The formative years of a child are crucial in shaping their future. It is during these years that a strong foundation needs to be established for children to develop into better, stronger individuals. School education undoubtedly plays an important role in molding a child’s personality. When you hear the word education, most parents naturally think of academic excellence, which is undoubtedly important, but education isn’t just restricted to that alone.
Today’s rapidly evolving world demands more than just good scores and stresses the importance of acquiring valuable life skills. School education devoid of any opportunities to nurture and enhance skills doesn’t give room for children to grow into well-rounded individuals.
In addition to excelling in academics, children need to acquire skills that will help them enhance the physical, artistic and emotional aspects of their life and survive in this competitive world.
Listed below are key factors that emphasize the importance of holistic skill development at an early age in school education:
- Enhances creativity :
A school curriculum that incorporates skill-based learning enhances creativity among children. Students are better able to grasp and learn new skills at an early age; and when exposed to new experiences through skill development, they become more creative and imaginative. Schools must encourage them to engage in dancing, singing and drawing activities as the advantages of indulging in such activities extend far beyond acquiring those specific skills.
- Purpose Driven education :
The traditional education system has trained students to assess themselves in terms of marks and grades. However, introducing skill-based learning at an early age prepares children for the real world which is beyond test scores. Children develop clear objectives as they get an opportunity to explore different facets of life. Most students, even after completing their education, remain clueless about what career path to choose. This is because they never got a chance to identify their true passion and talents and focused on merely memorizing concepts without actually applying them in real life. Skill development during school education will help kids figure out their strengths and weaknesses quite early on in their lives. They’ll learn with a clear objective instead of focusing solely on passing exams and scoring high marks in the short run.
- Encourages independent thinking :
When students have multiple avenues to learn from, they become confident and independent individuals. Independence comes not from mugging up vast amounts of information but applying concepts in the real world. A curriculum centered on skill development encourages kids to think deeper and solve problems independently. They build high self-esteem as they are trained to think critically and analytically right from an early age. Acquiring life skills naturally makes them independent thinkers and instills vital leadership skills, which will help them excel in whatever profession they choose for themselves in the future.
- Accepting failures gracefully
Skill development and training helps instill emotional maturity in pupils. Learning new skills requires students to be willing to experiment. While doing so, they might face failures and disappointments but that will eventually prepare them to accept failures gracefully and develop a ‘never give up’ attitude. Students will develop a growth mindset as they try new things, fail and carry on with perseverance. Being unafraid to fail is important to achieve success in life, and children will learn this important life lesson at a young age.
- Contribute to skilled workforce of the future
Starting skill development in schools at an early age can have a positive impact on the general fabric of the country’s workforce in the long run. Students easily develop employable skills when they receive holistic education. With the latest technology that enables audio-visual learning, interactive and smart classrooms, our pupils stand a better chance to become more competent. Early introduction of skill development in the curriculum simplifies the transition from student to a working professional; and as a cherry on top, the country will have a more superior workforce in the making.
Skill development as a part of school education is indeed important to establish a strong foundation for a thriving future. Self-awareness, excellent communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking capabilities are some of the important benefits of learning through a well-rounded curriculum. Children excel in multiple areas of their life effortlessly and this gives them a chance to stand out from their peers. Skill development at an early age helps children choose from a wide range of career options by the onset of teenage. It fine tunes students’ minds to become more independent, culturally aware and self-assured, and contributes to the growth of the child as well as the society and nation as a whole.
This blog appeared as an article in The Times Of India dated 21st April, 2022
(This article is written by Rohan Parikh, Chairperson of The Green Acres Academy on The Times Of India )