LET YOUNGSTERS PLAN THEIR FUTURE

MWe are so concerned about churning out graduates that we forget to bring out students’ passion as well as purpose and meaning of life.

Y interactions with young people and secondary school students show that many of them are struggling to find purpose and meaning in their lives and work.

Many of them are unsure of the next step to take after finishing school.

With job prospects evolving due to artificial intelligence and technological developments, parents need more awareness about assisting their children in deciding their future.

In this regard, I had a talk with my yoga master’s daughter, who is sitting the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

I asked her about her ambition and she said she likes computer science. But her mother wants her to be a doctor.

When I asked her if she can deal with blood and wounds, she said: “No way. I cannot take it.”

I then told her mother that it is not fair to push her ambition on the child, who has her own passion and career choice.

Admittedly, this is one area where many of us researchers, policymakers, educational reformers and leaders of academia do not prioritise.

We are so concerned about churning out graduates that we forget to bring out students’ passion as well as purpose and meaning of life.

This, in return, might have adverse effects, such as job-hopping and the young ones being undecided about their lives.

That’s why we suffer from brain drain. We must accept that those who are passionate about their profession would have different paths and roles to fulfil.

They might want to explore deeper into what they have been studying and working for.

They might create new jobs and even start their own industries or companies. Some will start collaborating with others and have start-ups.

Many developed nations provide incentives for young people to start up their own agencies. So, the question is: are we there yet or are we ready to take such creative risks?

Thus, it is time that we look at alternatives in our education system and start transforming it for the better.

Only when this happens can we proudly say that our education system is evolving according to the needs of the nation and global society.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR VISHALACHE BALAKRISHNAN

Director, Centre for Research in International and Comparative Education (CRICE), Coordinator of SULAM@Service Learning, Universiti Malaya