Transitioning to the new normal in education

A French student ‘attending’ class in her room with her classmates on her tablet during the country’s lockdown in March. — Reuters

Everybody has been urging for changes to be made to education in Malaysia for the longest time. Reimagining and revitalising education are among the catch phrases when it comes to mooting 21st century education. But in reality, it is not easy to imagine, let alone change, unless circumstances force us to.

The new normal for education requires us to unlearn what we have always known: rows of desks, heavy bags, mass lectures, public exams, and (broken) parent-teacher communication. Unlearn those, and we can establish the new normal of education.