Our basic position on this is set out in the Education chapter of Creating the World We Want to Live In.

This chapter challenges the common ‘givens’ of education, and presents a case for a re-think on what it means to be educated, and how best to do that. Acknowledging that there are already many examples of good practice on which to build, we consider what students need to learn to have broad competencies in a rapidly changing world, teaching approaches that maintain optimal motivation and engagement, and the impact of the learning environment on all stakeholders, including students who challenge. The chapter emphasises the importance of positive practices and wellbeing at the heart of education, to ensure that every student sees themselves as valued, making progress, and having a sense of belonging. This includes strengths-based approaches. It argues for less’ teaching to test’ and more personalised and collaborative learning. During COVID-19 the multiple skills of teachers were given a new respect as families tried to support learning at home. Although the role of the teacher is likely to change over time, they remain vital facilitators of learning.

We begin to learn from the moment we are born, possibly even before. We learn from watching, listening, copying and trying things out. Then we begin to ask questions. We learn what things are for, how things work, how to communicate and what matters. We learn not only about the world around us, but about ourselves and others who share that world. Although most of a child’s brain is developed by the time they are five, learning continues throughout life[i].

The experiences young people have determine who they become and the future they will create. Schooling is a significant part of this, from pre-school through to higher and adult education. ‘School’ therefore applies here to all institutions whose primary purpose is learning.

Education is UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, with ten targets to aim for by 2030. In the past decade, major progress has been made towards increasing access to education with more people achieving basic literacy. 265 million children are however, still not receiving any schooling at all, many of them in conflict zones.

If the purpose of education is to create a world where individuals, families, communities and society thrive, then some education systems may need to change. What is the point of academic ‘excellence’ for young people who are anxious, depressed or feel life has no meaning[ii]. There are schools across the world where diversity is actively valued and the wellbeing of the whole student (and teacher) are centre stage so there is much good practice on which to build. However, while we still have schools who marginalise or even exclude students who do not fit the ‘norm’ of compliance or academic excellence, the system is not working for all. The same applies for those beset by fear of not achieving the ‘success’ defined by high academic grades. Broad, relevant and engaging educational programmes need to replace a narrow curriculum and reflect the diversity of students and the needs of both the world we live in now and that of the future.

One of the most powerful impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on education. It has offered new perspectives on how children might learn, what they need to learn, and the critical relevance of both the social dynamics of schools and the mental health and wellbeing of students. Parents attempting to home educate have perhaps developed a new respect for the multi-faceted skills of teachers. School lockdown in some countries, however, has exacerbated inequality and highlighted how the availability or lack of resources and support at home can either hinder or help learning. There is a groundswell of hope from commentators that policy-makers will now move from an education system rooted in competition and control to one that enables all students to flourish and become the best of themselves. Here we offer alternatives that will help build a better world for everyone. Some may seem radical, but the evidence suggests that such changes are necessary for the wellbeing of future generations. As we have seen from actions in crisis, nothing is impossible.

[i] Center on the Developing Child (2007). The Science of Early Childhood Development (InBrief).

[ii] PISA (2018) Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives.

Useful reports and discussions: