education revolution
Widespread access to quality education serves as a major catalyst for empowerment, sustainable economic growth, overcoming inequality and reducing conflict. We need an education system suitable for the digital revolution.
Questions are being asked in schools and institutions around the world about how to make education fit for purpose from both a supply and demand perspective. The problem on the supply side is around quality and quantity; There is a global shortage of qualified teachers and those who are in the profession are often forced to deliver an inflexible curriculum with an excessive reliance on exams that is not fit for purpose. Students on the demand side are often not qualified in the core social skills needed for later life and are not prepared to adapt to a more flexible and analytical professional environment. Learning from factual learning how to work on projects and how to better meet the business environment of the future is an issue that is often raised, providing both a challenge and an opportunity for change.
It should come as no surprise that connecting every school and ideally every child to an online resource is a high profile ambition for many. Whether through technology firms such as Google and Facebook (using balloons and other solutions to provide connectivity to remote areas), or governments investing in fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure, the ability for every child to access the world's information One important and potentially transformative change is change. Yes, some will be left behind initially, but the argument is that the digital divide will narrow and every school should be connected over the next decade.
While internet connectivity has a major role to play, many people also focus on getting some of the basics right, believing that although technology can help improve education, it is not a big deal. It should be integrated with traditional education techniques which allow the youth to develop holistically and become responsible citizens. Furthermore, all learning approaches must be sustainable, replicable and scalable to achieve widespread success.
The most important in terms of global impact is tackling the access challenge. Improving the quality and access to education is seen as a common need not only in developing countries but also in many countries. In many Western countries the imperative to include more students in better education is seen as vital to reducing the risk of a disadvantaged next generation. Not surprisingly, there is growing universal support for increasing women's education and receiving input from the United Nations and governments through foundations and NGOs. There are social, economic and political benefits to ensuring that girls have equal opportunities as boys are leading many initiatives. Some are addressing basic needs (ensuring that girls make it through secondary education) and this means supporting the cultural shift to value not only daughters equally, but also providing sanitation – toilets The shortage is still highlighted as a reason. Many girls stop going to school when they reach puberty. In other regions the net benefit of reducing population growth by delaying child-bearing age is seen as a direct correlation to supporting girls in education for longer.