The Race Against Catastrophe

Published online at Independent School Parent

Education has changed more over the last ten months than the last ten years. Parents have found themselves relearning Pythagoras as they were thrust into homeschooling; educators have learnt to recreate the excitement of a classroom via video conferencing; and students have been given more independence and flexibility in their studies than ever before. Throughout the pandemic, education has remained a key talking point for most governments, as leaders are acutely aware of the economic, social, and cultural importance of maintaining an educated population. As H.G. Wells said - “civilization is in a race between education and catastrophe” – and yet our education systems are still rooted in the industrial revolution. It seems that until recently, education had stalled.

Many of the scientists currently working around the clock to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will have achieved the highest levels of education, enabling them to combine their knowledge of biology and chemistry with creative problem solving to potentially save millions of lives across the globe. As most students are aware, Biology and Chemistry are commonplace in our education systems, but creative thinking is not always on the syllabus. Despite the goal of education for many students being to learn the “correct” answers in order to pass exam, it is interesting to note that there is no single “correct” answer to the question of a vaccine. In fact, there are 3 different types of vaccine being researched in order to combat COVID-19.

84% of teachers in the UK think that school primarily prepares children for exams

When Wells refers to the race between education and catastrophe, he is not referring to memorising and regurgitating information, he is referring to innovation. To bring innovation to the forefront of our education systems we must first re-evaluate the goal of education. For many, the goal of education is to pass exams in school, gain a place at university, pass more exams, and get a good job – but exams are not the only metric by which to measure ability and rarely prepare students for the future. A recent YouGov report showed that 84% of teachers in the UK think that school primarily prepares children for exams, and over 50% of students want school to focus on more than just exams.

Where everyone has an encyclopaedia in the palm of their hands, should the focus not be on creativity, critical thinking and confidence?

The world of today looks completely different to the world of 2000, and will look completely different to the world of 2040, so how do you prepare students for an employment market we cannot yet comprehend? By shifting the focus of education towards skills. A recent survey showed that the top 3 employable skills are: communication, problem solving, and self-motivation. By employing innovative teaching techniques, we can develop and nurture these skills whilst covering the content of more traditional subjects. Not only will this better prepare students for the future but will also keep them more engaged. The need to get students “exam ready” rather than nurturing curiosity can leave many wondering why they are studying certain subjects at all. In an ever increasingly digital world, where everyone has an encyclopaedia in the palm of their hands, should the focus not be on creativity, critical thinking and confidence?

COVID-19 is not the first catastrophe to face the human race, and it will certainly not be the last. The only protection we have against future global crises is innovation, and whilst the human mind does have an unparalleled capacity for creativity, our education systems must be adapted to allow this creativity to flourish. If civilization is to win the race against global catastrophe, education will have to change gear.

Carl Morris MChem (Oxon)

About Carfax Tutors

Carfax Private Tutors support 1,000s of pupils across the globe to reach their academic potential and spark a love for learning. We deliver the highest quality lessons with our team of energetic, enthusiastic and passionate tutors from our offices in London, Moscow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Monaco. In partnership with our independent school, Carfax College, we develop personalised programmes for each and every student - whether they are taking supplementary tuition at their home, or a full-time course onsite at Carfax College, all of our students benefit from adaptive, flexible and targeted support.

For more information visit www.carfax-tutors.com & www.carfax-oxford.com