From creativity to resilience:

Why life skills are the real game-changer in modern education

- RITU JAWA

The early development of children is the building block for the future, but what children learn in schools often only goes as far as structured assessments. Today, education must refocus away from being

just ready for assessments toward being ready for life; able to deal with differences, change and the unpredictable. Textbooks give us facts; life involves adaptability, how one thinks, feels, and responds when the script runs out. Transforming education from information delivery to holistic human development ensures that academic knowledge serves a larger purpose: thriving in an unpredictable world.

Beyond cognitive learning

Schools have long prioritised cognitive learning, or the 'what' of learning, to the exclusion of the how' and 'why. Memorising facts does not prepare learners for the technological disruption, complexity of social behaviour, or mental health pressures. To cultivate confidence and connectedness, underlying life skills should be embedded in the curriculum, and resilience, creativity, empathy, and collaboration should be the foundation.

Creativity and resilience: The core duo