The 20th century model of education promised a path for talent to rise through the ranks and for everyone else to find their place in society on the labour markets. But decades of research have confirmed what many found through their own experiences: that this promise was never fulfilled. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated already existing problems and it may be just the opening act of much deeper crises.
It is clear that there isn’t an old educational normal to return to; the old ways were clearly flawed. But how to go forward? In this focal point, initiated by our partner journal La Revue nouvelle, we look into matters of access and inequality, concerns about labour markets and the rapidly changing knowledge production, to map the factors that could inform a better design for our schools.
