The contemporary educational landscape is characterized by a powerful and persistent call for adaptation. Educators and institutions are urged to embrace technological disruption, respond to shifting economic demands, and adopt data-driven models of “personalised learning.” While these imperatives shape policy and classroom practice, their velocity and pervasiveness risk eclipsing a more fundamental enquiry into the purpose of education itself. 

This panel will critically examine the assumption underlying the “future-ready” agenda. Moving beyond a reactive stance, the discussion will re-centre foundational questions about what education is for. The session is structured to bridge education enquiry with the concrete challenges faced by educational practitioners and leaders, exploring the tension between measurable outcomes and meaningful education; the impact of technology on the pedagogical relationship; the role of the school as a sanctuary from societal pressures; and the necessity of professional agency to critically navigate educational change.  

Ultimately, the session seeks to equip attendees not with answers, but with more powerful questions. It is an invitation for critical reflection, intended to foster a renewed sense of purpose and provide a stronger foundation for leading and teaching with clarity and conviction.