Post 6: Why schools do NOT prepare kids for the real world

I believe that the education system is outdated in many ways. There are many basics that the educational system has omitted and younger people are suffering from it. 

Don't get me wrong, there are many fantastic fundamentals that young people gain in school which help them to operate well in the world. Fundamentals such as maths, reading, writing and communication skills along with discipline and work ethic, etc. These are all fantastic attributes for a person to function in the real world. 

But I believe that there are a few main things missing. I don't believe that the school system (at least in countries in the U.S) prepare you for success in the real world. I believe that the school system is deficient in the following three ways.

Firstly, students are not typically engaged in thinking about their futures, what options they have and how the world works. Young people need to be exposed and engaged in a plethora of options that will get them excited about the future. This should be THE fundamental objective of school. To learn about how the world works, to help young people reflect independently and to aid them in finding their purpose. "Desire. Thats the once secret to every man's career. Not education. Not being born with individual talents. Desire." - Johnny Carson.

The second big problem in the educational system is the complete absence of money management and financial intelligence education. "Money without financial intelligence is money soon gone.” ― Robert T. Kiyosaki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It's as if money is a taboo topic and is typically never even brought up once during school. I certainly wish I had learned about how money works in school. Because it turns out that being smart about money is probably the most important skill you can learn. "The main reason people struggle financially is because they have spent years in school but learned nothing about money. The result is that people learn to work for money...but never learn to have money work for them" - Robert Kiyosaki.

And finally, the third problem is the omission of basic skills such as knowing how taxes work, knowing how to work with different personalities, how to negotiate, navigating emotional intelligence as well as what a business is and how business works in the real world, etc. These are essential basics that are completely forgotten in school, which experienced people take for granted. 

The solution to all this is not exactly simple, as there are a lot of moving parts in the educational structures within developed countries. It is a system that is faulty and is lagging behind. I will admit my ignorance on the intricacies of this system, but I believe that the public should be focused on solving this issue. A movement for better education needs to happen in order to create legal reform over school requirements and to create reform among schools themselves. I clearly do not have all of the answers, but I know for sure that this needs to be a point of public and professional focus in order to create positive change. 

As Abraham Lincoln said on the topic of education, "I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in."

Parents expect the teachers to prepare them for the world, but the teachers expect the parents to prepare them for the world. So who is responsible? 

Reforms need to take place in the educational system soon, in the spirit of equality of opportunity. 

This is an educational crisis and breeds severe inequality, which is clearly where the world is heading. 

Education is enlightenment, and all young people should be legitimately enlightened to the fact that they can prosper in this world. 

All the best 

Luke