UNESCO marks International Day of Education in January, under the theme “The power of youth in co-creating education”. This global celebration highlights how young people are shaping the future of learning and how everyone can help amplify their leadership.
At The Education Network, we see this every day. We see the powerful work teachers do, shaping their schools around the needs of the children.
But we were intrigued by the proposition offered by UNESCO for this month’s celebration of education: “If you were Minister of Education for a day, what would be the first change you would make?”
What a great question. What would be your response? More resources? Better facilities? Greater investment from politicians to ensure continuity, despite Government changes?
Education should be accessible to everyone regardless of background, disadvantage, status, location and access. It needs to inspire our youth to participate – to take education beyond the classroom or study facility and into the wider community so it has both reach and impact, despite increasing distractions.
If we are going to shape the future of education worldwide, we all need to play our part in encouraging participation for change at the earliest opportunity in the education system.
And this goes beyond teaching.
Schools are cornerstones of any community. We need to support them, the teachers, the students and their families, in any and every way we can.
We look at the bigger picture and not just supplying teachers to schools where they need support.
Our Hungry Hampers campaign is a great example. Colleagues collect donations from local families and businesses, and work with supermarkets, to supply hampers which we distribute to schools with families in need each Christmas. This ensures all children have something to open on Christmas Day and that they don’t go hungry.
We operate a similar programme as the summer holidays approach. For many children, a school meal is the only meal they get each day. During the holidays, this can mean that they don’t eat enough. We provide for families in need to help them care for the children.
Using the UNESCO guidelines, we challenged our schools and local education community to participate in achieving an understanding of how the youth of today will impact the future of education, encouraging young people to ask questions in their education setting, with educators at all levels and within their local community.
International Day of Education is our opportunity to share how we have, or can, impact education for our youth, whether is it a local initiative or a worldwide reach. What programmes do we have in place, how have we created positive learning environments, how have we created inclusivity that goes beyond the education space and, importantly, how have we inspired out youth to have an impact?
But, never forget, education is about more than just teaching and learning. It’s about community and support.
Harry Chase - Director, The Education Network
