Let’s make education innovation-centric

Our world is changing fast. Now and again, we face new challenges from technological changes. We see job losses and prolonged unemployment on the one hand and a growing need for persons with innovative skills on the other.

The environment is changing fast on the shop floor and in workspaces. Business models are becoming more dynamic to cope with competition. A new product launched in the market has a shorter life cycle than before.

The same applies to services. The way they are delivered changes fast, matching insatiable needs. Innovation is the keyword of the day.

We have enough knowledgeable people, but we want more people who can apply their acquired knowledge innovatively, to be more productive. Improvisation is a constant challenge. Static knowledge is going to die a natural death.

Our educational methods must keep up with the changing world. Content and teaching styles must be time-tested yet relevant and innovative. We must make our educational system innovation-centric and not only knowledge-centric.

Innovation must be knowledge-based. It will not replace knowledge, but rather will add dynamism to acquired knowledge. As Albert Einstein once commented, “imagination is more important than knowledge”.

Imagination leads to innovation. We have missed this essence of education, and it is good that this realisation is reshaping the system here and maybe in other countries too (“Avoid over-reliance on tests and exams”; Aug 17).

Children have the most creative imagination in the early phase of childhood until adolescence. But for so long we have imposed an obsolete and stale examination system, which focused on knowledge gathering, testing and grading.

Hefty coursework, frequent tests and running after grades have bogged our children down. Innovation could not flourish. It is time to change the mindset of teachers, who should collaborate with students and unleash their innovative spirit and passion for learning.

Let us change to match the changing world.