If we want to raise a generation capable of thinking more critically, we must teach our students what politics truly means. Any education recovery plan for Curaçao should give political awareness an important place in the curriculum.
Many young people see politics as something far removed from their personal lives, something that happens in Parliament, within political parties or in government. Politics can also seem complicated. However, politics does not begin only when someone becomes a minister or holds political office. At its core, politics is about making decisions and understanding their consequences.
Children begin making decisions at an early age. They choose how to behave at school, whom to associate with and how to spend their time. When a student decides to skip school without a valid reason, that student makes a choice with consequences. When the same student learns to plan ahead, complete homework and take responsibility for fulfilling obligations, those decisions also influence their future.
Of course, making personal decisions is not the same as participating in politics within a democratic society. Nevertheless, it provides an important starting point for understanding how choices, responsibilities, interests and consequences are connected.
Why don't we teach young people to understand politics by starting with their own experiences?
We can begin in the classroom by discussing situations at home and at school, encouraging students to reflect on questions such as: Who makes a particular decision? Who bears the consequences? Whose interests are involved? And what happens when we leave others to deal with the consequences of our own decisions?
More importantly, we should not teach students what to think politically, but rather how to think critically and independently.
They must learn to examine different perspectives, evaluate arguments, dare to ask questions, remain skeptical by looking for evidence before accepting claims, and ultimately reach their own conclusions.
Teaching political awareness in students' own language would also make politics more accessible and easier to understand. By connecting political concepts to their everyday experiences and interests, students can gradually develop a deeper understanding of the society and democracy in which they live.
For this reason, an education recovery plan must go beyond addressing learning gaps or adjusting examination regulations. It should also contribute to developing responsible citizens who understand that they are not merely members of society but individuals capable of influencing their own development and the world around them.
A generation of critical thinkers does not emerge automatically. It develops when we teach young people to think independently, ask questions, accept responsibility and recognize that social change begins with conscious actions.
Politics begins with ourselves. And the future of our democracy begins in our classrooms.
Eugène Maduro
Teacher & Entrepreneur