Guest Articles

We have become accustomed to a particular idea of what school should look like. Children attend at a set time, follow a prescribed timetable, learn in a particular way and progress at a pace largely determined by the institution. For many, this works perfectly well. But what happens when it doesn't?

And, perhaps more importantly, why are we still so reluctant to question the model itself?

Last year, I was approached by Natalie Lauren, who was crowdfunding a short film called Unauthorised Absence. She wanted to know whether I would support the project. Having heard the story, I didn't hesitate.

The film tells the story of a child pushed out of the education system through no fault of their own, and a parent left feeling that somehow they are to blame. Rather than addressing the underlying issues, families can find themselves facing pressure to get their child back into school, often without anyone properly considering why that child is struggling in the first place.

It is a story I have encountered thousands of times through my work in education.

As executive producer, I have been proud to support a film that brings this experience into the open. Unauthorised Absence has released its trailer and attracted significant recognition, including a place on the longlist for an Oscar. It is a remarkable achievement for a short film, but its real importance lies in the conversations it has the potential to start.

A system should serve the people within it

I want to be clear that this is not an argument against traditional schools. There are excellent schools, exceptional teachers and countless children who thrive in conventional educational environments.

The problem is assuming that one model can work equally well for everyone.

Children are individuals. They have different interests, abilities, personalities, challenges and ambitions. Their family circumstances are different, too. Some are managing additional learning needs. Others are dealing with anxiety, health challenges, family changes or demanding commitments outside the classroom. Some simply learn better in a different environment.

Yet, too often, the expectation remains that the child must adapt.

When they cannot, the consequences can be significant. A child who struggles to attend becomes labelled as disengaged. A parent who questions whether the current provision is appropriate can feel they are being difficult. A young person who needs a different approach can end up feeling that they are the problem.

We need to challenge that thinking.

Education should not be measured solely by attendance figures, examination results or how effectively a school can deliver a predetermined timetable. These things have their place, but they do not tell us everything about whether a child is learning, developing or enjoying their education.

The future needs more flexibility, not lower expectations

One of the biggest misconceptions about alternative education is that flexibility means compromising on academic standards.

It doesn't.

At Minerva Virtual Academy, we have built our model around the belief that students can achieve highly while learning in a more flexible environment. Through live teaching, independent study, regular mentoring and a strong sense of community, we aim to give students the structure and support they need without insisting that every child follows exactly the same route.

Flexibility is not about doing less. It is about finding a better way to enable each student to do their best.

This is particularly relevant as we look at the future of education internationally. Here in the Middle East, families have their own expectations and challenges. The region has a diverse and ambitious education landscape, with parents increasingly looking for provision that reflects their children's individual needs, international lifestyles and future aspirations.

The circumstances depicted in Unauthorised Absence may be rooted in the challenges facing some families in the UK. I would not suggest that they represent the experience of every family or education system in this region.

But the wider question is universal: are we designing education around the needs of children and families, or asking children and families to fit around the structures we have inherited?

That is a question worth asking everywhere.

Technology can change how we teach, but people must remain at the centre

There is understandably enormous excitement about artificial intelligence and the role technology will play in education. The potential is significant. We are moving towards a world where learning can become more personalised, where students can receive more immediate feedback and where teachers can identify and respond to individual needs more effectively.

But technology alone will not solve the challenges facing education.

A child who is anxious, isolated or struggling to engage does not simply need a more sophisticated learning platform. They need someone who understands them, recognises when something is wrong and knows how to help.

The future of education must combine the opportunities offered by technology with the relationships that make learning meaningful. Teachers, mentors and pastoral teams will remain essential. In fact, as technology takes on more of the routine elements of education, the human side of teaching may become even more important.

We should be using innovation to give educators more time to understand their students, not creating further distance between them.

Changing the conversation

One of the reasons I supported Unauthorised Absence was that I wanted to help bring greater awareness to the experiences of families who too often feel unheard.

For too long, conversations about school attendance have focused on getting children back through the school gates. We also need to ask why they left, what could have been done differently and what needs to change to prevent other families experiencing the same thing.

We cannot keep punishing families for shortcomings in a system that was never designed to accommodate every child.

I would love to see Unauthorised Absence reach a much wider audience, including educators, school leaders, parents, policymakers and business leaders who recognise the importance of education to our future.

As members of the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai, we have an opportunity to be part of a wider conversation about the future of education and the role we can all play in making it more responsive to the needs of children and families.

I invite BCCD members and followers to watch the trailer below and get in touch with us to view the full film. I hope it will encourage you to reflect on the experiences of families navigating education today and the changes we need to see for the next generation.

Because this is not simply an education issue. It is about the wellbeing of our children, the aspirations of our families and the future of our communities.

Ultimately, I believe we need to stop asking how we can get every child to fit into the education system and start asking how we can build an education system that works for every child.

That doesn't mean one school, one model or one solution. It means recognising that there should be choice, that different approaches have a valuable place and that the measure of a successful education should be what it enables a young person to become.

We have an opportunity to rethink some of the assumptions that have shaped education for generations. As business leaders, parents and members of a community committed to progress, we should take it.

Because education exists for children and families. Children and families do not exist to serve the education system.

Author: Hugh Viney, CEO, Minerva Virtual Academy