3 minute read
From the Headmaster’s Desk
Education is inherently an optimistic endeavour. It is found on the assumption that humans can improve. We can expand our understanding of mathematics and language and science and the way the world works. We can develop our appreciation of the arts and music and ask ourselves big questions about our purpose in life and how to achieve fulfilment. And by increasing the competence of each student, we aim to produce people who have the skills to tackle the problems the world faces.
In that sense, education is always future-focused. The work we do now is designed to increase our students’ choices and capacity in the future. Our belief is that what they learn now will enable them to lead productive and useful lives. And beyond even that, our ultimate purpose is to shape what happens next, to change the world to make it a better place. We hope to educate our students to take an interest in the world, and the issues we face, and to have the desire and the skills to tackle those issues and to make a difference. The issues we face – political, social, environmental – are serious and complex ones, and they need serious and capable people to tackle them. And we need to educate our young people to feel that they have the power to tackle them.
We should not underestimate just how interested and passionate our young people are about their world. Greta Thunberg started a global movement that now places great pressure on governments all around the world to tackle climate change. Recently we have seen young people in Russia take to the streets at great personal risk to protest their government’s actions in Ukraine. In our own School, our students have shown they too have the desire and capacity to change things.
Our environmental group, Towards2050, has successfully lobbied for a large solar plant, vegetable and flower gardens and beehives in our own school. They helped us to deal with our rubbish more effectively. Our Rotary Interact Group takes on significant and important causes each year to tackle social justice and inequity. Many students are showing entrepreneurial flair and skill by starting online businesses and endeavours. I have enormous faith in our students and am excited by what they might achieve.
But more important even than these great causes is our goal to educate our students to be good men, who are kind and empathetic to all, who care about each other and those who are less fortunate than they are, who look for opportunities to help where they can, who search for non-violent solutions in the face of disagreement, who will protect the weak, give voice to those who cannot speak and feel comfortable enough in their own skin to accept those who are different from them. If we can help our students evolve into these types of people, we will be shaping the world in the ways that matter most. And while we remain future-focused and ambitious to effect change, we recognise that our journey into the future begins in this moment, in the things we do each day to make our community a kinder, gentler, more accepting one. Shaping the future begins today.
Dr Paul Hicks
Headmaster
