School of Utopia

The following is taken from Rutger Bregman’s book, “Utopia for realists”:

“ All the big debates in education are about format. About delivery… Education is consistently presented as a means of adaptation - as a lubricant to help you glide more effectively through life… The focus, invariably, in on competencies, not values. On didactics, not ideals. On “problem-sloving ability,” but not which problems need solving.”

Inspiring and challenging.

He goes on to suggest that society should decide what skills and values are important and put together an education system to deliver them. Do we want more time for friends and family or volunteering and hobbies? Perhaps we should teach more morals, philosophy, history and art. The jobs market would respond by meeting the inevitable increase in demand for historians, artists and philosophers creating meaningful and valuable jobs. This involves getting rid of the fallacy that a higher salary is automatically a reflection of higher societal value.

Is it putting the cart before the horse to design education that fulfills the needs of the jobs market rather than creating an education system that will create an economy supported by jobs which are fairly paid and dignified?