Scientist calls for education reform to prepare children for rapid technological change

SM Shivaprasad, scientist and visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad, has emphasised the need for reforms in the education system to prepare children for rapid technological changes that could significantly alter human lifestyles over the next 10 to 15 years.

Delivering a special lecture on Changing Technologies and Education at a programme organised by Bahumukhi, a cultural organisation, in Shivamogga on December 30, Mr. Shivaprasad said advances in technology would transform the way people eat, drink, and study.

He noted that developments in nanotechnology and biotechnology would have a greater impact on human life than artificial intelligence, according to a report in The Hindu.

Raising concerns over the preparedness of the current education system, he said schools were not equipped to address the challenges posed by fast-evolving technologies. “Are we prepared to face these changes? We are not even getting ready for them,” he said, adding that teachers must think beyond examinations and scores and encourage students to pursue their areas of interest.

He also stressed that parents should recognise that every child is unique and possesses different abilities.

Mr Shivaprasad pointed out that many scientific theories taught in classrooms were derived from close observation and study of nature by great scientists. He said the role of teachers was to relate these theories to the outside world instead of limiting them to textbooks.

Emphasising the need for quality teaching, he said excellent teachers who could evoke interest among students and teach with empathy were essential.

Highlighting the impact of technological advances on employment, he said professionals in several sectors could lose jobs in the coming years as robots and machinery replace human labour.

However, he added that new technologies would also create new jobs, and education must equip students with the skills needed to adapt to these changes. “From now onwards, the changes will be rapid. Within five years, new technologies may emerge and bring significant changes in the way we act and think. Children need to adapt to the changes fast,” he said.

Expressing hope for the future, Mr Shivaprasad said science should become the religion of the future, encouraging people to move away from discrimination based on caste, religion, and boundaries.

HS Nagabhushan, retired principal of Kamala Nehru College, and others were present.