Make Easter Island a compulsory school excursion

August 14, 2026

Alan Reid is spot on; we’re looking in the wrong place. We’re segregating our future leaders in their formative years, before their time comes to build a congruous, coherent and cohesive society. The issue is fundamental to our future.

With few exceptions, private education is faith-based. It makes up 34 per cent of the education intake; and growing.

As any educator will tell you, the “animals” of year nine become the young adults of years 10-12. It is in these crucial development years where thought processes are set through interaction with those around them.

The question is; how can these young and receptive minds philosophically debate such crucial issues as the war in the Middle East if their outlook is set by their surroundings? And let’s be honest here; it is a religious conflict between the three faiths of The Book. The same God, just different prophets: Moses, Christ and Muhammad.

The situation so purely mirrors humanity’s foreboding dilemma. Environmental, social and economic stability is collapsing before our very eyes and yet we can still devote precious energy, capital and lives to the global war machine that is destroying it.

We can only have a future with open minds.