Future generations

To transform education we need a Copernican revolution on how we work together

Noticias

By Bathylle Missika and Laura Savage

The United Nations General Assembly 2022 was a historic moment for the global education community: this was the first ever UN-convened Heads of State summit focused on the sector. New York’s midtown was full of education policymakers, activists, implementers, researchers and funders, whose calls to recognise a global education crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic felt heard.

Yet, when categories of education stakeholders are listed out, philanthropy is not often made distinct and is usually bucketed under ‘funders’, or ‘private sector’, or – more broadly, since the 2021 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report – ‘non-state actors’. Philanthropy’s presence at global summits or in country-level system change is not often prominent, for various reasons. The education philanthropy community is diverse, in terms of what it funds, how it funds and who it funds. This year, at the Transforming Education Summit, the global education philanthropy community spoke with one voice for the first time.

More than fifty five philanthropic organisations signed a Statement, facilitated by the OECD’s network of Foundations working on Development (netFWD) and the International Education Funders’ Group (private philanthropy may still sign this through to 30th October).  Sixty-seven actors then came together at a high-level event in New York during the TES to reiterate the perspective and intent of the text. The community expressed that they are:

  • Concerned, about the global education crisis, which underpins so many of the world’s other crises too. Philanthropy applauds the TES as an effort to spotlight this.
  • Committed to respond and to harness the diversity of the philanthropy community around the world to take action, and to support their partners through whom they are seeing real change. There is a strong case for investing in education and the philanthropy community urges others to join this work.
  • Convinced that collaboration is a way to drive the greatest possible impact.

This was not an explicit call to action to other groups of actors, but to themselves. These foundations committed to listen and learn better, to align with national priorities, to further enable an evidence-driven approach, and to fund and engage in partnership in support of SDG4. Beyond these commitments, what emerged was the need and desire across this community for a collective rethink of the ‘how’.

The wider education community (and beyond) would do well to reflect upon the conclusions of the philanthropy community on what it will take to ‘transform’ education:

  • Education goals will not be met by amplifying current siloes and channelling more money into broken pipes. Denis Mizne of the Lemann Foundation warned about ‘status quoism’ as a powerful force in education. We cannot go back to how things have always been, as it would institutionalise learning losses. Working within education across debates, and working outside of education across sectors will be necessary to achieve education – and other – goals.
  • While we see some success, we should not get complacent. As Denis Minze reminded the audience, ‘the future is already here, but it’s not evenly distributed’ (William Golding). We know enough about ‘what works’; now we need to focus – together – on the challenges of bringing these to scale.
  • We must harness our diversity in working together and think collectively. To quote Simon Sommer of the Jacobs Foundation: ‘transforming education is not about 1000 pilots’. Denis Mizne urged ‘let’s be problem, not project, driven’. This community committed to bring foundations from the global South more systematically into the debate, to partner with local actors, and to work to drive up learning outcomes for the most vulnerable children.

These three challenges echoed in our ears as we navigated the rest of UNGA week: we heard too little in wider debate about the need to work across siloes, to collaborate more effectively towards bigger picture goals, and to act with urgency. However, the momentum within the philanthropy community will be quick to pass if we do not walk that talk. As HE Hang Chuan Naron, Minister of Education in Cambodia, put it to the philanthropy community: ‘it is a long way from policy to school’.

If we do not want to look back a year from now and lament missing a turning point, we have to roll up our sleeves and take practical action. How many of us emerged from the TES knowing how we are going to work differently, what we are going to do? OECD’s netFWD and the IEFG will be working with the education philanthropy community to translate these commitments into action. We will help to broker dialogue, codify knowledge and build bridges to policymakers to ensure that philanthropy delivers on its promises: not only those of the Statement but those that we make to ourselves to leave this world a better place for future generations.

The post To transform education we need a Copernican revolution on how we work together appeared first on World Education Blog.

