As classrooms across the world grapple with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and fast-changing job markets, one question looms large – are schools truly preparing children for life beyond textbooks? Global reports suggest otherwise.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report, nearly half of all core job skills are expected to change within the next five years, while a UNICEF study shows that 9 out of 10 students feel unprepared for real-world challenges. Amid this shifting landscape, Early Steps Academy claims to reimagine how young minds learn, communicate and lead.
Early Steps Academy, a global online learning platform claims to build “mini-CEOs” instead of passive learners. Today, the academy operates in more than 50 countries, offering live, discussion-based learning to students aged 8 to 18. “Good grades matter, but they aren’t enough. We need to teach children how to think critically, communicate effectively and lead with empathy,” Sneha Biswas, Founder, Early Steps Academy, said.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, over 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years, with critical thinking and creativity ranked among the top skills for employability. “That’s exactly what we’re missing in classrooms,” Biswas said.
Rethinking how children learn
Interestingly, at the heart of Early Steps Academy’s approach is a reimagined version of Harvard’s case study method, adapted for children. Instead of rote learning, students join small, live, online discussions where they debate topics such as space economics, climate negotiations and AI ethics.
“Children aren’t memorising facts; they’re solving problems. It’s about connecting lessons to life,” Biswas explained.
The Academy embeds what educators call the “4Cs” – critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity – into every 60-minute class.
Parents notice the change
Parents across the world report visible differences in their children’s confidence. “We often hear parents say their child has become 10X more confident,” Biswas notes with a smile. “One parent told me that their once-shy daughter now sketches business ideas and presents them at dinner.”
A 2024 UNICEF Global Skills Report found that 90% of students globally feel unprepared for the real world despite attending school regularly.
In 2022, Early Steps Academy claims to have raised $1.2 million in seed funding from BEENEXT, Whiteboard Capital, and early-stage investors like Mamaearth’s Varun Alagh. “The capital allows us to develop new case studies, train world-class mentors and expand to more regions,” she said.
Adding to it she mentioned that, “We’re building not just an edtech company but an education movement.”
Through Early Steps Academy, Sneha Biswas is betting on a new kind of learning – one that replaces memorisation with curiosity and compliance with confidence. “If we want children to thrive in the 21st century, we must start teaching them how to think, not what to think,” she concluded.