A vision for future-proofing Scotland through education

The Royal Society of Edinburgh has published what it sees as a vision for “future-proofing” Scotland, outlining a number of steps that should be taken to update the education system to ensure it is fit for purpose.

The RSE – Scotland’s National Academy – published a series of 10 calls to action, which it says will help Scotland achieve an ‘optimal’ model of education and skills by 2050.

The proposal presents a vision for Scottish education that “delivers economic development, meets climate ambitions, and promotes human dignity and flourishing.”

The RSE says that it challenges parliamentarians, government, employers, the teaching profession, school leaders, parents, carers, learners, and society at large to ask fundamental questions about what is wanted and needed from a modern Scottish education system.

The RSE’s Education Committee Convener, Dr Janet Brown FRSE, said: “As Scotland looks towards the future it is imperative that we reimagine its education system, processes and culture.

“The modern world is vastly different to the world that birthed the principles that still characterise the Scottish education system. The proposals we have suggested in this report for addressing educational reform, will result in a close alignment with future needs that will be better for Scotland’s learners at all levels and ages, and for society as a whole.

“What we need now is for Scottish society to really think long and hard about what a modern, adaptable and agile education environment should look like.”

The RSE’s own proposal says that the reimagined education system should keep and build upon the existing positive attributes that Scotland boasts – for example, a commitment to interdisciplinary learning and a balance between knowledge and skills.

However, it adds that the updated system should recognise the importance of lifelong learning and continued development and focus on breaking down barriers to these ends.

It also adds that a more flexible and accessible approach to the education system – rather than a linear progression to one set career trajectory – would be of more benefit to more people, and society as a whole.

Among the 10-point action plan to achieve these aims, the RSE suggests that direct communication with employers be pursued in order to better understand their needs, while also championing the wider value of education beyond simple “job readiness”.

The proposals also suggest that a modern curriculum that is fit for purpose be designed, with a focus put on problem solving, critical thinking, and the application of knowledge. These, RSE proposals say, are becoming more relevant than knowledge acquisition, reflecting an overall trend towards skills and competencies as the key educational currency of the 21st century.

In the same vein, the RSE has suggested an update to how students at all levels are assessed. As the modern world moves so rapidly and information is generated at an increasingly swift rate, it is important to be able to assess a student’s ability to think critically, and sift information, rather than assessing how much knowledge they can retain.