Discussion: Educators leading change

Abstract

The world is in crisis – again. Climate change, inequality, conflict and technology are sources of deep pain and anxiety. And around the world, too many politicians seem intent on deepening economic, environmental and social fault lines rather than healing them.We have been here before. The first half of the twentieth century was one of the most destructive and disorientating in history. Two world wars, economic crises, famines, pandemics, colonialism and violent revolutions defined the times. The chaos led a group of foresighted leaders to a novel conclusion: lasting peace and prosperity would only be achieved through a commitment to the well-being of every individual.The Universal Declaration of Human Rights [1] reset people's expectations of government and government's duty to every person. It was based on the idea that everyone deserved a dignified life, enabled by civil, social, economic and political rights.Article 26 of the Declaration was on education. Its language was simple, but entirely revolutionary for its time. “Everyone has the right to education…(elementary) education shall be free…higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit…education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality…it shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship….”The authors of the Declaration had the awesome ability to imagine a better world and a pathway to achieving it. One of the keys, they knew, was to unleash the capabilities of an entire generation by investing in their education and well-being.The massive expansion of education that followed in the second half of the twentieth century created a generation of people more capable than any other in human history (see Figure 1). They reduced poverty, launched a green revolution, strengthened institutions, improved human health and longevity and expanded the vibrant social and cultural spaces we enjoy today.The challenges of the twenty-first century are prompting us to build on “great expansion” – to improve schools and school systems by incorporating new insights into how young people learn and how they can adapt to a changing world. Here are nine conclusions I gathered from speaking with a group of prominent educators [3]:The twenty-first century has brought a further, notable challenge to education. Shifting demographic patterns have put the majority of the world's young people in the most resource-constrained countries, where school systems are stretched to capacity. Given the existential crises at hand, their education is high stakes for everyone. And therein lies the opportunity: international cooperation to support more growth and development of those education systems, unleashing the human ingenuity that is our best hope to build a better world for all.