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Half a million school children and workers turn out in mass calls for climate action

Noticias

Oceania/ Autralia/ 24.09.2019/ Source: www.9news.com.au.

 

Australians workers downed tools to join students who left school to attend climate change rallies. The protest drew around 500,000 people and shut down city centres across the country.
Lawyers, academics, tech company workers, members of unions and community groups, university students and retirees all joined the rallies in what was a huge expansion of a movement that started as a school strike against global warming.
The demonstrations in Australia were the first of similar rallies planned to roll around the world on Friday, as officials gathered at the United Nations in New York for the world bodies Emergency Climate Summit.
«We’re here for one reason: we want climate action,» said Carmel Allen, 63, who travelled with friend Margaret Armstrong, 76, from the Illawara region south of Sydney to join the march in the city. «We’re worried for our children and for future generations.
«We’re so happy with the turn out – we’ve seen guys in suits, young mums, unionists. It looks like everyone is here,» Armstrong added. «The climate affects everyone.»
Allen and Armstrong were among a crowd estimated to be 80,000 in Sydney. 100,000 people rallied in Melbourne, and with protests in more than 100 locations around Australia, the total involvement was double that of the climate rallies held in March.
Gabriel Anderson, a Year 4 student from a school in Sydney’s inner west, attended the rally with his mother and a group of other children.
«I’m here because the environment isn’t being looked after,» the 10-year-old said. «I hope now politicians will listen.»
Gabriel’s mother, Tamsin, said she felt comfortable giving her son the afternoon off school. «I feel like these kids are learning something crucial here – they are learning how to make change, how to be hopeful,» she said.
Gabriel Anderson, a Year 4 student from a school in the Sydney’s inner west, attended the rally with his mother and a group of other children from his school. (Nine)
Earlier, federal Education Minister Dan Tehan called on students to stay in school, and questioned whether so many young people would care so much if they were not missing some class time.
«The true test of the protesters’ commitment would be how many turned up for a protest held on a Saturday afternoon,» he said in a statement.
100,000 people were estimated to have attended the Melbourne rally. (Supplied)
Year 9 student Kyla said her Wenona School in North Sydney wanted students who attended the rally to have to make up lost class time later.
«It’s basically like detention,» she said. While she was disappointed at her school’s lack of support, she said she felt inspired by the rally. «It gives me hope,» the 14-year-old said. «We all need to stand together because we all have one problem.»
Katie, Scarlett and Kyla, 14, said they were inspired by the huge group who turned out for today’s rally. (Nine)
Rick Cavicchioli, a microbiology professor at the University of New South Wales, cancelled his classes for the day to attend the rally. «This gives the opportunity for my students to come down here as well,» he said. His demand was simple: «Change, now.»
Organisers are calling for no new coal, oil and gas projects in Australia, 100 percent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030, and a just transition for workers in fossil fuel-dominated industries and communities.
Tech worker Luke Foxton attended the rally after being encouraged by his software company, Atlassian. He said all employees were given the afternoon off, as well as paid time to prepare banners.
The Sydney rally in the Domain saw lawyers, academics, tech companies, community groups, university students and retirees among the atendees. (Nine)
Students, workers, and unionists spoke on stage at the Sydney event from 12pm to 1.30pm, and guided the crowd in chanting: «One struggle, one fight: climate action, worker’s rights!»
Addressing the crowd, Tommy-John Herbert, a wharfie from Port Botany, said he was at the rally because of the work of the Maritime Union of Australia.
«As I speak, not one of our cranes are running,» he said.
Port Botany wharfies attended the rally using protections for industrial action designed for enterprise bargaining. It is the first known instance of the protections being used for such an action, the Australian Financial Review yesterday reported.
Herbert said his employer sent out an email to all workers saying attending the rally is illegal. Many of the port workers came anyway.
Sylvie, 11, and Mae, 9, also attended the rally accompanied by their mum, travelling from the Northern Beaches. «It’s important the government sees that kids care, they are coming out of school,» Sylvie said. (Nine)
Other unions such as the Teachers Federations as well as charity organisations like Ozharvest and community groups like the Rozelle Climate Action group all urged their members to attend.
Community action group organizer Angela Michaelis, 64, said her group of mostly retirees who were turning out because «we owe to young people and we can support them».
National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) student Angela Doherty, 23, estimated 50 students from her university joined the rally.
Angela Doherty (left), 23, said 50 students from NIDA joined the action. (Nine)
«We’re here because we care about the climate,» she said. «There’s no point studying for a future we might not have.»
Source of the notice: https://www.9news.com.au/national/global-climate-strikes-attract-500000-students-and-workers-across-australia-national-news/d0aa9aeb-c9c4-4788-a7a5-f5b05411b04e
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What may be missing in our education system

