Let’s wake up: Because Sine Qua Non

Authored Article by: Ms Savita Panhotra, PGT English, Apeejay School, Pitampura

As I look around, I find everyone glued to their devices, as if the physical and tangible world around them hardly exists. The old familiar magical buzz of childhood and families together during holidays, babbling and bickering, albeit in a playful holiday mode…….where has it all disappeared? What has happened to all of us? It is disappointing to see our young impressionable minds lost in a quagmire of online idle chatter, gossip, and continuous scrolling of disconnected video reels. The result: we are facing a serious decline in academic learning, and mental and physical health of hundreds of millions of children and youth worldwide, a generation lost……   A scary scenario, which needs immediate action. 

Nations like Australia, France, and Spain have banned addictive social media platforms for children below the age of 18. Not only distracting children and teens from academic studies, but social media addiction is exposing children to risks such as cyberbullying, grooming, online predation, harassment, and harmful or age-inappropriate content. It is adversely impacting their mental health and well-being, triggering anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and body image issues. It is time to sound a clarion call for molding and enhancing the ambition of tomorrow’s India, preparing our young minds not only for jobs but also for a fruitful and meaningful life, which would help in nation-building and taking the nation forward. 

Folks and friends, we have dilly-dallied and wasted too much time in realizing the essence of true education. It is the holistic development of individuals, illuminating the mind and strengthening the body for a more fulfilled life, instead of picking up degrees that gather dust and frustration over the years.   The vision of education in the twenty-first century is clear: not merely producing successful students, but nurturing thoughtful citizens, lifelong learners, and responsible contributors to society. Let us look beyond our screens to build strong families and communities, leading by example, with compassion and care. It is the collective responsibility of parents and educators to collaborate and support each other to wean our young from the addictive shackles of social media and cellphones. Because we are running short of time. Let us be clear: sine qua non

• sine qua non: Latin phrase—without which not.