BlogARE SCHOOL SUBJECTS RELEVANT TO REAL LIFE SKILLS AND FUTURE JOB DEMANDS?
ARE SCHOOL SUBJECTS RELEVANT TO REAL LIFE SKILLS AND FUTURE JOB DEMANDS?
2025-09-13
Close examination of the history of our education system reveals that learning institutes like schools have been a reliable source of information and knowledge, whether in the fields of science, computing, or mathematics. But in the 21st century, is traditional education still relevant to what big businesses and companies expect from the workforce? From the early stages of learning, we are taught that the more we study “traditional” subjects like mathematics, science, social studies, the better our chances in the future. Parents expect their children to master certain subjects to later specialize in a single field—like studying computing to become an IT engineer or tech expert. While this is reasonable thinking, it has become important to ask whether learning specific subjects in schools help students learn life skills like managing their finances or performing basic household tasks in the future?
While following the curriculum and ministry-specified guidelines, schools have failed to consider the wishes of students themselves. Even if certain preferences were included, they would most likely be different from what the students were hoping for, to keep in line with what the curriculum expected. But in our world today, it has become extremely important to revise what students are taught from an early age. “Life skills have become increasingly important to include in education as the world is constantly changing and children and adolescents must prepare for the challenges of the 21st century” (qtd. in Hvalby et al.). We cannot expect students to face challenges in the modern world by studying courses that haven't seen much change since centuries.
In line with the issue at hand, a survey was conducted among 40 students of grade VIII. The close-ended questionnaire was aimed at gathering the opinions of participants towards the relevance of traditional subjects. The majority agreed schools should teach skills like financial literacy and time management. They also felt some subjects are irrelevant in today's job market and would prefer job-specific skills—like coding and marketing—over traditional subjects. Most importantly, everyone agreed that students should have more freedom to choose based on their career interests.
This alone reflects what students truly want, yet the system continues to be reluctant to adapt to their changing needs.
There appears to be a consensus among the students that formal education does not adequately prepare students for real life. And it’s not just schools—the job market is equally disappointing and demanding. “Arguably, there is a continuing mismatch between the choice of subjects being taken at university and the needs of the labor market” (Bukamal and Mirza). This situation has left many graduates struggling to find employment that matches their academic qualifications, which highlights the urgent need for education systems to revise their curricula based on real-world demands.
Formal education, in the traditional sense, is considered sufficient in theory, but the world that we live in today is much more competitive in terms of finding a job, getting into college, or even overcoming daily obstacles. To better prepare future generations for these demands, existing approaches should be expanded and made more efficient.
References
Bukamal, Muna, and Hasan Mirza. “The Mismatch Between Higher Education and Labor Market Needs: A Bahrain Case Study.” International Journal of Educational Development, 2017, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315769283_The_Mismatch_Between_Higher_Education_and_Labor_Market_Needs_A_Bahrain_Case_Study.
Hvalby, Lone, Astrid Guldbrandsen, and Hildegunn Fandrem. "Life Skills in Compulsory Education: A Systematic Scoping Review." Education Sciences, vol. 14, no. 10, 14 Oct. 2024, p. 1112, https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101112.