The Royal Gazette

By The Royal Gazette

A great deal has changed in recent decades, in educating our young people to meet various challenges along the path of life. Most would agree that there have been major strides in technology and teaching techniques, designed to better equip students for a changing world with emphasis on knowledge needed for success. Nothing wrong with that, except in the process, it would appear that some traditional values have faded.

In the modern world today, where much of life rumbles along at a maddening pace, even commenting on this aspect of our educational system could be frowned upon as being out of step with education in today’s world. Education officials are confronted with a wide range of complex issues these days, and obviously officials strive to provide the best for students. However, no educational system is perfect, and there are always problems that require input from parents and community leaders, in trying to uphold values such as discipline and respect.

In Bermuda today, just as it is in many countries, the impact of illegal drugs and the consumption of alcohol by some young people, has been a problem that threatens the vulnerable, in addition to creating additional problems for parents and teachers, and eventually the community.

It is a situation that has challenged every government.

It should be noted that our teaching professionals are to be commended for their daily contribution in classrooms throughout the island, a task too often taken for granted.

With numerous changes in teaching from the way it was decades ago, it is also worth noting that it is still crucial for students to learn the true meaning of why discipline, respect, and a commitment to being a good citizen, are values that never change.

Our schools are generally thought of as learning centres for all there is to know about how to be successful. But these days in many countries, values such as discipline and respect have diminished with an increase in negative behaviour patterns.

Many of Bermuda’s heroes will never have their names flashed across the television screens, or in banner newspaper headlines. Yet these were the people who diligently toiled against enormous hardships and social injustices, to help steer Bermuda towards a society where decency, respect, and truth formed the pillars of society.

Yes, they knew the importance of economic success, but they also knew without values, success would be shallow.

Bermuda needs to take a deep look at itself in the area of values, because without them, our future will be up for question. While the Government cannot solve all community problems, they must be seen and heard to do everything possible to avoid a gradual slide to an “anything goes” society, where respect for others is shoved under the bus. This is a growing concern throughout our communities.

If our young people are influenced by the notion that what is popular gains more attention than what is right, the next generation will face even bigger challenges. Education involves far more than academics.

We often hear of things being different today, but when essential values are bypassed, as being outdated, or no longer relevant, seeds are being planted for a weakened society with the door open for potential civil chaos.

Discipline and respect were very much a part of our education system years ago, and with Bermuda being a religious community, it was normal for most schools to have a brief moment of devotion, prior to starting the school day.

Much has changed. Today, families seldom sit together at meal times to discuss matters of interest. The home should be the setting where education begins.

Instead, swallowed up in a world of cyberspace activity, there is little time for one-on-one family conversation. Some might say this is just a part of modern society.

We hear often that more financial investment should be made to enhance our educational system, and while that is positive, a real concern should be about what values have faded from the system, when it comes to discipline and respect for strong values.

Students of today are expected to be leaders of tomorrow, but they will only be successful if armed with solid values and a commitment to making Bermuda a safe and peaceful island. Bermuda must make use of all of its resources to protect values for future generations.

It is a challenge bigger than politics, and success will depend on how well we all work together for the good of the community.

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