EDITORIAL
“ Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking
what no one else has thought ”
Einstein
-Albert
I
n today’s knowledge economy where intellectual property is valued more than
physical resources, there is a huge need for individuals who are creative prob-
lem solvers and develop their own novel ideas to drive the next generation of
technological innovations. Creativity is an indispensable quality in all professions
including engineering and should grow up in importance with the growing scope
of the challenges ahead and the complexity and the diversity of the technologies.
Although the standard engineering curriculum in the universities encourages
innovation and offers courses or programs to foster creativity, students often
feel that their creative behaviour has been actively discouraged in the previous
stages of their education.
In the elementary education system, year after year, the students are expected
to memorize backwards-looking knowledge to pass tests – and then they quickly
forget what they have learned. And, today it is not only students who are judged
by standardized test scores but also their teachers, leading many to “teach to
the test” rather than allowing students to explore ideas and apply concepts to
the real world. In my point of view, today’s education system wipes out critical
thinking and obliterate creativity to a particular extent. As a consequence of
this, when children grow up to become trustworthy citizens who would hold the
responsibilities of an entire society in their hands, they would begin to see fewer
possibilities when they should be seeing more.
A student needs permission, confidence and the space to be creative. If the edu-
cation system fulfils these three requirements, the right culture to encourage cre-
ativity is fostered. The final outcome of such a system will be a group of people
who are willing to face challenges and are more innovative. It is important that
the students are guided to eschew boundaries and limits and open themselves
up to the endless possibilities. I believe that all the students should be allowed
to “think outside the box” where “sky’s the limit”.
There’s no doubt that the current education system should undergo certain chang-
es, but it’s time for every individual to think differently and change themselves to
suit the present need for innovations. Or else, if it is a group of nerds without fresh
ideas who would be graduating and taking the future, the society will lack novel and
revolutionary ideas and will, therefore, move forward at a slower pace.
Niwansa Bandara
EDITOR
Senior Treasurer
Dr. Manjula Sandirigama
President
Chanaka Hettige
Vice President
Charana Udugama
Namila Bandara
Secretary
Kavin Ranawella
Editor
Niwasna Bandara
Junior Treasurer
Mahendra Bandara
Committee Members
Pasindu Perera
Naveena Jayarathne
Kasun Thennakoon
Kanishka Randunu
Minoli Suriyapperuma
Prabath Herath
Designers
Hashan Dassanayaka
Kalana Dhananjaya
Cover photo
Lakshan Madhushanka
ENGINEERING
STUDENTS’S PUBLICATION
SOCIETY,
Faculty of Engineering,
University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka.
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