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Essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon

Students are often asked to write an essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon

Introduction.

Education is a key tool in life. It’s like a powerful weapon that can change the world. It helps us understand and solve problems.

The Power of Education

Education gives us knowledge and skills. It helps us think, make decisions, and build a successful future. It’s a weapon against ignorance and prejudice.

Education and Society

Education shapes society. It promotes equality and peace. It helps us understand different cultures and respect each other.

In conclusion, education is the most powerful weapon. It can transform individuals and societies, creating a better world for all.

250 Words Essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon

Education, often regarded as the cornerstone of societal progress, is the most potent weapon we can wield. It has the power to transform lives, communities, and ultimately, the world.

Education is not merely about acquiring knowledge; it’s about understanding how to use this knowledge effectively. It equips individuals with critical thinking skills, enabling them to make informed decisions, solve problems, and contribute to society. Additionally, education fosters creativity and innovation, driving technological advancements and economic growth.

Education as a Catalyst for Change

Education is a catalyst for social change. It promotes equality by providing everyone, regardless of their background, with the tools to succeed. Education empowers individuals, helping them break the chains of poverty and ignorance, and enabling them to lead fulfilling lives.

Education and Global Challenges

In the face of global challenges such as climate change, economic disparity, and political unrest, education is our best defense. It equips us with the knowledge to understand these issues and the skills to devise sustainable solutions.

In conclusion, education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. It is the foundation upon which we build our future, and as such, it should be accessible to all. By investing in education, we are investing in a better, more equitable world.

500 Words Essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon

Education is often hailed as the most powerful weapon one can wield. It is the key to personal growth, societal development, and global progress. It is not just about acquiring knowledge, but also about shaping the character, instilling values, and promoting a comprehensive understanding of the world.

Education is a powerful tool that can change the world. It is a catalyst for social change and economic advancement. It provides individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and navigate the world around them. It empowers individuals, allowing them to make informed decisions about their lives, their communities, and their societies.

Education also equips individuals with the tools necessary to challenge injustices and inequalities. It encourages critical thinking, promoting the questioning of established norms and the pursuit of innovative solutions. It fosters empathy and understanding, enabling individuals to appreciate different perspectives and cultures.

Education as a Tool for Social and Economic Progress

Education is a key driver of social and economic progress. It plays a significant role in reducing poverty and inequality, promoting health and well-being, and driving technological innovation and economic growth. Studies have consistently shown that countries that invest in education tend to have higher levels of economic growth and social development.

Education also promotes social cohesion and stability. It fosters a sense of shared identity and common purpose, and it can help to mitigate social tensions and conflicts. It promotes democratic values and civic engagement, contributing to more inclusive and resilient societies.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the transformative power of education, many challenges remain. Access to quality education is still not universal, and significant disparities exist between different regions, countries, and social groups. Moreover, the quality of education often varies widely, and many education systems are struggling to adapt to the rapid pace of technological change and the evolving needs of the global economy.

However, these challenges also present opportunities. The digital revolution, for example, has the potential to democratize access to education and to transform the way we teach and learn. Innovative approaches to education, such as project-based learning and experiential learning, can help to foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love of learning.

In conclusion, education is indeed the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. It is a catalyst for personal growth, social change, and economic advancement. It empowers individuals, fosters empathy and understanding, and promotes social cohesion and stability. Despite the challenges, the potential of education to transform lives and societies is immense. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the importance of education as a powerful weapon for change is more apparent than ever.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Home  /  News  /  Why Is Education Important? The Power Of An Educated Society

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Why Is Education Important? The Power Of An Educated Society

Looking for an answer to the question of why is education important? We address this query with a focus on how education can transform society through the way we interact with our environment. 

Whether you are a student, a parent, or someone who values educational attainment, you may be wondering how education can provide quality life to a society beyond the obvious answer of acquiring knowledge and economic growth. Continue reading as we discuss the importance of education not just for individuals but for society as a whole. 

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Harness the power of education to build a more sustainable modern society with a degree from  Unity Environmental University .

How Education Is Power: The Importance Of Education In Society

Why is education so important? Nelson Mandela famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” An educated society is better equipped to tackle the challenges that face modern America, including:

  • Climate change
  • Social justice
  • Economic inequality

Education is not just about learning to read and do math operations. Of course, gaining knowledge and practical skills is part of it, but education is also about values and critical thinking. It’s about finding our place in society in a meaningful way. 

Environmental Stewardship

A  study from 2022 found that people who belong to an environmental stewardship organization, such as the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, are likely to have a higher education level than those who do not. This suggests that quality education can foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

With the effects of climate change becoming increasingly alarming, this particular importance of education is vital to the health, safety, and longevity of our society. Higher learning institutions can further encourage environmental stewardship by adopting a  framework of sustainability science .

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The Economic Benefits Of Education

Higher education can lead to better job opportunities and higher income. On average, a  person with a bachelor’s degree will make $765,000 more  in their lifetime than someone with no degree. Even with the rising costs of tuition, investment in higher education pays off in the long run. In 2020, the return on investment (ROI) for a college degree was estimated to be  13.5% to 35.9% . 

Green jobs  like environmental science technicians and solar panel installers  have high demand projections for the next decade. Therefore, degrees that will prepare you for one of these careers will likely yield a high ROI. And, many of these jobs only require an  associate’s degree or certificate , which means lower overall education costs. 

Unity  helps students maximize their ROI with real-world experience in the field as an integral part of every degree program. 

10 Reasons Why School Is Important

Education is not just an individual pursuit but also a societal one.  In compiling these reasons, we focused on the question, “How does education benefit society?” Overall, higher education has the power to transform:

  • Individuals’ sense of self
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Social communities
  • Professional communities

Cognitive Development

Neuroscience research  has proven that the brain is a muscle that can retain its neuroplasticity throughout life. However, like other muscles, it must receive continual exercise to remain strong. Higher education allows people of any age to improve their higher-level cognitive abilities like problem-solving and decision-making. This can make many parts of life feel more manageable and help society run smoothly. 

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is key to workplace success.  Studies  show that people with emotional intelligence exhibit more:

  • Self-awareness
  • Willingness to try new things
  • Innovative thinking
  • Active listening
  • Collaboration skills
  • Problem-solving abilities

By attending higher education institutions that value these soft skills, students can improve their emotional intelligence as part of their career development in college.

Technological Literacy

Many careers in today’s job market use advanced technology. To prepare for these jobs, young people likely won’t have access to these technologies to practice on their own. That’s part of why so many STEM career paths require degrees. It’s essential to gain technical knowledge and skills through a certified program to safely use certain technologies. And, educated scientists are  more likely to make new technological discoveries .

