Breaking the Chains: Rethinking Education Beyond Productivity

From the moment we step into a classroom, a subtle idea is planted in our minds: we are here to prepare for the future, and that future is tied to work. Grades, discipline, and specific skills are presented as stepping stones to becoming "productive members of society." But what does it mean to be productive? And, more importantly, is that all school is meant to achieve?

To understand how we got here, we need to look back at history. Modern education systems were shaped during the Industrial Revolution, a time when society needed disciplined workers to fuel factories and economic growth. Schools became assembly lines for people, training them to follow schedules, obey authority, and perform tasks efficiently.

Even today, remnants of this system persist. Students are sorted by age, follow rigid timetables, and are graded on their ability to memorize and replicate information. The ultimate goal? To prepare them for the workforce, often at the expense of fostering critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

This view of education promotes a singular definition of success: obtaining a good job, earning a salary, and contributing to the economy. Students are rarely encouraged to question whether this path aligns with their passions, values, or dreams. Instead, they are told that their worth is tied to their productivity.

But what happens to those who don’t fit into this mold? The artists, the dreamers, the unconventional thinkers? Too often, they are left feeling inadequate because their talents don’t align with what society deems "useful."

At its core, education should be about much more than work. It should help individuals discover who they are, explore their potential, and develop the tools to lead fulfilling lives. Imagine a school where students are taught to question, to create, to collaborate, and to find meaning—not just to follow instructions or meet deadlines.

In such a system, success wouldn’t be measured by grades or job titles, but by personal growth, happiness, and the ability to contribute to a better world.

Despite its flaws, school also plays an important role in preparing individuals for coexistence. Spending years in a shared environment helps develop the ability to relate to others, understand personal limits, and manage conflicts. Interacting with classmates, teachers, and other figures teaches respect for differences, negotiation of needs, and the building of relationships based on collaboration.

This is a fundamental value of education that should not be overlooked but rather expanded. Social skills are integral to a meaningful and fulfilling life, just as important as technical or theoretical knowledge.

Critics of this idea argue that it’s impractical. “If schools stop preparing students for work, how will society function?” they ask. But this question assumes that the current system is functioning well, which is debatable. Burnout, job dissatisfaction, and inequality are widespread. Maybe the problem isn’t the lack of preparation, but the system itself.

Automation and artificial intelligence are already transforming the job market. As machines take over repetitive tasks, there is an opportunity to rethink work—and education along with it. Instead of training people to fit into a system, we can empower them to create their own paths.

What if schools focused on teaching students how to think, not what to think? What if creativity, empathy, and adaptability were as valued as math and science? What if the purpose of education was to help people live meaningful lives, rather than simply earning a living?

This shift would require courage and imagination. It would mean challenging deeply rooted beliefs about the role of work in our lives and the purpose of education. But the reward would be a generation of individuals who are not just workers, but thinkers, creators, and agents of change.

It’s time to question the illusion that school is only about preparing for production. Education should be a journey of discovery, not a conveyor belt to the workplace. By redefining its purpose, we can create a world where learning is about more than survival—it’s about thriving.