Education entails much more than simply sitting in a classroom and learning the core subjects of science, mathematics, languages, social sciences, and physical education which are all part of the core school curriculum currently. Secondary schools in India differ widely, but there are a few important life skills that schools do not address that would have been beneficial to acquire as a teenager rather than being pushed into the adult world and left for the student to figure it out on their own.

Most individuals spend 12 years or more at school, that’s almost 15% of their lives, assuming an average lifetime of 80 years. So, in these 12 most important years of your life, the overall objective of getting education should be to make you self-sufficient and contribute positively to our socioeconomic system. However, we’ve been utilising less and less of what we learned in school lately, and now with time, we’ve uncovered new abilities that are critical to success but weren’t taught in school. Unfortunately, the present education system hasn’t done a particularly good job in the previous few decades. It’s adequate, but it could certainly be better in terms of efficiency and efficacy. 

By bringing out these shortcomings, we are trying to suggest that certain subjects should be brought to the classroom as positive, non-examinable additions to the normal classes that help students develop themselves beyond academics. Students’ brains would be more open to other cultures and ideas, they would gain essential skills for independent life, and they would be taught to appreciate and be more conscious of themselves and others.

Here’s a list of the subjects that should be added to our education system:

Financial Literacy  

The math that is taught in schools does not provide any direct benefits to anyone. You won’t need your geometry or algebra to pay your taxes, and you won’t have to use algebra at the grocery store. Those children who were not lucky enough to grow up in a family where money was handled responsibly will have a difficult time adjusting to life in the real world. Money management is a big mystery of life for those kids who have never had to deal with financial responsibilities.

How to budget so you can keep the lights on, what are deductibles and how to utilise them to balance your life financially, these are all extremely important skills that one must learn for themself. The greater concern is that, if not handled properly, a lack of awareness of how taxes operate can lead to significant difficulties. Credit cards (and their risks), saving ideas and interest rates, sensible methods to invest your money, taxes, and debt management should all be taught to teenagers.

Mental Health

Today, mental illness is a major problem in our society. Over 90 million Indians suffer from some mental illness- from ADHD to anxiety to depression. However, teenagers are almost never taught about these issues at school.

These figures are staggering, and our failure to address mental health issues is causing our society to become increasingly unstable. The fact that pharmaceutical firms are cashing in on this trend should serve as a stark reminder of how serious the problem is.

Schools have recently added a strong focus on physical fitness, which is fantastic, but mental health is just as essential. Especially for the youth! Stress management techniques, depression and addiction behaviors, and just knowing how to have open and transparent discussions about our mental health can only be beneficial. Young people are more likely to commit suicide, therefore encouraging teenagers to talk about their thoughts and worries from an early age would be a major step. Students need to learn how to look after themselves and their bodies. Understanding how your body functions, what it needs to run more efficiently and removing the taboo of mental illness by educating students about these topics is something that should be mandatory everywhere.

Sexual Education

Because teachers and educators or parents don’t want to have awkward talks with students, which they deem taboo in their own lives, the youngsters are left wondering and must fill in the blanks on their own. We’re left in a society with children having their own children due to a lack of adequate sexual education. You have no idea what you’re doing with your own life when you’re 16, so being the guiding light for a friend is absolutely not something you’re ready for.

Sexuality education offers good outcomes, such as enhancing young people’s understanding and attitudes about sexual and reproductive health and behaviours. Also, many topics like gender or sexual orientation of different people are a taboo in our country. Because of a lack of education in the society, there is wide unacceptance of the diversity of people. 

Schools can play a major role in removing this taboo and educating teenagers about topics that they usually learn about from the internet or other fellow friends (which at most times is either misunderstood or its incomplete information). It will also encourage the youth to grow with an inclusive and accepting attitude. While incorporating a comprehensive sex-ed curriculum, the main focus should be on instilling healthy sexual attitudes in children and young people, as well as giving them and their parents with the information they need to make educated and responsible decisions.

Though learning anything new is never a waste of time, you didn’t waste your time with those regular classes. If you learn social skills, finance management, and good mental health, you may improve your quality of life and mind. It’s worth rethinking what we teach and are taught in the classroom, as well as which courses could help kids prepare for life after school.