Chapter 1: The Flaws of Conventional Education

It might seem surprising, but conventional schooling can be detrimental to both you and your children. Parents often enroll their kids in school with the hope of providing a solid education, just as their parents did before them. However, the reality is that schools do not deliver the education we envision. Instead, they are structured to create conformity among students.

Having lived and worked in several countries, I’ve observed a consistent pattern: most educational institutions follow the Prussian model of schooling. One might wonder why a system from a defunct monarchy continues to dominate global education today. While I can speculate on the origins of this system, the reasons for its persistence are less clear. Prussia, once a monarchy in central Europe, eventually contributed to the formation of the German Empire by uniting various German states.

To meet military needs, Prussia developed an educational system that trained children from age six until they turned sixteen, preparing them for military service. This system emphasized traits like punctuality, obedience, and loyalty, while discouraging qualities such as laziness and creativity. Essentially, it was designed to produce compliant citizens loyal to a long-gone monarchy. Even after military needs diminished, this model continued to churn out factory workers, leading other nations to adopt it to bolster their industrial capabilities.

It seems we still cling to this outdated system out of tradition. We inherit the educational structures of previous generations and are conditioned to accept them as normal. Most of us participated in it, and our grandparents did too. Without questioning its validity, we may not realize that schools often act as instruments of conformity rather than genuine education.

Before the rise of this system, education was more personalized. Parents taught their children specific skills relevant to their trades. A carpenter would instruct their child in carpentry, while a merchant might offer guidance to an aspiring businessperson.

The Prussian model initially offered some benefits, equipping individuals with skills that could lead to stable employment. However, this is no longer the case. With technology advancing rapidly, educational institutions struggle to keep pace, particularly in fields like STEM. By the time students graduate, their degrees may already be outdated. For instance, after completing a course in C++ programming, I found that the job market favored newer languages like Java and Python.

Adding to this issue, schools often fail to nurture individual talents and interests. If a student excels in math but finds themselves in classes that don’t challenge them, their passion may diminish over time. This pattern extends to various subjects, stifling creativity and unique skills that could otherwise flourish.

Ultimately, the school system is designed to produce average individuals rather than celebrate uniqueness. Students enter with immense potential, only to emerge as mediocrities, particularly those who excel academically, which some might argue is a tragedy.

However, the greatest disservice schools provide is the waste of time. We spend the most precious years of our lives confined to desks, often with little to show for it. Many individuals dedicate 12 to 22 years—sometimes even longer—to attain a job that pays an average wage. In some cases, highly educated individuals, like chemical engineers, find themselves working in factories due to job scarcity in their field.

So, the dilemma is evident: our educational system was flawed from the start, and it has now become obsolete. What can be done about it?

Chapter 2: Seeking Alternatives to Traditional Education

The first video, "Is School Slowly Destroying Your Brain?" discusses the detrimental effects of conventional schooling on mental health and creativity.

The second video, "Why You Hate School: The TRUTH Behind Our Education System," explores the flaws in our educational framework and offers insights on achieving true success.

In reality, options are limited. If local regulations permit, parents might consider homeschooling. However, many are influenced by the Prussian model themselves and may inadvertently replicate it in their teaching methods. Instead of fostering employable skills, they might mirror the traditional teacher-student dynamic.

What we truly need is a revolutionary educational framework. This could integrate mentorship and self-directed learning, perhaps utilizing gamification to encourage exploration and reward skill discovery. A system focused on lifelong learning and adaptability would empower individuals to acquire new skills throughout their lives, preparing them for unexpected changes in the job market.

For instance, a petroleum engineer might need to pivot due to environmental regulations. A flexible educational model should allow for varied progression rates, enabling individuals to quickly master new disciplines based on their existing experience.

Regrettably, I have yet to see any significant movement towards this ideal. Changes within the educational landscape often take place within the confines of the Prussian model, yielding similar results. Personally, I would love to contribute to such a project, but time and resources remain a barrier.

At the very least, I hope to spark a conversation on this critical topic. What are your thoughts? Is this vision of a new educational system unrealistic, or could it eventually become a reality?