Fergus Finlay: Young people must be taught to think critically or we are doomed

We’ve just witnessed a set of local elections in the UK that represent, at least for now, a seismic change in public opinion, writes Fergus Finlay

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Before last week’s local elections in the UK, Reform UK had 78 seats of those being contested. Last Thursday they multiplied that figure by a multiple of nearly 20, gaining 1,450 seats to add to the 78 they had.

“Young people are growing up in the shadow of war, climate instability, online polarisation and deepening social division. They are trying to make sense of events that can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Education has to help them navigate that reality — not by telling them what to think, but by helping them think critically, question misinformation and engage constructively with the increasingly complex world around them.” 

That’s not me talking. It’s Ruairi McKiernan, the CEO of an organisation called Idea — short for Irish Development Education Association — speaking to an Oireachtas committee about education and young people last week.