Cultural Awareness

Education exposes individuals to different cultures and perspectives. Being around people who are different has the powerful ability to foster acceptance. Acceptance benefits society as a whole. It increases innovation and empathy. 

College also gives students an opportunity to practice feeling comfortable in situations where there are people of different races, genders, sexualities, and abilities. Students can gain an understanding of how to act respectfully among different types of people, which is an important skill for the workplace. This will only become more vital as our world continues to become more globalized.

Ethical and Moral Development

Another reason why school is important is that it promotes ethical and moral development. Many schools require students to take an ethics course in their general education curriculum. However, schools can also encourage character development throughout their programs by using effective pedagogical strategies including:

  • Class debates and discussions
  • Historical case studies
  • Group projects

Unity’s distance learning programs  include an ethical decision-making class in our core curriculum. 

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Communication Skills

Effective written and verbal communication skills are key for personal and professional success. Higher education programs usually include at least one communication course in their general education requirements. Often the focus in these classes is on writing skills, but students can also use college as an opportunity to hone their presentation and public speaking skills. Courses such as  Multimedia Communication for Environmental Professionals  provide many opportunities for this. 

Civic Engagement

According to a  Gallup survey , people with higher education degrees are:

  • More likely to participate in civic activities such as voting and volunteering
  • Less likely to commit crimes
  • More likely to get involved in their local communities

All these individual acts add up to make a big difference in society. An educated electorate is less likely to be swayed by unethical politicians and, instead, make choices that benefit themselves and their community. Because they are more involved, they are also more likely to hold elected officials accountable.

Financial Stability

The right degree can significantly expand your career opportunities and improve your long-term earning potential. Not all degrees provide the same level of financial stability, so it’s important to research expected salary offers after graduation and job demand outlook predictions for your desired field. Consider the return on investment for a degree from an affordable private school such as  Unity Environmental University .

Environmental Awareness

We have already discussed why education is important for environmental stewardship. Education can also lead to better environmental practices in the business world. By building empathy through character education and ethics courses, institutions can train future business leaders to emphasize human rights and sustainability over profits. All types and sizes of businesses can incorporate sustainable practices, but awareness of the issues and solutions is the first step.

Lifelong Learning

The reasons why education is important discussed so far focus on institutional education. However, education can happen anywhere. Attending a university that values all kinds of learning will set students up with the foundation to become lifelong learners.  Research  demonstrates that lifelong learners tend to be healthier and more fulfilled throughout their lives. When societies emphasize the importance of education, they can boost their overall prosperity.

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The Role Of Unity Environmental University In Society

Environmentally conscious education is extremely valuable and should be accessible to all.   Unity Environmental University  offers tuition prices that are comparable to public universities, and financial aid is available to those who qualify. Courses last five weeks so that students can focus on only one class at a time. This ensures all learners are set up for academic success. 

Unity believes in supporting students holistically to maximize the power of education. This includes mental health services,  experiential learning opportunities , and  job placement assistance . Students in our  hybrid programs  can take classes at several field stations throughout Maine and enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding the campus for outdoor recreation.

Sustainable Initiatives

Some highlights from Unity Environmental University’s many sustainable initiatives:

  • All programs include at least one sustainability learning outcome
  • All research courses are focused on sustainability research
  • Reduced building energy use by 25% across campus
  • 100% of food waste is recycled into energy 
  • Campus features a  net-zero LEED Platinum-certified classroom/office building

While many schools value sustainability, Unity stands out because  everything  we do is about sustainability. We also recognize our responsibility to model how a sustainable business can operate in a manner that’s fiscally viable and socially responsible.

Make An Impact At Unity Environmental University

While the phrase ‘education is power’ may sound cliche, it is also resoundingly true. Higher education has the power to transform individuals and societies. Unity Environmental University understands its power to make a positive impact on the world. That’s why we were the first university to divest from fossil fuels. 

This year, we celebrated our  largest incoming class ever , showing that students want an education system that aligns with their values. In addition to our commitment to sustainability, we offer flexibility to students with start dates all year round for our  online degree programs .

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how can education change the world essay

  • How Education Changes the World
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Education isn't simply about achieving a “higher state of knowledge”; it’s about equipping our students with the tools they need to go out into the world and shape it for themselves.

Miranda Meents , PhD Candidate in Botany

The British biologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer said “the great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” As a PhD student, I have been a great consumer of education, and I believe that my education has dramatically shaped my decisions and actions. But I still wrestle with understanding the broader purpose of postsecondary education in our society. I struggle with this idea now more than ever, because I have now become part of the team providing undergraduate education here at the University of British Columbia (UBC). In the past four years, I’ve worked as a teaching assistant, supervised undergraduate students, and am now helping to shape how we teach at UBC through my research. At UBC there are thousands of people, all working together, to provide an education for over 50,000 undergraduate students. So many people are putting in so much effort, that I think we should occasionally take a step back and consider the impact we’re having. What is our goal? In considering this question, I have concluded that the goal shouldn’t necessarily be to achieve a “higher state of knowledge”. Instead, I think we should work to equip our students with the tools they need to go out into the world and shape it for themselves. I think Herbert Spencer would agree.

Education Changes the World of Our Students

It’s not a trivial thing, to decide to go to university. For one thing, it’s expensive, both in terms of tuition and student fees, and in the income you lose by not working full-time. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll get that promised higher paying job, with greater job security. But despite the costs and the uncertainty, getting an education will probably change your life for the better. If you want to be a nurse, or an engineer, your chance of reaching this goal is improved by going to university and getting training in these fields. People less certain of their paths post-university can explore their options, and discover their passions. In the classroom, students gain skills and abilities they can take away with them. But education also broadens the mind and provides alternative perspectives, and this can change our students’ outlook and their approach to the world. Beyond that, the people they befriend and connect with can be just as influential to their lives as what they learn in the classroom. There is strong evidence suggesting that when our students graduate, they will be more likely to earn more money , be more employable , and be more financially secure . But they will also be profoundly changed. Their worlds will be forever altered, and because of this, our students will go on to alter the world around them.

Education Changes Society

It’s not just our students, or their friends and families, who are investing time and money into higher education. All of us collectively are investing our tax dollars to subsidize our universities and colleges . Some of this investment will be paid back, in increased tax revenue from higher wages, and r educed drain on welfare programs . There are, however, many less tangible benefits to a more highly educated society. Education can stimulate economic growth less directly, by increasing innovation, productivity, and human capital. And education also has a history of fostering positive social change, by encouraging things like political participation , social equality , and environmental sustainability . Through its collaborations, our educational institutions also promote engagement with our communities, industries, governments, and the media. We are motivating our students to become more open, thoughtful, and responsible citizens, who are prepared to put these skills into action in our society. When they graduate, they will take their values with them, and go on to make the world a better place.

