This is a question that we have tried to address unsuccessfully over the last decade to two. We have seen many technological advances in the 21st century. Some practices introduced in the 80s and 90s are obsolete, to say the least. Yet, you know what has remained unchanged? Our public educational system.
Our schools are raising employees, not leaders!
As we look into the U.S. educational system, we see that the curriculum has remained stagnant since the 80s. We’re still inculcating into the minds of our children to study hard so that they can be great employees. Schools still follow a method of teaching that rewards children based on their conformity to standards and seldom recognizes those who exhibit creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
Sure the school system has introduced technology to assist in the learning process, and skill-based learning such as graphic design, audio/video, and programming. But again, we are talking hard-based skill development, not the much-needed soft skills that will aid in career development later.
Who’s to blame?
There are certainly many factors that contribute to why this is happening. First on the list is the lack of government innovation and foresight. Despite wanting to overhaul the entire curriculum program, individual schools cannot just decide that on their own. They have to conform to government set standards for it to continue to operate and receive federal funds. This leads us to the grading system assessed on public schools and the standardized testing of the students.
Maybe the government does not see any problem with the current system. Despite most of the successful CEOs like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk saying that college failed to teach them how to be great in business, perhaps the government thinks that they represent just a small percentage of what the majority of the population believes.
There is also an apparent lack of clamor to change the system. We often hear a few groups advocating to overhaul the current educational system, but they lack a unified voice. Several groups are pushing for different changes, making it difficult to implement even one of them.
These are just two of the primary reasons why our educational system is lagging compared to other countries that emphasize the culture of creativity. Admittedly, this is a group effort and the government alone cannot do this on its own. It is high time for all concerned groups to work together and make changes one step at a time.
What’s the solution?
The internet age has allowed people from different corners of the planet to communicate with each other with ease. However, that’s just one of its benefits. For businesses, being able to meet with suppliers and close deals without ever having to show up in person has transformed the way people do business. This has given way to the age of unicorn startups, billion-dollar worth companies that primarily transact over or use the internet, among other technological advances.
COVID-19 has forced the nation into an environment that relies more and more on solo and micro business owners. A perfect example is the recent meteoric rise of the gig network and new business license applications. Displaced workers, non-immunization conformists are deciding to go out on their own rather than rejoin the corporate environment. These new business owners are facing an uphill battle as they realize they don’t know what they don’t know when it comes to launching and growing a small business.
Are our children prepared to be business owners?
Will they be thrown into a world that doesn’t really value what they bring to the table or one where they really can’t function independently? We really need to be introducing our young children to soft skills that include problem-solving, relationship engagement, team participation, and presentation/communication skills. Engaging business leaders in the curriculum programs in an experiential capacity will go a long way in preparing our children for the future. We need to be introducing these programs at the middle-school level before they move on to high school or college.
How about you? What do you think about our current educational system? Does it still provide for the needs of children? Or, is the current system stifling their potential? We would like to know your thoughts.
MarketAtomy, LLC is a growth development-learning environment for small and medium business owners with one goal in mind…to empower them with the tools and knowledge needed to build their business on a rock-solid foundation. Through foresight and fortitude, entrepreneurial dreams become a reality. For more information, please visit marketatomy.com. Visit MarketAtomy.Academy to find out about the only eLearning Management System developed for early-stage business growth.
