the ethical implications of AI-generated art? How can architecture evolve to combat urban overcrowding? Should social media companies be regulated to prevent misinformation? These are not hypothetical debates—they are the kinds of questions that define the world we live in. And students should be encouraged to engage with them, challenge them, and explore them as critical thinkers.

Teaching critical thinking is a life skill for all. You can’t live without it in the AI era—simple! It isn’t just about providing answers—it’s about teaching students to ask the right questions, like a detective seeking the truth. It’s about nurturing intellectual courage, where mistakes are not failures but stepping stones. And when students develop this growth mindset, and it becomes a lifelong habit, they don’t just learn how to solve problems—they learn how to create solutions. Imagine a world full of creative problem solvers. This is what humanity needs more than anything now.

No two students are the same. So why does education treat them as if they are? Just like our fingerprints, we are all different—fact. The one-size-fits-all model does a disservice to every student’s unique talents, passions, and aspirations. But with the power of AI, this outdated approach can finally be replaced with something better: personalized learning journeys. Take a student who loves adventure. Instead of slogging through a textbook, they use AI to explore world geography through the lens of ancient expeditions, mapping routes and studying cultural exchanges. Another student might dive into architecture, designing sustainable housing projects with AI-generated simulations.

With platforms like TeachingTutor.ai—the world’s best teacher—we can give every single student the opportunity to craft their own personal education around their passions. We can transform them from passive recipients of knowledge into active creators of their futures, creating their own unique adventurous pathways. Learning, just like life, isn’t just an intellectual process—it’s deeply emotional. And here’s the kicker: emotions drive engagement. The more excited, curious, or inspired a student feels, the better they will learn. That’s why emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of transformative education.

Imagine an AI-powered platform like TeachingTutor.ai that doesn’t just teach—it listens, intently observes, and continuously learns. It notices when a student is frustrated or disengaged and adapts the lesson to reignite their spark. It celebrates their small victories and encourages them through challenges. By understanding emotional patterns, we can help students discover their unique individual learning patterns and pathways and use this to help them reach their full, limitless potential. When education recognises the whole student—their passions, their struggles, their dreams—it doesn’t just teach knowledge. It builds resilience, confidence, dreams, creativity, risk-taking, and a sense of purpose.

Hence why I created the world’s best teacher to do it—TeachingTutor.ai. Let’s be real and honest: almost all of the best educators I have spoken to agree that grades are an outdated, one-dimensional metric of success. They reduce learning to a game of points—a transactional process that ignores creativity, growth, emotion, passions, goals, and depth. Worse, they pit students against each other, creating unnecessary stress and anxiety. How many students have lost their love for learning because they felt defined by a stupid number? How many students have come out of the education system with a victim mindset?

We need to move beyond grades. Imagine a system where students earn points toward a mastery level in their own journey, where they earn digital badges for progressing and mastering real-world skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation. Where their progress is tracked daily in dynamic growth profiles and pathways that showcase their journey, their obstacles, their attempts to overcome those obstacles, their achievements over time, and their references from finding and working with real industry individuals. With tools like TeachingTutor.ai, we can give students meaningful feedback that helps them grow, not just compete, while making them feel engaged and energized—not stressed or minimized. Success isn’t about memorising answers—it’s about chasing goals, embracing challenges, and becoming the best version of yourself. It’s about a young student turning their love of sports into a biomechanics project or a future filmmaker creating a documentary on unsung local heroes.

This is what a world without grades looks like: a world where every student’s journey is valued. This is the deep learning pathway. And every single student deserves to be on it.

In this new education model, teachers aren’t just instructors—they’re mentors, guides, and co-creators. They don’t just teach—they inspire. With AI taking care of routine tasks like individual lesson planning, teachers can focus on what they do best: connecting emotionally with students and helping them not just discover their passions but advising them on the next steps toward achieving them. Imagine a teacher mentoring a student who dreams of becoming an astronaut. Together, they design projects on astrophysics, simulate space missions, and explore the ethics of interplanetary travel. The teacher isn’t just delivering information—they’re helping the student chart their own course.

This partnership between human empathy and AI precision makes learning more personal, more exciting, and more impactful. It’s also a more exciting learning journey and experience—not just for the student but for the teacher as well. It makes teachers more creative, which is great for themselves and great for education. But to achieve this vision, we must support teachers in their own journeys. Professional development programs, like the ones TeachingTutor.ai envisions, can train teachers to embrace AI as a partner, master facilitation techniques, and build emotional intelligence. By empowering teachers, we create an education system that balances innovation with humanity, which is the best approach.

The current education system is not just outdated—it’s a disservice to the world we are building. But this isn’t about blame—it’s about action. The AI revolution is here, and education needs to catch up really fast. However, the system as it is set up now does not have the capacity to do it. Transformative education isn’t a luxury—it’s the future. It’s about creating a system that values curiosity, creativity, and growth over conformity, compliance, and competition. It’s about empowering students to dream big, think deeply, and act boldly.

We seriously stand at a crossroads. We can cling to the past, or we can embrace the possibilities of the future. As the founder and director of TeachingTutor.ai, I choose the future. I choose a world where every student discovers their unique potential and creates a life they are excited to live. But I can’t do it alone. This is a call to parents, educators, and leaders: join me! Let’s build a world where education is not just preparation for life—it’s an adventure, a discovery, and a revolution. The time for change is now. Let’s not just prepare students for the future—let’s give them the skills to create it.

By Ross Paraskevas, Founder of TeachingTutor.ai