Towards a world-class 21st century school

THERE is an urgent need to transform our education system to ensure we have the right human capital to spearhead the nation’s future development. We badly need a visionary and a strong minister of education to make it happen. Allow me to share with your readers what makes up a world-class 21st century school based upon my comprehensive research and consulting experiences, including in the Middle East.
The 21st-century world is characterised by a knowledge-based economy, increasingly globalised and competitive world, fast-changing technology and high-performance workplaces (characterised primarily by a focus on quality products and services). Employers worldwide want “well-rounded” individuals who possess both hard skills (discipline-specific knowledge and skills) and the desired soft skills. Soft skills are non-technical and transferable intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and traits that are required to get a job and thrive in the workplace (besides life in general).
Academic qualifications and disciplinary knowledge no longer guarantee that an individual will get a job. Indeed, employers worldwide value soft skills more than academic qualifications when recruiting graduate employees. Simply put, the 21st century workplace does not require individuals who are “walking encyclopaedias” but rather self-reliant and resilient individuals who are achievement-oriented with high self-esteem; persuasive and effective communicators; emotionally intelligent; good problem solvers and decision makers with analytical and creative minds; fast and lifelong learners; good team players; and ethical with a high standard of integrity (morally intelligent).
Hence, a world-class 21st-century school must provide a holistic and quality education which empowers students to optimise their potential, thrive in the global workplace, function productively in society, and develop a passion for self-directed, self-reflective and lifelong learning. Teaching students how to learn and think is much more important than the traditional role of teachers (ie dispensing knowledge and promoting rote learning). In the 21st century school, teachers will function primarily as facilitators of learning and mentors. There is also the need to incorporate the latest technology into the classroom to improve student learning as we are dealing with digital learners in the 21st century. Blended learning (face-to-face instruction and e-learning) will reign supreme in 21st-century schooling.
Teaching exists to bring about quality learning which comprises four major components: promoting holistic development of students; empowering students to optimise their potential (self-actualisation); promoting deep learning and higher-order thinking skills (intellectual quality); and fostering self-directed, self-reflective, and lifelong learning. Simply put, a 21st-century school should focus on developing holistic (well-rounded) individuals with emphasis on cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence, moral intelligence, spiritual intelligence, physical well-being, and aesthetic aspect.
The critical success factors for a 21st century school are clear educational outcomes with a focus on student learning; holistic, broad-based and flexible curricula; emphasis on critical and creative thinking; active, authentic, and lifelong learning; a quality teaching workforce; transformational school leadership with a focus on instructional leadership (leadership that focuses on enhancing the quality of teaching and student learning); a nurturing school climate (positive teacher-student interaction, sense of caring and loving, cooperative learning, coaching students to optimise their potential); optimisation of e-learning; and forging a meaningful and strong partnership with parents and the community.
The proposed school vision is “Empowering students to optimise their potential, excel in the global workplace and to function productively in society.” Accordingly, the proposed school mission
is “We will provide a high-quality, holistic and state-of-the-art learning environment which empowers students to excel in the fast-changing and uncertain future world.”
The proposed five core school values are:
Excellence - Doing our best in everything we do;
Mutual respect - Treating people with respect and dignity;
Integrity - Demonstrating honesty, honouring commitments, and practising what we preach;
Collaboration and shared governance - Working together as a learning community; and
Continuous improvement - Challenging the status quo and seeking continually opportunities to innovate and improve.
The desired student attributes are having adequate understanding of disciplinary knowledge and skills; being self-confident and achievement-oriented; being persuasive and effective communicators; demonstrating integrity and high ethical standards; being self-directed, fast and lifelong learners; being resilient; demonstrating good interpersonal and teamwork skills; being good problem solvers with analytical and creative minds; and being computer and information literate.
In a nutshell, the proposed world-class 21st-century school will empower students to optimise their potential, excel in the global workplace, and to function productively as citizens of the world.
Learning will shift from rote learning to conceptual understanding (deep learning) and real-world applications (authentic learning); from classroom learning to lifelong learning; from students as passive learners to active learners; and from lower-order thinking to higher-order thinking. Above all, the focus of teaching will be broadened from intellectual development to total development of students.

Ranjit Singh Malhi
Kuala Lumpur