Three beacons for the future: youth, education, technology

I believe that the three beacons for the future are the youth, education and technology.

On those lines, I often recall footballer Lionel Messi’s words: “I prefer to win titles with the team over individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. When I retire, I want to be remembered as a team player, not a guy who had individual brilliance.”

To me, education is a transformative force capable of changing the globe.

When I speak about the transformative power of education, I would also like to iterate that our country stands on the cusp of a trailblazing and futuristic era, powered by a youthful population and a growing economy.

Our nation-builders should understand that a key link for progress is rooted in harmonising education with industry, creating a skilled workforce prepared for the challenges of the future.

The success of countries such as Japan, Singapore, Qatar, Netherlands and Israel, which are small in scale but powerful globally, can be attributed to this very link.

Through schooling and tutoring, education empowers the population of a country to rise above their circumstances — good or bad — and achieve their potential.

India has a diverse and expansive educational landscape, encompassing top-drawer schools, colleges and universities. To keep growing, we have to build something that seamlessly replaces existing methodologies and models. And, for this, the youth needs heavy doses of technology.

In this regard, the youth-centric approach of the National Education Policy-2020 should not be given a miss. It was the need of the hour.

“The old order changeth, yielding place to the new” is an oft-quoted adage.

There were things in the old policy that had outlived their utility. The new policy allows students to choose their preferred subjects, vocational courses or interdisciplinary programmes based on their interests and aptitude. This was much needed. The role of teachers in the new NEP, too, has been redefined.

No matter how far technological advances go, there is never a need to abandon the book. For there is nothing in our material world more beautiful than a book.

Youngsters today, guided by technological gadgets, have more opportunities to develop core academic skills than the people who graduated a decade ago.

Schools and colleges need to prioritise holistic curricula, multilingual learning, and the integration of vocational and academic pathways.

Teachers can play a crucial role in shaping the thought process of the youth by communication — through open dialogue and counselling sessions. As they say: “In the heart of every young person lies the potential for greatness.”