Rethinking Education, Rethinking our Society!

Written by Victor Ciunca (Twitter – @VictorCiuncaMYP)

In May, I had the opportunity to participate in the Ideas World Cup, a global competition where people contributed ideas to overcome the various problems that arose during COVID-19. I sent in 4 ideas, of which, 2 reached the semi-finals. One of them was about rethinking the educational system, and the other about agricultural development.

Due to the problems in education during the pandemic, my idea of rethinking education was supported by Cardiff Youth Council, Cardiff Commitment and Councillor Sarah Merry (Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Education for Cardiff Council). I was invited to attend an Education Development Board (EDB) meeting, where I had the opportunity to present my idea of rethinking the education system.

During this meeting I discussed various factors such as; how information is provided to students, increasing students’ interest in seeking out-of-school opportunities such as work experience, or unforeseen situations to consider (Covid-19). I also discussed adapting to the new generations, to the real problems that young people face or will face in the future.

Researchers have shown that not all children can work well in a team, that there are children who are more creative on their own; sometimes their skills and creativity could be limited due to the structure of the school.

Finally, I talked about my own experience as a student at GCSE level. Probably the biggest damage COVID -19 caused to young people in the UK was the cancellation of the GCSE and A-Level exams. You prepare for months in a row, and a month and a half before the first exam, you find out they’re cancelled, that there will be no Prom, and today is your last day in High School. I believe that education should focus on a young people’s emotional development, change of thinking, and openness to the world around him. Students need to be encouraged, given opportunities, taught to see more than one answer and to think from all points of view!

After this meeting, I decided to put forward my idea of rethinking education as a motion for the Make Your Mark Ballot as I am one of the Members of the UK Youth Parliament (MYPs) for Cardiff. All the problems that arose during this period show that there is a need to rethink education, to digitalise it. The latest update I’ve had (at the time of writing) is that my motion has passed the British Youth Council filter and will soon be discussed by other MYPs at the September Annual Virtual Conference and I hope it will be one of the motions to be discussed in the House of Common this year.

In conclusion, I believe that rethinking education is a necessity and I am glad that I had the opportunity to represent Cardiff Youth Council at the Cardiff EDB meeting and that I had an excellent dialogue with the board members who supported my idea.

Ailfeddwl am Addysg

Ailfeddwl am Addysg, Ailfeddwl am ein Cymdeithas!

Ysgrifenwyd gan Victor Ciunca (Trydar – @VictorCiuncaMYP)

Ym mis Mai, cefais gyfle i gymryd rhan yng Nghwpan Syniadau’r Byd, cystadleuaeth fyd-eang lle roedd pobl yn cyfrannu syniadau i oresgyn y problemau amrywiol a gododd yn ystod COVID-19.  Cyflwynais 4 syniad, a chyrhaeddodd 2 ohonynt y rownd gynderfynol. Roedd un o’r syniadau’n ymwneud ag ailystyried y system addysg, a’r llall am ddatblygiadau amaethyddol.

Oherwydd y problemau mewn addysg yn ystod y pandemig, cafodd fy syniad ynghylch ailfeddwl am addysg gefnogaeth gan Gyngor Ieuenctid Caerdydd, Addewid Caerdydd a’r Cynghorydd Sarah Merry (Dirprwy Arweinydd ac Aelod y Cabinet dros Addysg Cyngor Caerdydd). Cefais fy ngwahodd i fynd i gyfarfod y Bwrdd Datblygu Addysg, lle cefais gyfle i gyflwyno fy syniad ynghylch ailystyried y system addysg.

Yn ystod y cyfarfod hwn, trafodais ffactorau amrywiol megis; sut mae gwybodaeth yn cael ei rhoi i fyfyrwyr, cynyddu diddordeb myfyrwyr mewn chwilio am gyfleoedd y tu allan i’r ysgol, fel profiad gwaith er enghraifft, neu sefyllfaoedd nad oes modd eu rhagweld i’w hystyried (Covid-19). Trafodais hefyd fesurau i addasu i’r cenedlaethau newydd, ac addasu i’r problemau go iawn mae pobl ifanc yn eu hwynebu nawr neu y byddant yn eu hwynebu yn y dyfodol.

Mae ymchwilwyr wedi dangos na all pob plentyn weithio’n dda mewn tîm, bod plant sy’n fwy creadigol ar eu pennau eu hunain; weithiau gall eu sgiliau a’u creadigrwydd gael eu cyfyngu oherwydd strwythur yr ysgol.

Yn olaf, siaradais am fy mhrofiad fy hun fel myfyriwr lefel TGAU. Mae’n debyg mai’r niwed mwyaf achosodd COVID -19 i bobl ifanc y DU oedd canslo’r arholiadau TGAU a Safon Uwch. Rydych chi’n paratoi am fisoedd lawer, a mis a hanner cyn yr arholiad cyntaf, rydych chi’n clywed eu bod yn cael eu canslo, na fydd Prom, ac mai heddiw yw eich diwrnod olaf yn yr Ysgol Uwchradd. Rwy’n credu y dylai addysg ganolbwyntio ar ddatblygiad emosiynol pobl ifanc, newid ffyrdd o feddwl a pheri iddyn nhw fod yn agored i’r byd o’u hamgylch. Mae angen annog myfyrwyr, rhoi cyfleoedd iddyn nhw, eu haddysgu i weld mwy nag un ateb ac i ystyried pob safbwynt!

Ar ôl y cyfarfod hwn, penderfynais gyflwyno fy syniad ynghylch ailfeddwl am addysg fel cynnig ar gyfer Pleidlais Gwneud Eich Marc gan fy mod yn un o Aelodau Senedd Ieuenctid y DU (ASI) dros Gaerdydd. Mae’r holl broblemau a gododd yn ystod y cyfnod hwn yn dangos bod angen ailystyried addysg, ei gwneud yn fwy digidol.  Y diweddaraf hyd yn hyn (ar adeg ysgrifennu’r adroddiad hwn) yw bod fy nghynnig wedi pasio hidlydd Cyngor Ieuenctid Prydain ac y bydd yn cael ei drafod cyn bo hir gan ASIau eraill yng Nghynhadledd Rithwir Flynyddol mis Medi ac rwy’n gobeithio y bydd yn un o’r cynigion gaiff eu trafod yn y Tŷ Cyffredin eleni.

I gloi, credaf fod ailfeddwl am addysg yn angenrheidiol ac rwyf yn falch i fi gael y cyfle i gynrychioli Cyngor Ieuenctid Caerdydd yng nghyfarfod Bwrdd Datblygu Addysg Caerdydd a ‘mod i wedi cael trafodaeth ardderchog gydag aelodau’r bwrdd a gefnogodd fy syniad.