The answer is our education system. Confused? I know it seems like, with online and digital learning, that the new age of education is finally here. You can access courses from any part of the world in the digital age, right?  

Well, yes and no. It is true that digital learning will fundamentally change the technical worldview that we have always seen education through. But, education is not merely the process of inflow of information from one end to the other. If that were true then why would there have been classrooms? We could all take information booklets the first day of the month and just come at the end of the month to puke out that fed information.  

But that’s not what we remember when we think about our education days, do we? Apart from fun, I also remember some of the most productive English Literature classes of mine, all of us lost in the world of William Wordsworth or Joseph Conrad. 

The inflow of ideas from each and everyone is what converts education into knowledge. The biggest challenge in multiple school’s and college’s endeavour to go digital would be to protect and facilitate this exchange.  

Next comes, the exams. Oh my god, how much I hated them! Not because I was under-prepared or lacked confidence, but because of how primitive they always seemed to me. In essence, if you had to define classroom examination, how would you do it?

I would define it as a test, not of my knowledge but my recalling powers in a limited and controlled environment. In the absence of physical classrooms, class tests are out of the question. So, what do we do?  

That’s another question that modern educationalist must ask themselves. Over the years, we have prioritized the set pattern of offline tests. What will replace it in its absence? Will it be assignments, presentations, quizzes, research papers and how relevant will they be?  

Speaking of relevance, can you remember any one thing that your school or college taught you that is relevant today? Something that is helping you to cope up with these difficult times? I, for one, can’t even think of one thing.  

Our entire education system is hell-bent on making us “successful” and “ambitious” and “leaders”, so much so, that they forget to make us “individuals”. 

The way our education model is developed, all of us feel as if we have to conquer this world. Imagine, all of us are made into wannabe conquers, how does that even make sense? Yet, we are fed this dream and we live it because if you don’t, you are already labelled a disgrace.