The world has progressed today. Communities are more personalized. Hyperloops are under construction, and we are about to get 5G. We have trillion-dollar companies and, most significantly, the country that ruled the world economy for decades is now having a tough time. When I think about all this, I wonder, “Can a sector be isolated from this fast-developing world?” I thought for a while and yes, the answer was right there in my mind. I am a part of that industry, too. The sector still struggling with development is education. Although I am not sure if calling it an “industry” is right, education has become an important component in the functioning of all industries and economies.

Although we have technology, educational practices haven’t changed a lot. The same old techniques are used to teach children even today. Children carry their backpacks full of books and snacks to school every day.

My community is most focused on sending children to school. Of course, the parents of millennials understand the value of outdoor skills and street smarts. A person with dozens of qualifications who is not able to carry out a simple transaction at a grocery store becomes a failure in the real world. Communicating effectively is more important than taking tests in a subject. Even though our parents and all people understand the value of outdoor skills, we still go to school. Why?

The fact is, communities still rely on school learning and there’s nothing wrong with that. We can meet children of our age. We get exposure, we get friends for life, we get gurus in the form of teachers, but we don’t get a path to extraordinary success. Recently, I read a book called 13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck by Ashwin Sanghi. He beautifully captures the reality of the education system. He says schools and universities build a framework of thinking. Everybody is built with similar ideology. To attract luck, we need to think out of the box. It is important to get our thoughts out of the set framework. This is where education creates a barrier. Because we are used to one ideology and the same group of people, we find it difficult to speak to strangers. We block opportunities for ourselves. We’re taught in a classroom, bound by four walls. Regular field visits, encouraging exposure to the market, and letting children make nature an abode will make education more effective. In India, we once had gurukuls, schools where children would stay and learn with their teachers until they were trained to survive in the competitive world. From archery to cooking, everything was taught to make children self-reliant. These children used to stay in huts they made by themselves from bamboo and straws. This culture led to the well-rounded development of children. Maybe the world needs more of such schools today. Children should step outside the classroom and taste the bitter truths and joyous loves of life.

Sitting in a classroom might bring the world to you, but experience brings you to the world.