Why Children Hate School

Children come out of the womb with an innate desire to understand themselves and the world around them. They are naturally curious—eager to explore different perspectives, obtain new knowledge, and make sense of reality.

So why do so many of them lose this enthusiasm for learning soon after they’re sent to school? Why do they feel bored in the classroom, become disinterested in studying, and, more generally, develop a dislike for school?

Suppressing Children Through Schooling

When I was a school student, there was a period when I felt very unhappy. I wanted to spend my time outdoors, playing with other children, but I was forced to sit for hours in a classroom where play was out of the question. I wanted to express myself through painting and movement, yet I was made to sit down and focus on math, history, and other subjects that, at that age, I couldn’t care less about. I wanted to share my thoughts and emotions with my peers, but I was told not to speak or move unless given permission. What I loved doing, I was not allowed to do; what I hated, I was forced to do. No wonder I was so unhappy.

Conventional schooling can be a deeply negative experience for many children, and it makes sense when you think about it. From a very young age, children are sent to school, whether they want to go or not. There, they are confined within four walls for six to eight hours a day, five days a week, for about twelve years. They are expected to obey rules, follow orders, and study subjects that hold little interest for them. What children truly want is to have fun, play, connect with peers, explore the outdoors, and engage in creative thinking—but very little of this is allowed in school. In other words, school suppresses children in countless ways, turning their daily lives into a drudgery. So, how can they not hate school? It is only natural that they do.

Education as Indoctrination

Although school is supposed to help children think and grow into wiser individuals, in reality it often stifles critical thinking. For example, at school, authority figures—that is, teachers—expect students to unquestioningly accept and repeat whatever they are taught. Those who comply are rewarded with good grades, while those who think for themselves risk punishment, ranging from disrespect and poor grades to expulsion.

I remember once, when I was a high school student, openly disagreeing with my religion teacher. She was teaching a class on world religions, but being a fervent Christian herself, she presented heavily biased information. For example, she would speak negatively about other religions to prove the superiority of Christianity. When I offered well-reasoned arguments against the mainstream Christian dogma, she began treating me as a “bad student,” giving me lower grades and speaking to me disrespectfully. All I was trying to do was raise questions and think critically—but to her, that meant doubting God, which she considered entirely inappropriate.

At school, students are not taught how to think; they are taught what to think—and the difference between the two is enormous. Instead of developing their critical thinking skills and using them to assess information and to draw their own conclusions, their intelligence is stunted by being fed information they must accept on faith alone. Unsurprisingly, once they graduate, many are so indoctrinated that they struggle to make informed decisions or navigate life’s challenges.

Rethinking Our Education System

If we don’t want to continue seeing children becoming mindless automatons, we need to rethink our education system. We must find ways to help children grow into conscious, rational, healthy adults, rather than repressing their emotions and stifling their intelligence—as schooling often does today. For this to happen, however, we must first understand the true purpose of education.

True education is not about passing exams to earn a certificate or secure a well-paying job; it is about nourishing the body, mind, and heart to live in joy, peace, and contentment. True education is not about imposing the opinions and beliefs of older generations on the young; it is about cultivating reasoning and emotional intelligence. True education is not about memorizing facts; it is about fostering understanding and learning to apply knowledge in practice.

Until now, the role of school has been to force students to conform to what is considered “normal” living. Yet to be “normal” in our sick society essentially means doing work we hate, suppressing our emotions, and following a predetermined path imposed upon us by others—in short, living a life of suffering and ignorance. It is time we recognize that the purpose of school should not be to fit children into an unhealthy society. Rather, it should be to help build a healthier society, beginning with the children themselves—those who will shape the future of our civilization.

School should provide children with the tools they need to develop their full potential on multiple levels—physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. It should give children the freedom to nurture their talents and express themselves. Most importantly, it should be a place where children’s needs are understood, accepted, and cared for—that is, a place where children grow their wings and pursue their dreams. In such an environment, children would no longer hate school; on the contrary, they would love it and embrace the learning experience it offers.