Tools for Changing the World

Having concluded that education should help students develop the skills they need to best take action in the world, I think we must also consider what we, as educators, think these skills should be. In doing this, I also feel we must be respectful of the wishes of our students and communities, and consider what is most beneficial for our society. I think most would agree that we should help our students develop their skills in areas like communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. In fact, part of my research focuses on how to best develop students’ problem-solving skills, a skill which has been identified as one of the fundamental qualifications for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Problem-solving can include things like the ability to identify obstacles, to devise innovative and effective solutions, to implement the solutions appropriately, and to persevere with challenging problems. However, it is often far from clear how we can best provide our students with these skills.

My work builds on a body of literature in a field called the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) . This literature gives us an idea of which teaching techniques have been most effective in similar situations, and I am applying some of these practices in real-world biology classes here at UBC. In these classes, the students are frequently confronted with a biological problem they’ve never seen before and they have to figure out how to solve it. We’re trying to figure out the best way to teach our students how to do that. We are testing these different teaching practices to see what effect they have on student problem-solving abilities, as well as the quality of the students’ learning experience. My hope is that this research will help me, and others, become better educators. This will, in turn, help us better prepare our students for the problems they will encounter in their lives, and prime them for a life of action.

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Mandela’s belief that education can change the world is still a dream

how can education change the world essay

Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Stellenbosch University

Disclosure statement

Wim de Villiers is Rector and Vice Chancellor of Stellenbosch University.

Stellenbosch University provides funding as a partner of The Conversation AFRICA.

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how can education change the world essay

Universities can play an important part in fulfilling Nelson Mandela’s much-quoted belief that:

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

Mandela Day, the late South African president’s birthday, is an opportunity to reflect on how his statement of intent actually works in practice. How does education enable us to change the world?

Universities can make a contribution in two ways: through the empowerment of individuals and through the generation of knowledge.

What universities can do for students

Universities train people to be professionals who will be able to make a positive contribution to society in various fields. They produce medical doctors, teachers and engineers; entrepreneurs, artists and scientists. In this way, higher education is both a private good and a public good.

Individuals – especially in poorer countries – stand a better chance of getting a good job with a university degree. According to the World Bank the average increase in earnings for every additional year of tertiary education is 21% in sub-Saharan Africa, measured over the period 1970 to 2013.

South Africa’s department of higher education has picked up on this , noting:

Education has long been recognised as a route out of poverty for individuals, and as a way of promoting equality of opportunity.

In South Africa, enrolment in higher education institutions rose from 490,494 students in 1994 to 837,644 in 2009 – a 71% increase. In this post-apartheid era, improvements in the university participation rate coincided with significant demographic changes in the student population. Two-thirds of university students were black in 2009, compared with just 32% in 1990.

The goal is to maintain this momentum. The government foresees an increase in participation rates from the 2011 figure of 17.3% to 25% by 2030 – from 937,000 students to 1.6 million enrolments.

And at the same time, it plans to broaden access for individuals from previously excluded and disadvantaged groups even more because the:

… achievement of greater social justice is closely dependent on equitable access by all sections of the population to quality education.

What research can do for society

The second way in which Madiba’s statement about education works in practice is through research that generates reliable and relevant knowledge.

The world is faced with what are called “wicked problems” – highly complex challenges whose potential solutions require creative, interdisciplinary thinking.

Universities are well placed to contribute to the search for solutions to these complex problems by drawing from a range of disciplines: the environment, conflict management, health, water, food security and social cohesion. Academics – and students, particularly at postgraduate level – engage in scientific research that generates new knowledge in the search for solutions to a variety of problems, including health challenges.

Consider, for example, the work of Ronald van Toorn , a senior specialist in paediatric neurology at Stellenbosch University. As part of his PhD studies , he found that certain innovative treatments offer children with tuberculosis meningitis a much better chance of survival.

These treatments may also enable children who have been left paralysed or blind by this serious condition – the most common form of bacterial meningitis in the Western Cape – to walk or see again.

A PhD represents a university’s top training product. Working towards a doctorate, you not only absorb large volumes of knowledge in a particular field of study, but you also learn to generate new knowledge yourself. This is what Van Toorn has done. And this is also what our country and continent needs much more of.

The National Development Plan sets South Africa a target of more than 100 PhDs per million by 2030, compared to the 28 per million currently, considered low by international standards.

To achieve this target, South Africa needs more than 5000 doctoral graduates per year – considerably more than the 1420 produced in 2010, but attainable if the growth in graduates at this level between 2008 and 2013 (12.3% per annum) is maintained.

Earlier this year, the Centre for Higher Education Transformation reported that among South African students, African doctoral enrolments (5065) first exceeded white enrolments (4853) in 2010, and African graduates (821) at this level first exceeded white graduates (816) in 2012.

Yet, with the white population making up only 8.4% of the country’s population, compared to 80.2% African , South Africa still has a long way to go to achieve better participation and throughput rates.

What society can do for students and universities

But the planned expansion of access does not only require making places available in higher education institutions. As the government says :

Education and training must also be affordable for potential students. To this end the government has significantly increased the funds available for student loans and bursaries, particularly through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

But the scheme has been mired in controversy. Students have protested for not receiving funding timeously or not at all. It seems the problems go deep. In May, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande confirmed there would be a probe into corrupt practices. This is a welcome move.

Universities also receive and disburse financial aid from sources other than the state. More than one-third of Stellenbosch students receive some form of financial aid. Last year the university paid out bursaries and loans to nearly 55% of its revenue from student fees.

Bursaries are an excellent way to ensure that young people from across the class, and in South Africa’s case colour, divides are offered the opportunity to develop as individuals and to contribute to the country’s knowledge bank.

When Madiba was awarded an honorary doctorate from Stellenbosch University in 1996, he said in his acceptance speech:

This occasion is testimony to the fact that we South Africans have struck out on the road of building a joint future, that we are in the process of breaking down the divisive bulwarks of the past and building up a new nation – united in all its rich diversity.

Almost two years after Madiba’s death the challenge remains to use education to change South Africa, and the rest of the world. This makes bursary donations – the gift of education – an appropriate tribute to the man who continues to teach us about the virtue of selfless service to others.

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The role of education in transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Apr 26, 2016 | Updates | 0 comments

The role of education in transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 seek to alleviate various crises and problems which threaten human rights. So, what is the role of education in achieving the SDGs, establishing sustainability and transforming our world?

While SDGs serve as benchmarks for a more sustainable society, there is still no clear vision for what that sustainable global society will ultimately look like. In fact, it is the consensus building and cooperation among different cultures and communities across the world – skills that education helps to develop – that will help us define what and how such a sustainable society can be achieved.

