From preschool to university, we go through so many different courses and subjects. Some of them make sense, but honestly, some just feel like a complete waste of time. Sometimes I just sit and wonder, who even designed this whole system? Like, was the goal to really help us learn or just to stress us?
I'm not saying education isn’t important. It really is. Education opens the mind, helps us reason better and prepares us for life. But the problem is what we’re being taught and how much of it we’re forced to take. If we’re being honest, not all the courses we study in school are necessary.
For example, in secondary school, we had to study Civic Education and Social Studies as two separate subjects. But when you look at it closely, they’re saying basically the same thing. They both talk about society, values, responsibilities, and being a good citizen. Why not merge them into one course and save students the stress?
Same goes for university. Some courses like Use of English or General Studies just feel like repetitions. We did English from primary all the way through secondary, so why again in 100 level? Instead of repeating grammar and letter writing, they should just teach us how to write a proper CV, send a professional email or even speak publicly, something more useful in the real world.
Another issue is forcing students to learn things that have nothing to do with their future career. Like, a science student being made to study Fine Art or Agriculture, when all they want to do is work in a lab. Or an art student learning complex physics they’ll never use. I understand that we should be exposed to many fields, but not to the point where it becomes irrelevant.
Some of these subjects should honestly be optional. Let students pick what aligns with their future goals. And while we’re at it, why are we not being taught how to save money, how to manage stress, or how to use tech tools that are already ruling the world? These are things we deal with everyday, yet schools ignore them like they don’t matter.
Our education system is still too old-fashioned. We’re in 2025 but some schools still teach content from 1980. The world is moving, jobs are changing, and technology is taking over. Yet our curriculum is still stuck in the past. We should be learning things that matter in today’s world, not just cramming outdated facts for exams.
It’s time we face the truth. Not all school courses are important. Some should be removed, some should be merged, and others should be replaced with life-applicable skills. If education is really meant to prepare us for life, then let’s make it practical, useful and relevant.
At the end of the day, school shouldn’t just be about passing exams. It should be about preparing us to live, work, think and survive in the real world. That’s what really matters.
