By Sawen Sulaiman –Educator & MSc in business and Management

 Why students feel disconnected from school?

During 2025, the education sector is facing an overlooked crisis, not in lack of technology, not in financing, but in connection within the school. As a Teacher who deals closely with today’s teenage Students, I have come to understand that Many students no longer take school as a meaningful part of their future; they are surrounded by a lot of or endless information. But they seem not to be engaged with learning anymore. They are attending classes, but their minds are elsewhere or busy with social media trends. Well, this isn’t laziness. It’s good. It’s not a lack of education. It’s a sign that something deeper is broken in the classrooms. All students around the world are asking: Why should I care? Why should I study this? I already know this topic, and more criticism, unfortunately, schools give them no clear answer.

A generation that learns differently

Teenagers of today are smart, bold and exposed to ideas that speed we never imagined. They are all content creators, entrepreneurs and early learners. Many of them are already considering careers, launching a side hustle, or questioning the traditional path that starts with school and ends with a degree. They don’t see school as their only option anymore. because, for today’s world, this could be true. In several respects, this education system hasn’t evolved to meet their needs. which is still teaching for the test, still rewards memorisation, and still penalization failure instead of embarrassing it as a part of growth. The truth is, we cannot teach these students the way we were taught before because it’s two different worlds and generations. They don’t just need knowledge, they need purpose.

Misapplying AI is not the problem, but misunderstanding it is the Problem

One of the biggest changes I have observed is the way students interact with the AI ( artificial intelligence). Tools, like AI ( artificial intelligence), are now part of their daily learning. Besides learning, it is also being used everywhere, all the social media apps have made AI a crucial part of their service, learning applications, working places,......, and while this is a powerful opportunity, it’s also a dangerous shortcut when misapplied.

Students use AI to skip the thinking. They ask it to write, to solve, to summarise, and they move on. They forget that learning is not just about having answers. It’s just about understanding those answers.  AI ( artificial intelligence) should not replace their mind. It should extend them, but unfortunately, the use of AI is being misunderstood by them.

Well, it’s our job as educators to teach students how to use  AI ( artificial intelligence) responsibly. Not just for convenience, but for creativity, extending their knowledge and collaboration, we need to shift the conversation from (don’t use it to use it wisely. because we cannot make them not use it, because actually, we’re also using it as well, and we cannot control this. This is what the whole education sector, from schools to universities dealing with, still there is still no solution for that.

Reimagining the classroom from frustration to a sense of belonging

Today’s students are easy to get bored. But boredom isn’t the problem. It’s the symptom. When learning feels disconnected from life, when it’s all teaching, no action, students will shut down or lose interest.

That’s why, as a teacher, I have reshaped my teaching techniques around activity-based learning. I create opportunities for students to interact to move to create to debate, and design, according to their view of what they want. I have seen reluctant learners suddenly light up during a team challenge. I have seen a silent student find their voice through storytelling. When the students do, they will remember. When they are engaged, they care. learning does not require loudness or flashing; it needs to be real.

Creativity must be central, not optional

However, we are raising a generation that will not adapt quickly, think independently, and solve problems creatively. But the majority of the schools are still structured to produce uniformity, not originality.

We always say that we want innovators, but instead of this, we reward conformity. We always say that we value ideas, but unfortunately, we priorities scores. If we really want students to think differently, then we must stop punishing differences. That's why we need to create space for experimentation, risk-taking, and even failures, because that's exactly where real growth begins.

Let’s talk about leadership in every classroom

Education reform isn’t just about policy. It began in the classroom. All the teachers are a leader. Education leadership today means being open, flexible, and brave to try something new, even though when the system is resisting it.

which It means school should not be recognizing by control. It has to be about discovery. When students feel respected, seen, and challenged, they will show up, not just intellectually, but also mentally and emotionally. well that how the magic happens.

Seventh: We cannot hide the truth- school just is not enough

As educators, let's not pretend that students do not hear what the world is saying. They already know that some of the most famous and successful people did not finish college. They have understood the message that old or traditional education does not guarantee them success all the time. But they are right. The world is changing every day, and schools should catch up. But that does not mean we drop out of school. We need to show students that school is not just preparation for life, But It’s life itself. It’s a place where you build confidence, collaborate, ask questions and explore, make mistakes, and learn who you are. When the school becomes a place of growth, no stress, no memorisation, then why would students say they should care? They will show you that they already care and are interested.

Final message:

The meaning and importance of school must be felt, not imposed. From my point of view, school can be important again, not because we say so, but because we perceive it to be so. Let’s give students a purpose for being present, not in terms of obligation, but in terms of purpose. It is time to stop teaching for the test and start teaching for a change. Let’s take AI ( artificial intelligence), creativity, and entrepreneurship, not as a threat, but as a tool. Most importantly, let’s meet this generation where they are, with empathy, flexibility, and hope. The future is not coming. It’s in our classrooms now. And our duty is not to control it, but with the aim of nurturing.