For this reason, it is important to integrate the ideas and increase the participation of various stakeholders in a discussion on how we can transform our world into a sustainable one towards 2030.

In particular, increasing the participation of young people who shoulder our future is critical for achieving sustainable development. Although today’s globalized world has in many ways made the world feel smaller, many young people feel isolated from their communities, and disconnected from the immediate environment around them. Education can play an important role in these situations – by fostering and nurturing youth who can actively participate and contribute to the betterment of their local communities.

Education plays a pivotal role in helping young people make the connection between global issues and local communities. Cultivating our imaginative capacity through education enhances our motivation for change and for taking action to make the world a sustainable place.

In his 2016 Peace Proposal, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, an educator and a 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, identifies two important functions of learning:

  • To enable people to accurately assess the impact of their actions and to empower them to effect positive change for themselves and those around them; and
  • To bring forth the courage to persevere in the face of adversity. [1]

In his proposal, Dr. Ikeda emphasizes the importance of education in building youth solidarity – a united group of young people – to encourage citizens to take courageous action to achieve a sustainable global community.

We hope that as many youth as possible join the activities organized by the Education Commission’s Youth Panel. The Education Youth Video Challenge is a great opportunity for young people to express their thoughts about local and global issues through video. We can transform our world in our own respective ways in our local communities based on the solidarity of youth!

Please share your ideas and opinions about the future of education and participate in the Education Youth Video Challenge !

Shizuka Nishimura is on the Education Commission’s Youth Panel. You can read more about her work here . 

[1] Daisaku Ikeda, 2016, “2016 Peace Proposal, Universal Respect for Human Dignity: The Great Path to Peace.” January 26. Retrieved from http://www.sgi.org/content/files/about-us/president-ikedas-proposals/peaceproposal2016.pdf (Accessed March 16, 2016).

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how can education change the world essay

Transforming education systems: Why, what, and how

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Rebecca winthrop and rebecca winthrop director - center for universal education , senior fellow - global economy and development @rebeccawinthrop the hon. minister david sengeh the hon. minister david sengeh minister of education and chief innovation officer - government of sierra leone, chief innovation officer - directorate of science, technology and innovation in sierra leone @dsengeh.

June 23, 2022

Today, the topic of education system transformation is front of mind for many leaders. Ministers of education around the world are seeking to build back better as they emerge from COVID-19-school closures to a new normal of living with a pandemic. The U.N. secretary general is convening the Transforming Education Summit (TES) at this year’s general assembly meeting (United Nations, n.d.). Students around the world continue to demand transformation on climate and not finding voice to do this through their schools are regularly leaving class to test out their civic action skills.      

It is with this moment in mind that we have developed this shared vision of education system transformation. Collectively we offer insights on transformation from the perspective of a global think tank and a national government: the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings brings years of global research on education change and transformation, and the Ministry of Education of Sierra Leone brings on-the-ground lessons from designing and implementing system-wide educational rebuilding.   

This brief is for any education leader or stakeholder who is interested in charting a transformation journey in their country or education jurisdiction such as a state or district. It is also for civil society organizations, funders, researchers, and anyone interested in the topic of national development through education. In it, we answer the following three questions and argue for a participatory approach to transformation:  

  • Why is education system transformation urgent now? We argue that the world is at an inflection point. Climate change, the changing nature of work, increasing conflict and authoritarianism together with the urgency of COVID recovery has made the transformation agenda more critical than ever. 
  • What is education system transformation? We argue that education system transformation must entail a fresh review of the goals of your system – are they meeting the moment that we are in, are they tackling inequality and building resilience for a changing world, are they fully context aware, are they owned broadly across society – and then fundamentally positioning all components of your education system to coherently contribute to this shared purpose.  
  • How can education system transformation advance in your country or jurisdiction? We argue that three steps are crucial: Purpose (developing a broadly shared vision and purpose), Pedagogy (redesigning the pedagogical core), and Position (positioning and aligning all components of the system to support the pedagogical core and purpose). Deep engagement of educators, families, communities, students, ministry staff, and partners is essential across each of these “3 P” steps.    

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Our aim is not to provide “the answer” — we are also on a journey and continually learning about what it takes to transform systems — but to help others interested in pursuing system transformation benefit from our collective reflections to date. The goal is to complement and put in perspective — not replace — detailed guidance from other actors on education sector on system strengthening, reform, and redesign. In essence, we want to broaden the conversation and debate.

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Global Education

Global Economy and Development

Center for Universal Education

Emily Markovich Morris, Laura Nóra, Richaa Hoysala, Max Lieblich, Sophie Partington, Rebecca Winthrop

May 31, 2024

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how can education change the world essay

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Literacy Education for a Changing World

Educators, and especially literacy educators, are uniquely positioned to be changemakers. Alongside tangible reading and writing skills, literacy educators can teach social awareness and critical reflection—powerful tools for personal and social change. These skills and mindsets empower children to question the world inside and outside their classrooms, to stretch their thinking and broaden their understandings, and to take action toward a more equitable society.

Although educators are the face of these conversations, they cannot lead positive change alone. To do this difficult work, they need support from scholars, administrators, and school-based specialists and professionals who are passionate, knowledgeable, and advocates for literacy. This is the focus of the International Literacy Association 2018 Conference, where research, policy, and practice will converge to deliver strategies for fostering positive change in literacy education.

As we gear up for ILA 2018 with its theme of Be a   Changemaker , we want to know, “How do you define a changemaker in literacy education?” We posed this question to our Twitter community, and their responses gave us a window into what literacy education for a changing world looks like.

Brianna Maxwell

“It means finding ways to help students become critical consumers of the waves of information available to them. Read, think, and intelligent responses through multiple means of expressions. Need to go way beyond reading and answering questions.” —Kimberly Kuhlman, reading specialist, Pennsylvania

Muthoni Kibandi

The ILA 2018 Conference, with the theme Be a Changemaker , will take place July 20 – 23 in Austin, TX. Learn more and register here .

Alina O’Donnell is the communications strategist at ILA and the editor of Literacy Daily. 

