Changes I hope to see in education over the next 10 years by Uchechi

Changes I hope to see in education over the next 10 years by Uchechi - July 2022 Scholarship Essay

I hope to see changes in education that prioritize students’ mental health to the same degree as their physical well-being. Although schools have already begun implementing measures to aid students’ mental health with the incorporation of ‘mental wellness days’, I do believe that there is more that can be done. I hope that mental health and its importance is something that is not only talked about from time to time but is actually incorporated into the syllabi and taught to students. Particularly, emphasizing the effect that one’s mental health can have on their physical health and vice versa. I believe this to be important as when students feel that they as human beings are valued in this way, it increases not just their motivation for schoolwork but also fosters healthier educational environments.
Another change that I hope to see in education is one that removes the ranking of different educational fields. For example, STEM fields are seen to be harder, and hence, more valuable fields to go into for educational purposes. Being an uprising senior at college, I am constantly seeing the debates between STEM majors and non-STEM majors on who has it harder, and there is no doubt that this stems from the fact that the educational system has framed STEM fields as being more “valuable” or “important” to society. I believe it is important that the value of different fields in education is recognized, and that one is not placed over the other. But rather, emphasis is put on the importance of various fields in the workings of society as a whole.
Finally, I would like to see more diverse individuals, in race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ethnic background, amongst others in education. Being a Black Queer Woman, this is something that I know others from diverse backgrounds always notice. It is motivating when you see other people with backgrounds similar to yours, doing the things that you have an interest in. It is an extremely validating experience to see people like yourself in various places and is one that more privileged people might take for granted as it is seen as the ‘norm’. There needs to be more of an active push in education to incorporate people from various backgrounds, as these people do not just act as diversity points, but it is through this representation, that the needs of a wide array of people can be met.