Our lifestyles will undergo a significant transformation in the next 10 to 15 years owing to developments in technology, but our education system is “hardly prepared” to equip students for these changes, warned scientist and academic Prof SM Shivaprasad.
Delivering a special lecture on ‘Changing Technologies and Education’ in Shivamogga, Prof Shivaprasad, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Dharwad, called for urgent education reforms to prepare children for sweeping changes, The Hindu reports.
He said that advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology and artificial intelligence will bring major changes in the way people eat, drink and study. He added that research in nanotechnology and biotechnology will have a greater impact on human life than artificial intelligence.
“Are we prepared to face these changes? We are not even getting ready for them. Our teachers need to think beyond examinations and scores. They should encourage students to pursue their areas of interest,” he implored his audience, according to The Hindu.
The professor also urged parents to understand that “every child is unique and differently qualified.”
Referring to the role of educators, Prof Shivaprasad said that great scientists throughout history had closely observed elements of nature and presented their findings as theories. These theories, he added, were later incorporated into syllabi.
“The job of teachers is to relate these theories or concepts to the outer world instead of restricting them to classrooms. We are in need of excellent teachers who can evoke interest among students and teach them with empathy,” he emphasised.
Prof Shivaprasad warned that professionals in several sectors could lose jobs in the coming years, with robots and machinery replacing human labour. However, he said that new technologies could also generate fresh employment opportunities, and education must focus on equipping students with skills to adapt.
“From now onwards, the changes will be rapid. Within five years, new technologies may emerge and bring in significant changes in the way we act and think. Children need to adapt to the changes fast,” he stressed.
Prof Shivaprasad also expressed hope that science became the religion of the future, leading people to give up discrimination based on caste, religion and boundaries.
The lecture was organised by Bahumukhi, a cultural and literary organisation based in Shivamogga. Academics such as HS Nagabhushan, retired principal of Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University, and others were present at the programme, as per The Hindu.
