Shimon Peres: Education must focus on future, not past

At the 3rd Philanthropic Round Table, entitled ‘Hi-Teach=High-Tech+Philanthropy+Education’, President of Israel Shimon Peres expressed his view that the 21st century education process must be developed in such a way that learners discussed future in the first place.

“Why should children know about battles of Napoleon? They can read about it in the Internet. How to develop society without looking back at the clichés of the past – this is what teachers and ourselves must talk and think about”, he added.

In his opinion young people should not be overloaded with masses of useless facts. One of the main task of the education is to teach youth be charismatic, tolerant and be team players.

According to President Peres, educational institutions require reform in this respect. “Schools today are overly organised and overly bureaucratised”, he stressed.

Also, Shimon Peres saw knowledge of languages as the most important component of education. “Both native and English languages have to be taught almost from the cradle.”

In the opinion of Peres one of the leading parts in financing educational programs should belong to philanthropy, since public structures worldwide, as a general rule, lack funds and, very often, determination to act.

“Where to take the money from? I appealed to public structures. I told them that a certain program requires 2 million dollars. They replied: “Where do we take it from?” But when I appealed to philanthropists they parted with 50 million dollars with no problem”, he emphasized.

The general partner of the 3rd Philanthropic Round Table:
Western NIS Enterprise Fund

Partners of the 3rd Philanthropic Round Table:
Kyivstar
Microsoft