Schools are no longer the prime source of knowledge for youngsters - according to education chiefs.

The remark is made in a briefing paper circulated on Education Minister Graham Cregeen’s behalf, ahead of a Tynwald question tabled last week.

’Many of you will be aware that schools are no longer the prime sources of knowledge that they were in previous generations and technological advances mean that young people have many more and varied opportunities for learning,’ the paper, distributed to Tynwald members, states.

’This, along with changing patterns of employment, the need for strong social cohesion and the lessons from neuroscience has led the Isle of Man, for many years, to prioritise the development of a broad range of qualities and skills, along with high academic standards.’

Known as the 6Rs, they are: readiness for learning, relationships, resilience, resourcefulness, remembering skills, reflectiveness.

Capabilities

The briefing paper was sent out after Speaker Juan Watterson asked what the Department of Education, Sport and Culture was doing to educate children on the dangers of social media and fake news.

Schools are expected to cultivate in pupils the ability to question and show curiosity, generate new ideas and be imaginative, the ’ability to be intuitive and explore ideas, based on what is felt to be true’, along with flexibility and the ’capability to apply reason’.

Mr Cregeen told Tynwald: ’In providing young people with these capabilities, the department believes that our young people will be well prepared to demonstrate the judgment, critical thinking and analysis needed to identify, and not be deceived by, misinformation and fake news.

’This process is continually updated in response to changing social media.’

Critical thinking is encouraged across the curriculum, which also covers e-safety in ICT, covering issues such as personal data and privacy settings.

Parents are also offered e-safety sessions, to help them support their children.