#School

A curriculum reform is a ceremonial act of affixing fresh labels to the vessel of education, conveniently obscuring the indelible interests of the powers that be. It demands high-level skills in averting one’s gaze from classroom chaos while conjuring an illusion of progress through glossy posters and polished presentations. Teachers and students become sacrificial offerings, lulled into a state of temporary novelty until the next grand unveiling. Driven by the twin pillars of catchphrases and slide decks, this annual pageant invariably culminates in the triumph of the status quo. At its essence, curriculum reform is less about learning and more about preserving the pretense of change.

Educational inequality is a curious magic trick where the height of classroom ceilings is calibrated by the contents of one’s wallet. The louder one proclaims the right to learn, the thicker the walls become between ideal and reality. Children of the affluent swim in seas of high-speed Wi-Fi, while the underprivileged wander deserts of weak signals. Beyond the school gate plastered with equality slogans lurks a toll booth demanding tuition fees. Freedom to learn, it seems, must pass through the toll gate of capital.

A school friend is a fellow participant in the closed social experiment of classrooms, compelled to acknowledge each other in a collective illusion. During lessons they peek at textbooks side by side; at recess they perform a secret solidarity. But once exams conclude, friendships vanish as swiftly as bad grades. The moment diplomas release their hold, they board separate high-speed trains. Ultimately, friendship is no more than a collage of time and memories. When the final act of school theater ends, the audience members applaud alone.