Education, Schooling, and the Lost Child: A Thought-Provoking Reflection

“A child educated only at school is an uneducated child.”

George Santayana wrote these words many years ago, but they seem even more relevant in today’s world. Is our modern education system truly shaping the next generation, or is it erasing the very qualities that make children unique, curious, and connected to their roots?

The International School Paradox

Today, international schools are seen as gateways to global success. They offer fancy campuses, polished teachers, and promises of shaping “world citizens.” But underneath the surface, a troubling reality can emerge:

• Disconnected from Reality: Many children in these schools learn from a standard curriculum designed to make them “fit in” globally. Local culture, history, and patriotism often become side topics, buried deep in the syllabus.

• Loss of Natural Intelligence: Creativity, street-smart thinking, and emotional intelligence—the things children naturally possess—can get sidelined. Instead, they are pushed to memorize, comply, and repeat.

• Selfish Individualism: With competition and personal achievement put above community and compassion, children may grow up insulated from the everyday struggles and values of their homeland.

• Unpatriotic Mindset: If one’s country and its unique story are ignored or reduced to a few paragraphs in a textbook, love and respect for it may never take root.

What True Education Could Be

Education isn’t just about exams or degrees. True education happens in parks and kitchens, on the playground and in conversation with grandparents. It teaches children how to think, not just what to think—how to value others, and how to value themselves.

Children need:

• Exposure to Real Life: Experiences outside the classroom—working, volunteering, exploring the natural world.

• Sense of Identity: Connecting to their community and understanding its flaws and beauty.

• Space for Curiosity: Room to ask questions and challenge ideas, not simply to memorize information.

The Price We Pay

When schooling becomes a factory producing people who think and act the same, we lose something vital: the ability to grow wise, kind, and truly educated citizens. International schools, with all their polish, sometimes forget that the roots of intelligence, patriotism, and empathy are grown outside their walls.

In Today’s Era

Santayana’s warning rings louder than ever. If we rely only on institutions to educate, we risk raising generations who may have perfect grades but lack wisdom, character, and soul. We should look beyond classrooms, value the lessons of life, and ensure that education helps children grow into thoughtful, grounded, and connected people.

---

Let us remember: the best education is never limited to school. It is found in the world, our values, our culture, and our daily lives.