UNESCO,Towards a global common good? Rethinking Education: Publicación aparecida en los últimos días.
Disponible: aquí <pdf>
What education do we need for the 21st century? What is the purpose of education
in the current context of societal transformation? How should learning be organized?
These questions inspired the ideas presented in this publication.
In the spirit of two landmark UNESCO publications,
Learning to Be: The world of
education today and tomorrow
(1972), the ‘Faure Report’, and
Learning: The treasure within(1996), the ‘Delors Report,’
I am convinced we need to think big again today about education.
For these are turbulent times. The world is getting younger, and aspirations for human
rights and dignity are rising. Societies are more connected than ever, but intolerance and
conflict remain rife. New power hubs are emerging, but inequalities are deepening and
the planet is under pressure. Opportunities for sustainable and inclusive development
are vast, but challenges are steep and complex.
The world is changing – education must also change. Societies everywhere are
undergoing deep transformation, and this calls for new forms of education to foster
the competencies that societies and economies need, today and tomorrow. This
means moving beyond literacy and numeracy, to focus on learning environments and
on new approaches to learning for greater justice, social equity and global solidarity.
Education must be about learning to live on a planet under pressure. It must be about
cultural literacy, on the basis of respect and equal dignity, helping to weave together
the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
This is a humanist vision of education as an essential common good. I believe this
vision renews with the inspiration of the UNESCO Constitution, agreed 70 years ago,
while reflecting new times and demands.
Education is key to the global integrated framework of sustainable development goals.
Education is at the heart of our efforts both to adapt to change and to transform the
world within which we live. A quality basic education is the necessary foundation for
learning throughout life in a complex and rapidly changing world.
Across the world, we have seen great progress in expanding learning opportunities
for all. Yet we must draw the right lessons to chart a new course forward. Access is
not enough; we need a new focus on the quality of education and the relevance of
learning, on what children, youth and adults are actually learning. Schooling and formal
education are essential, but we must widen the angle, to foster learning throughout
life. Getting girls into primary school is vital, but we must help them all the way through
secondary and beyond. We need an ever stronger focus on teachers and educators as
change agents across the board.
There is no more powerful transformative force than education – to promote human
rights and dignity, to eradicate poverty and deepen sustainability, to build a better
future for all, founded on equal rights and social justice, respect for cultural diversity,
and international solidarity and shared responsibility, all of which are fundamental
aspects of our common humanity.
This is why we must think big again and re-vision education in a changing world.
For this, we need debate and dialogue across the board, and that is the goal of this
publication – to be both aspirational and inspirational, to speak to new times.
Irina Bokova
Director-General of UNESCO
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