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how can education change the world essay

Nelson Mandela: 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

The quote by Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," holds immense significance in highlighting the transformative power of knowledge. Mandela recognizes that education holds the key to societal progress, as it empowers individuals to challenge existing norms, question their surroundings, and craft a brighter future. With education as our ally, we possess the ability to break free from the chains of ignorance and make meaningful contributions to the world.Education, in its simplest form, equips us with skills and knowledge necessary to navigate life's challenges. It enables us to read, write, reason, and comprehend complex concepts. These fundamental abilities provide us with the tools to engage with society, actively participate in conversations, and contribute our unique perspectives. Education imparts us with critical thinking capacity, helping us to decipher between right and wrong, question societal norms, and challenge unjust systems.However, to truly grasp the profound impact of education on society, let us delve into the realms of philosophy. In doing so, we come across the concept of "existentialism," introduced by prominent thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Søren Kierkegaard. Existentialism shifts our perspective from the collective to the individual, urging us to examine our existence and our role in shaping the world. How does this concept relate to education and Mandela's quote?Existentialism presents the idea that in the face of an inherently absurd and meaningless world, individuals hold the power to create their own meanings. It accentuates the importance of personal responsibility, freedom of choice, and authenticity. When we apply these principles to education, we discover that it is not merely a means to an end but a catalyst for personal growth and self-realization. Education becomes the vehicle through which we explore and shape our own personal realities.In this context, education takes on a deeper significance. It is not restricted to textbooks and exams but becomes a lifelong journey of self-discovery and personal transformation. Through education, we uncover our passions, strengthen our beliefs, and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively to society. It enables us to not only change the world but also change our own lives, providing a pathway to personal fulfillment and self-actualization.Furthermore, education also plays a crucial role in cultivating empathy, understanding, and compassion. As we gain knowledge about different cultures, histories, and perspectives, we cultivate a sense of global citizenship. We develop the capacity to empathize with people from diverse backgrounds, challenge prejudice and discrimination, and work towards creating a more inclusive and harmonious world. Education, therefore, serves as a bridge that connects individuals from various walks of life, fostering mutual respect and empathy.It is important to note that education alone cannot be expected to solve all of society's problems. Political, economic, and cultural barriers often complicate the process of implementing change. Nevertheless, education provides us with the tools and understanding necessary to address these challenges and find innovative solutions. It equips us with the ability to challenge the status quo, question traditional structures, and envision a better future. Through education, we can foster social change, empower marginalized communities, and strive to create a fairer and more just society.In conclusion, Nelson Mandela's quote, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," encapsulates the transformative power of education. It signifies that education not only provides us with knowledge but also empowers us to challenge existing norms, question our surroundings, and reshape the world as we see fit. By embracing education in its many forms, we embark on a journey of personal growth, self-realization, and empathy. As we continually learn, adapt, and evolve, we have the ability to make meaningful contributions to society and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Nelson Mandela: 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.'

Nelson mandela: 'it always seems impossible until it's done.'.

The New York Times

Essay | “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

My parents, quintessential baby boomers, were the ones storming the administrative buildings, hoping their draft numbers weren’t going to be called and holding up signs at dozens of rallies. That spirit of activism, and the soapbox that college provided them, is long gone. We can mourn the loss of the “good old days,” because yes, college in that sense no longer exists. I still have yet to start my freshman year, and I can confidently say my college experience will be, thankfully, wholly unlike that of my parents’. Today, college is radically different, but not altogether worse. I think my generation is, on the surface, plagued with more “apathy” than our parents’, but as young, rebellious adults, we certainly still care.

College became the focal point for America because it epitomized change and upheaval in society. Today, the collective activism that defined the era is seemingly nowhere to be found. Instead of starting a rally at my college campus this fall, I’m more likely to create a Facebook group in the name of my cause. While a lot of things have changed for teenagers, technology is the most relevant change for my life. I read blogs that share my ideas instead of going to a discussion at a local coffeehouse. Revolution is individually centered because of this change, and that’s why it seems so much less apparent. But it’s there. The internet makes so many things possible and it is my generation’s greatest resource. It makes for a quiet change, seemingly organized rebellion, rather than a Woodstock or Kent State form of expression. That is, if we can agree on what changes should be made.

My parents did the hippie, anti-war thing. They acted in response to an older generation, the “man,” telling them what to do and what to believe. However now, all I can think about is one day, hopefully, becoming part of the “man” and working inside the system. It is, in turn, my own form of rebellion. However, my rebellion is going to be so different than that of my parents because of the cause. As many baby boomers are not so willing to admit, they are getting older. Vietnam protesters are no longer the parents of most college students anymore. The ties to that generation are farther away than ever for teenagers like me. My parents were involved with that era, and due to the social change that they initiated, many more topics for debate are on the table today. While the war in Iraq is certainly a popular subject, the lack of a draft means there is no single issue to tie college students together today. From Darfur to abortion, the options for a cause du jour are overwhelming. I, for one, don’t know where to start.

The daunting task of fixing the world of its many evils isn’t as interesting to us as it was to past college students. Our priorities, and what we hope to gain from higher education, are fundamentally different from the “great generation” of college students. Call us jaded, or call us stressed. Having finished the college application process just a few months ago, I know how competitive, difficult and selective it can be. Because of that, my junior and senior years of high school were a micromanaged, overly organized and stressful few years. Getting into college became less about where I was going to spend the next years of my life learning and growing, and more about what I was going to tell people when they asked where I was applying. Receiving that acceptance letter for me, therefore, is not the end of my worries. I had to fight for my spot, and of course I’m not going to let that go. As I try to embrace the new ideas and theories that I’m going to be introduced to as a college freshman, inside the classroom and out, my competitiveness cannot fall by the wayside. I have been taught that every step in my life is just that, a way to get higher on the grand staircase of……what? I don’t know what that goal is because it’s not important. The important thing is the climb, the work that’s put in to get whatever it is I will get to when I’ve made it. It seems like college is preparatory for graduate school or a job just like high school was preparatory for college. Revolutions and social change aren’t all that appealing when it seems like my resume is the best indicator for who I am. The apathy that seemingly defines who we are is really just stress. In the name of “success,” justice has taken a back seat.

College is not hopeless, nor is it less important to America. College has simply become accepted as the way to get a leg up rather than a way to get out. Individualism and expression is a natural right to me and my peers. With America’s changing role on the world’s stage, competition from other countries compounds our nerves to get a good job and attain a level of admirable success. Technology has turned us inwards and helped us focus our energy on diverse causes and ideals. We don’t seem like the loud and proud college students before us. We don’t seem like the elite class of college students before them. We are confronted with a barrage of information, and our life choices are far more complicated. We do care, when we have the time. It’s not a sad or morose diagnosis. It’s far from the crotchety war cry of “what’s wrong with today’s youth” that usually comes to mind. Because when we do have the time, we have the resources to do incredible things. We can and we will. We just need to remember to breathe first.

