The Curriculum of the Future School

A surprisingly large number of people recall with bitterness in their hearts (heads, mouths) how they struggled with mathematics, physics and chemistry at school. All of that is "rubbish" and absolutely none of it is needed in life. In the modern, 21st-century school, infantility must be preserved to as advanced an age as possible. But most importantly - no homework, no cramming, no effort. Everything must have elements of play. Always bear in mind that the main thing at school is not the lessons, but free lunches and school milk, preferably without the Q fever component. Then, when the child reaches adulthood, it is switched with an invisible switch to a different reality - the reality of survival. Sorry, childhood is over, now you, dear citizen, are a voter.

On the other hand, with the fervent cry on their lips "life is long, there is still time to work", the most active parents could use the civic initiative platform manabalss.lv to propose raising the threshold of adulthood from eighteen to, say, twenty-six, and in the longer term to thirty-five. Because, as it happens, for a large part of these active parents "life only began after thirty". For some, of course, only after forty, fifty or even sixty, but those are a minority. But well, everything in order.

Listening to the speeches of MPs, I hear the wise thought that all the problems an adult faces should begin to be prepared for at school. Bearing in mind that school must be inclusive - such that not only the "smart kids" get a kick out of new knowledge, but that hooligans, aspiring businessmen and criminals find their place there too. In reality, so that the "smart kids" with their brilliant knowledge do not mess up the fun of hanging out (ahem, apologies - learning) for those whose heads are not quite as bright, horns must be pressed into the feathers well in advance. An illustrative example is Annija from Bauska, who was set to go to the international mathematics olympiad in Thailand. Like a bolt from the blue came a letter from the National Centre for Education, which in an officiously stoic tone explained - there is no money for such attractions. Meanwhile, a Ministry of Education official was quick to delight TV viewers with a wide smile on her face, explaining that this situation has been the case since 2009, because as it happens the ministry also has "other" priorities - probably meaning, for example, the skola.lv portal worth 3.55 million EUR flushed down the drain.

Taking into account the above, satisfying the constantly growing needs of parents and politicians, bearing in mind the slogans "sustainable development" and "creative personality", I have sketched out a list of what the curriculum of the future school might look like:

1. Physical education (preferably every day, two hours at a time);
2. Christian ethics (Lutheran. Depending on the geopolitical situation, also Orthodox).
3. Children's and women's rights (rights belong only to children and women; men have only duties).
4. Psychology (using tests to find one's place in the "big" life).
5. Nutrition science (somehow must drum it in that one should eat boiled vegetables and without salt).
6. Computer science (oriented towards mastering MS Office 97).
7. Sex education (preferably based on the book "The Day Kārlis Was Karlīna").
8. Patriotic education (learning to stand at memorials with solemn faces).
9. History of Latvia (no need to stuff one's head with dates and the surnames of unknown uncles).
10. Media literacy and critical thinking (in essence - distorted political education).
11. Music (in principle, preparing for the Students' Song Festival, which one will never actually attend).
12. Manual skills (for boys - being able to patch holes in pockets; for girls - hammering in the last nail).
13. Geography (so one can find Ireland and Antarctica on a globe).
14. Economics (all the varieties of quick-credit misery must be mastered).

Since the Education Law stipulates that there may be no more than 34 hours per week, it is assumed that with such a curriculum there will be no place for such trifles as mathematics, physics or chemistry. If the timetable still cannot be filled, one can tack on literature (modern, of course) and interdisciplinary experiments (the kind where something catches fire). Having mastered such a general education programme, matriculated school graduates, thanks to the skills and abilities acquired, will be an irreplaceable and invaluable support in the broad labour market, on the path to the growth of the Latvian economy and the welfare of the working people!