Rebuilding the Future – What Can Parents, Educators, and Institutions Do Differently?

In Part 1, we looked at the intense grip of the coaching industry on Indian education. In Part 2, we contrasted it with more holistic systems like UC Berkeley’s, which value personality, direction, and potential — not just performance. Now, we come to the most important question of all:

What can we do differently?

Let’s begin with parents. As parents, we all want the best for our children. But in this process, we must be careful not to confuse “pressure” with “preparation.” Children today are not just carrying schoolbags — they’re carrying our expectations, often without the tools to understand or express themselves.

Ask yourself:

• Are you giving your child space to fail safely — and learn from it?

• Are you encouraging curiosity as much as marks?

• Are you spending time knowing who your child really is, beyond their test scores?

Next, educators. Teachers and school leaders must reclaim their rightful place in the learning journey. When schools become passive record-keepers and leave the “real education” to private coaching institutes, we are not just outsourcing teaching — we are outsourcing accountability.

Let us:

• Focus on creating meaningful classroom experiences that make students think, reflect, and apply.

• Create emotional safe spaces, not just academic ones.

• Redesign assessments to reward exploration, not just correctness.

  
  

Finally, institutions — like ours at NSBT. It is our duty to reimagine education for what it truly is: a preparation for life, not a factory for rank-holders. We need to build environments where students are not trained to perform, but are inspired to grow. Where the definition of success is broad, human, and lasting.

Let us make room for internships, mentorships, dialogue, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world projects. Let us partner with industries not just to place students, but to help shape thinkers and doers.

Because if we don’t ask tough questions now, we risk building a future where degrees exist — but direction does not.

The time to rethink education is not five years from now. It is today.