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Learning to Change the World

By Connie K. Chung

Portions of the essay below was adapted and recently published in the book, Empowering Global Citizens, by Reimers, Chopra, Chung, Higdon, and O'Donnell

Researchers have noted that traditional global citizenship education (GCE) curriculum encourages students to understand globalization; to adopt a self-critical approach to how they and their nation are implicated in local and global problems; to engage in intercultural perspectives and diversity (Pashby, 2008); and to recognize and use their political agency towards effecting change and promoting social and environmental justice (Eidoo et al, 2011).  Schurgurensky (2005) observes, “transformative citizenship learning involves the nurturing of caring and critical citizens who raise important questions and problems in overt ways” and “probe the status quo” (Eidoo et al, 2011).  “Andreotti (2006) further draws the distinction between “soft” and “critical” global citizenship education and looks to critical literacy for a pedagogical approach that  “prioritizes critical reflection and asks learners to recognize their own context and their own and others’ epistemological and ontological assumptions. 

Furthermore, she argues that in order “to think otherwise” and to transform views and relationships, learners must engage with their own and others’ perspectives.  Andreotti’s ‘critical’ global citizenship model promotes citizenship action as “a choice of the individual after a careful analysis of the context of intervention, of different views, of power relations (especially the position of who is intervening) and of short and long term (positive and negative) implications of goals and strategies” (p. 7). Key concepts of critical GCE include transformation, criticality, self-reflexivity, diversity, complicity, and agency” (Eidoo et al, 2011). 

Existing Curriculum vs Our Global Citizenship Curriculum

While the AP curriculum emphasizes breadth of knowledge, and the US standards movement lists discrete skills, knowledge, or attitudes that people wish to impart to the students, our curriculum seeks to develop a depth of knowledge and “expert” thinking required to solve problems.  In our desire to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes – that is, not only impart knowledge, but also focus on teaching skills and attitudes – that would prepare learners for the 21st century, we found that a focus on developing an interdisciplinary approach to curricular development was necessary.  When we looked at the AP curriculum as a possible framework for curriculum design, for example, we were impressed by the breadth of knowledge that was required by the program; however, we ultimately felt that we wanted to emphasize depth of knowledge, given the kind of “expert” thinking required to solve problems.

In addition, rather than imposing on the students a list of discrete skills, knowledge, or attitudes that we wished to impart to the students, we wanted the students to find and make meaning in their learning.   Thus, our curriculum focuses on learning that is integrated and grounded in current social, political, economic, and other concerns, focusing on issues that are complex, with no easy answers or solutions.  We believed that students would find value in, and desire to engage with, issues that were “real” and authentic; and that in being asked to engage with these real-life issues, the learners would be more motivated to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to understand and solve these issues.  

For example, our curriculum centers on issues like immigration and the impact of human migration on the environment, and the kinds of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary to address these issues.  Such an approach led us to fields such as demography that is not a subject that is taught in many schools, but a topic that we thought was essential for learning how to address issues about population growth and its impact.  Another example of difference from other more traditional global citizenship education curriculum would be our curriculum’s focus on social entrepreneurship; while a few business classes may be taught in high schools, we deliberately brought the subject to the lower grades, and coupled it with developing students’ understanding of international development and notions of justice and equity.

Banks (2008) and Nieto (2002) note that a “transformative” education teaches people to develop decision-making and social action skills; identify problems in society; acquire knowledge related to their communities; name and clarify their values; and take thoughtful individual and collective civic action to address inequities and injustices. In structuring such a “transformative education,” focused on developing students’ cognitive knowledge (Fitzgerald, 2005) by focusing on topics such as the following: development and sustainable development; cultural identity and diversity; human rights and responsibilities; equality and social justice; peace, conflict and resolution; geographic, economic, political, social and environmental knowledge about the world.  We also sought to ground these pieces of information by introducing students to exemplars of change agents, both historical and current figures, who have worked and are working to create positive change in their communities. 

Like other global education curriculum, we focused on intercultural competencies to develop the values, attitudes and perceptions of students.  For example, we wanted students to understand how cultures can shape identities, including their own.  Through our curriculum, we sought to develop empathy in the students through perspective taking exercises (Bob Selman at HGSE has written on this topic).  We also draw upon literature and the arts to encourage creative expression in the global studies course.  In addition to individual development, we focused on the students’ development as members of teams, who are able to work productively in and lead effectively inter-cultural teams.  We built in curricular opportunities for student so develop skills in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills. 

Agents of Change

In developing the curriculum we also took into consideration such findings from a study about teaching justice to privileged adolescents (Seider, 2009), which noted that mere knowledge about the world’s problems will not only overwhelm students and lead them to disengage with the world.  For example, when faced with data about global poverty, students may react with defensiveness, so we incorporated into the curriculum, not just data about problems and skills to overcome them, but also examples of viable solutions to issues, and people working toward those kinds of change, to impart to students the idea that these issues can be overcome. 

We focused on introducing choice, developing capacity, and motivating them to contribute to the world around them, in small and large ways (2005).  We sought to cultivate in the students a focus on being innovative and creative in formulating solutions to real global challenges and seizing global opportunities.  To do so, the curriculum is largely project-based, with a cumulative sequencing of units within and across grades.   We include how geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges.   In particular, we sought to ground students in the reality of the world, but also infused the notion of agency and possibility, along with concrete skills and projects that would teach them to be agents of change. 

Along with curricular emphases on fairness and global citizenship, we also wanted to make sure that students felt that they had the freedom to choose how they wanted to engage with these issues, so that they did not feel the emphases was heavy-handed.  For example, at the high school level, the final projects are broadly conceived and open to the students’ own conceptions of how they wanted to apply these skills and knowledge, whether they wanted to be a scientist, an artist, or a politician.  We wanted a strong core body of knowledge and skills that would be ably used by learners who had developed the attitude of compassion, responsibility and efficacy about changing the world around them.  While the students will be thoughtfully guided by their teachers in developing these projects, they are ultimately encouraged and are able to carry out their projects independently.  

Project-Based & Group Learning

Through a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are taught in project-based, cumulative sequencing of units within and across grades, our various units about different cultures and regions of the world were intended to cultivate the students’ ability not only to seek and identify the best global practices and transfer them across geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts, but also in their ability to recognize how these different geographic, cultural, and other perspectives matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges.   More than merely engaging in individualized learning, students are asked to interact with others, learn with others, and influence others.  For example, in grade 5 they are asked to create an awareness project about the MDGs; then in grade 6, they are asked to implement an advocacy project about the MDGs. 

Assessment: More than a Number

From kindergarten, students are not only learning, but are engaged in demonstrating their understanding of what they learned throughout the year.  We integrated formative and summative assessments throughout the course.  More than merely displaying knowledge, students are asked to engage in creating a product, whether it be a puppet show (kindergarten), a book (grade 1), a business (grade 3) a game (grade 4), or a social enterprise (grade 8).  Learning is constructed as cumulative, with knowledge building on prior experience and understanding. For example, in Grade 3, students learn to understand global inter-dependence through participating in creating a social enterprise project in chocolate manufacturing.  The learning objective is to build an entrepreneurial spirit in young children through an understanding of global food chains using the case of chocolate, specifically.  The primary geographic focus is West Africa, in chocolate manufacturing countries. 

