It is heartening to know that technology has become a life-saving tool ("3D printing offers hope for kids with congenital heart conditions"; Sept 7).

Although the impending fear of technology replacing humans is not all uncalled for, there should be acknowledgement that if we, as humans, do not continue to improve our skills, it is inevitable that we will be replaced by more efficient and adaptable technology.

Dr Patrick Liew Siow Gian has offered some insightful suggestions on training our people to cope with the imminent surge of technology ("Train S'poreans to be disrupters, not the disrupted"; Sept 8).

The education system needs to do more to train our young to become independent learners.

Schools should go beyond mere rote learning and allow more leeway for creative exploration. This will help in shaping self-directed individuals at the workplace.

More technology can also be introduced to aid students' learning, so that they can grasp the use of technology. That said, the biggest emphasis should still be on instilling skills one needs to thrive in a fast-changing workplace.

Technology should be a tool we use. We should not seek to let it control us but, instead, allow it to become a helper in our lives.

Teo Ying Ying (Miss)