Communities everywhere are not poor in talents. Gifted children are present in cities and villages, in large and small schools, and in both affluent and limited environments. Educational and social studies confirm that a significant percentage of children who show exceptional excellence at an early stage gradually lose their abilities by the secondary stage, for no reason other than that they did not receive early care that embraces their potential. Environment, training, support, and opportunities are crucial factors in transforming potential into a developing talent, and if they do not find support, they may not turn into an achievement or what is called underachievement among some gifted individuals. The real and urgent question is not: "Do we have gifted individuals?" but: "How many talents do we lose every year because we did not catch their first spark, or because we discovered them and then left them to the winds?"
The problem often begins with our limited definition of talent itself. In many of our environments, the school mark is still the fastest measure to judge a child's abilities, although it measures a limited aspect of performance and does not reveal the whole person. Some excel in mathematics, others in writing and language, some in music and arts, others in sports, and some in design, programming, oratory, or solving complex problems. In our Arab and Islamic educational heritage, there was an advanced awareness of this early insight; where kuttabs and councils of knowledge observed the areas of qualitative intelligence and inclinations among the youth and directed each one to what suits their nature and abilities, and some thinkers, including Ibn Sina, addressed the importance of this early guidance according to what suits each child's readiness. This is an idea that precedes many modern terms, although the tools of measurement and educational methods differ between yesterday and today.
International experiences offer different models; some educational systems rely on individualization within the classroom and consider the differences between students, while others develop specialized programs to discover and develop high abilities. Finland relies more on comprehensive education and individualization within the classroom. As for Singapore, it has a long history of gifted programs, and it has now begun to redesign this system so that programs based on areas of strength within schools themselves expand,
In Singapore, the transition to a broader approach to support those with high academic abilities is underway; from 2027, school programs will expand to reach about 10% of the age group, instead of about 7% currently.
To include a wider range of students. The meaning is not to replicate a specific experience, but to recognize that fair education does not mean providing all children with the same thing, but rather providing each child with what they need to progress.
Here, it is appropriate for us to disentangle a common confusion that should be differentiated; modern theories distinguish between natural predispositions and actually developed talent; training, environment, motivation, mentors, and opportunities all play a role in transforming potential into outstanding performance. Not every child who loves a particular field is necessarily exceptionally talented in it; a hobby is a pleasant space that pleases its owner and enriches their life, while talent usually begins with a noticeable readiness in a field, but it does not mature on its own; it needs training, experience, opportunity, and an environment that allows this readiness to turn into a solid ability. The role of the aware environment is not limited to general encouragement, but goes beyond it to distinguish between talent that needs polishing and intensive professional guidance, and a hobby that needs flexible care to remain a source of passion and enjoyment.