The year ends with a capstone activity that gives the students the opportunity to engage in complex, activity-based tasks that incorporate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that they have learned during the year. The capstone activity for grade 3 is to create a marketing campaign for the chocolate they have made and to differentiate their product based on the culture of their target market.  They build toward this capstone activity through the following units: 3.1 The life of a chocolate and its history; 3.2 Let’s make our own chocolate; 3.3 Understanding the culture of my market; 3.4 Marketing my chocolate in school; 3.5 Child Labor; 3.6 Taking my chocolate to the market; 3.7 Moving beyond chocolate.

Other capstone activities include the following.  Kindergarten – Take part in a puppet show performance on understanding difference; Grade 1 – Create a “Book of Me”;  Grade 2 - Educate others; Grade 3 -  Create a business (chocolate); Grade 4 - Create a game about civilizations; Grade 5 - Create an awareness project on MDGs; Grade 6 - Implement an advocacy project about an MDG; Grade 7 – Participate in extended service learning; Grade 8 - Create a Social Enterprise around a MDG.  In many cases, the capstone activities build on each other; in grade 5, for example, they are asked to create an awareness project to inform others about the MDGs while in grade 6, they are then asked to implement an advocacy project about the MDGs. 

Our aim is to have students who are capable of demonstrating innovation and creativity in formulating solutions to real global challenges and seizing global opportunities.  Our various units about different cultures and regions of the world are intended to foster the students’ ability not only to seek and identify the best global practices and transfer them across geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts, but also in their ability to recognize how these different geographic, cultural, and other perspectives matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges.  They are able to think in nuanced ways, paying attention to local details and understand that there is variation not only across contexts but within contexts as well.

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Our education system is losing relevance. Here's how to unleash its potential

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Our education system was founded to supply workers with a relatively fixed set of skills and knowledge

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Stay up to date:, education, gender and work.

  • Our current education system is built on the Industrial Revolution model and focuses on IQ, in particular memorization and standardization;
  • We must update education with job readiness, the ability to compete against smart machines and the creation of long-term economic value in mind;
  • Education access, equity and quality must be improved to solve the global education crisis – 72 million children of primary education age are not in school.

Education today is in crisis. Even before the coronavirus pandemic struck, in many parts of the world, children who should be in school aren’t; for those who are, their schools often lack the resources to provide adequate instruction. At a time when quality education is arguably more vital to one’s life chances than ever before, these children are missing out on the education needed to live fulfilling lives as adults and to participate in and contribute to the world economy.

Historically, education has been the shortest bridge between the haves and the have-nots, bringing progress and prosperity for both individuals and countries, but the current education system is showing its age. Founded at a time when industries needed workers with a relatively fixed set of skills and knowledge, it is losing its relevance in an era of innovation, disruption and constant change, where adaptability and learning agility are most needed.

Have you read?

Two things that need to change for the future of education, the world is failing miserably on access to education. here's how to change course, how higher education can adapt to the future of work.

Our current education system, built on the Industrial Revolution model, focuses on IQ, in particular memorization and standardization – skills that will be easily and efficiently supplanted by artificial and augmented intelligence (AI), where IQ alone isn’t sufficient. A good blend of IQ (intelligence) + EQ (emotional intelligence) + RQ (resilience) is critical to unleashing a student’s potential.

Evaluating our current education system against three criteria – job readiness, ability to compete against smart machines for jobs and creating long-term economic value – reveals the following:

  • 34% of students believe their schools are not preparing them for success in the job market . We need to fix the bridge from education to employability;
  • 60% of future jobs haven’t been developed yet and 40% of nursery-age children (kindergarteners) in schools today will need to be self-employed to have any form of income (Source: WEF Future of Jobs Report). We need to prepare students for jobs that haven’t been created yet and to become entrepreneurs. What we need to learn, how we learn, and the role of the teacher are all changing.

The $1.5 trillion in student debt in the US is the second highest debt after home mortgages . With tuition fees expected to break $100,000 per year , student debt will be crushing for future generations. Even Barack Obama was reportedly paying off student loans in his 40s . With the average new college graduate making $48,400 , many people will be paying off their student loans well into their retirement, hurting their ability to save, buy homes, support their families and contribute to philanthropic efforts.

While we work to transform education, we also need to make it more accessible. According to UNICEF, more than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school, while 750 million adults are illiterate and do not have the ability to improve their and their children’s living conditions . As we take on education transformation, daisy-chaining across three crucial categories (access, equity, quality/impact) is critical for unleashing potential.

Rising education around the world

Access means ensuring learners everywhere are not prevented by circumstances from being in school and getting an education. Access to education is low in many developing nations, but inequalities also exist within developed countries that are highly stratified socially , for example, in the UK . How do we make education/learning more accessible? What role can technology play? How can countries, particularly developing ones, hold on to top talent to ensure economic progress?

Equity means ensuring every child has the resources needed to get to school and to thrive, regardless of circumstance. While equality means treating every student the same; equity means making sure every student has the support they need to be successful. The essential drivers are fairness (ensuring that personal and social circumstances do not prevent students from achieving their academic potential); and inclusion (setting a basic minimum standard for all students regardless of background, gender or location). This leads to several questions: how do you raise awareness in communities? What role can technology play in creating personalized and differentiated learning so all students get the kind of instruction they need to succeed?

The definition of quality and success has to move beyond standardized test scores to a more holistic measurement tied to life improvements and societal impact. Quality education would provide learners with capabilities and competencies required to make them economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, enhance individual well-being and contribute to community. The impact orientation will help shift our gaze away from behaviour and activities (attending school and checking the box) to value-creation environments (from personalized learning and career counselling to job readiness and becoming responsible global citizens).

It’s in everybody’s best interest to solve the global education crisis:

  • 13 million US students are likely to drop out of school during the next decade costing the country $3 trillion;
  • Compared to high-school dropouts, graduates pay more taxes, draw less from social welfare programmes and are less likely to commit a crime;
  • An 8% improvement in US PISA scores in the next 20 years would boost GDP by about $70 trillion in the next 80 years.

“Investing in education is the most cost-effective way to drive economic development, improve skills and opportunities for young women and men, and unlock progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals," says United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres .

So let us reset education and learning to meet 21st-century needs , shaping a path from education to employability and economic independence.

Let’s all commit to collectively helping to break a link in the shackles holding education back. Let’s blend the lessons of the past with the technology of the present and future to truly transform education, giving students the ability to think, learn and evolve no matter what the challenges that await them tomorrow and unleash their potential to benefit the world.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Making The World a Better Place — How Education Can Make The World A Better Place

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How Education Can Make The World a Better Place

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Published: Oct 25, 2021

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Works Cited:

  • Foster, T. (2019). Salem witchcraft and Hawthorne's house of the seven gables. Journal of American Culture, 42(4), 400-406.
  • Gussow, M. (2005). Arthur Miller, The Art of Theater No. 2. The Paris Review, 47-103. https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/1721/arthur-miller-the-art-of-theater-no-2-arthur-miller
  • Hart, J. (2008). Miller’s The Crucible: Fact & Fiction. History Review, (61), 33-37. http://www.historytoday.com/john-hart/miller%E2%80%99s-crucible-fact-fiction
  • Hill, F. (2011). Exploring Salem witchcraft. Salem Press Encyclopedia. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=b72e2b4c-4a24-4c4e-bba5-cc7d22f8e152%40pdc-v-sessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=85153672&db=ers
  • Lauter, P. (1996). The world in a crucible: Salem, 1692. Journal of American History, 83(4), 1512-1519.
  • Miller, A. (1995). The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. Penguin Classics.
  • Moss, J. S. (1994). Miller's the Crucible and cold war America. American Drama, 3(2), 47-60.
  • Nagel, J. (2014). A witch hunt in Hollywood: The crucible in context. Literature and History, 23(1), 1-16.
  • Ocker, C. (2019). Salem witch trials: A reference guide. ABC-CLIO.
  • Ulrich, L. T. (2018). The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

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how can education change the world essay

Why education is one of the most powerful weapons to transform society

Education is one of the most powerful weapons -- it can change people, communities, entire nations and the future of humanity..

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how can education change the world essay

By Katherine Schulten

The 2023-24 academic year is coming to a close, and we have a post describing 10 ways to reflect on these last months and learn from them. But the 10 ways aren’t just for students — we also hope teachers can benefit from them. In fact, we would be delighted if teachers and students did some of the exercises together and told us what happened!

We invite you to post a comment reflecting on any aspect of this school year that you would like to make public, and we have provided some questions below to get you started.

We hope, too, that you will not only post your own reflections but also comment on the thoughts of others. As always, our staff will moderate comments , and we can’t wait to learn from you.

Students and teachers, read our related list of reflection ideas from which the questions below are drawn and then answer any of them that resonate with you. Please identify yourself as a teacher or a student when you post.

What do you want to remember about this school year? Why?

What are you especially grateful for this year? To whom would you most like to write a letter of gratitude if you could?

What surprised you?

What successes are you most proud of?

What challenged you? What helped you face or overcome those challenges?

What did you learn that most matters to you, whether in or out of school?

What new skills, however small, did you acquire?

How have you grown — as a student, a friend, a community or family member or a person?

How could you build on that growth next year?

What would you like more of in your life? What would you like less of? Why?

What music would be on a soundtrack of the 2023-24 school year for you? Why?

What books did you read this year that you would recommend to others? Why?

About what, if anything, did you change your mind? How did that happen?

If you were to collect and graph some data about your life this school year, what would you choose to graph, and what do you think it might show? What could you learn from it?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

Lawrence R. Samuel Ph.D.

How Teachers Change Lives

Many of us are who we are because of an educator..

Posted May 22, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

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Teachers are a central figure in our lives, if only because almost all of us have had direct experience with quite a number of them. Americans are a highly diverse group of people, but our memories of teachers serve as something that we have in common, an all too rare and good thing these divisive days. While most of the teachers we’ve had were forgettable, there are those who, decades later, still pop up in our dreams , and not in a good way. (I really did lose my homework on the way to school, Mrs. Pallidino.)

But then there were likely one or two, maybe three if you were really lucky, who had a deep and positive impact on your life at the time. Events in one’s youth can have a profound effect on who one becomes as an adult, many agree, making the potential influence of teachers critical in the trajectory of life. We tend to underestimate this phenomenon, focusing instead on our relationships with parents and siblings when looking back on our personal and psychological evolution, which is just one reason why teachers have not been given the credit that is due to them.

There is much anecdotal evidence suggesting that teachers not only help students prepare for their careers but can make a lasting imprint on their minds and personalities. As I show in my book The American Teacher: A History , stories abound about how teachers have shaped a young person’s life at an emotional and almost spiritual level. Wilbur Gordy of Hartford, Connecticut, told his story in the Journal of Education in 1923 in a piece he called “One of My Real Teachers.” Gordy, who had been a school principal and was then a school superintendent, knew a “real” teacher when he saw one, understanding full well that they were not a common breed.

Gordy had had three such “real” teachers over the course of his own education, he explained, the most memorable one being in a one-room schoolhouse in the Maryland countryside. “His evident desire to be helpful to me in my hopes and my eager aspirations soon gripped my whole being,” Gordy wrote, recalling that the man “fed my hungry soul and taught me not so much facts from books as truths about life.” With that teacher’s ability to “open my eyes to new beauties and undreamed-of possibilities in life,” Gordy could now see that the man had “a divine gift.”

The lasting legacy of a good teacher

Flash forward 60 years to 1982, when two friends of a teacher who had died in old age went to the man’s funeral. They had just read a newspaper obituary of the deceased, which closed with the sentence, “He left no survivors.” While at the funeral, however, the pair chatted with a number of the teacher’s ex-students whose stories made the friends question the accuracy of that rather sad sentence. “He made me a lover of the written word,” a successful executive recalled, with another previous student saying, “He was the chief influence in my going to college.”

There was no shortage of praise for this man, it seemed. “I wanted to be like him,” a mourner commented, adding that “he was both my textbook and my model.” In addition to being an apparently wonderful teacher, he and his wife had held holiday season reunions in their home, one more reason why so many fondly remembered him.

Did this teacher leave no survivors? The two friends in the anecdote, Thomas E. Robinson and Walter A. Brower, certainly didn’t think so. “The influence of a good teacher never ends,” Robinson, president emeritus of Glassboro State College in New Jersey, and Brower, dean of the School of Education at Rider College in that same state, beautifully wrote, thinking “it flows onward forward, like an evolutionary stream, through generations.” This particular teacher had no immediate family but had left many survivors, they held. “Doesn’t every successful teacher build a kind of immortality through the lives and activities of his or her students?” Robinson and Brower asked, answering that question by responding, “No good teacher ever dies.”

Jump ahead another 40 years, and little has changed. There are currently more than 3 million teachers in America, but one might not know that, judging by their relatively low public profile and less than impressive social status. From a macro view, public school teachers can be said to be pawns in the game of education, with most pedagogical decisions made by Washington lawmakers, state departments of education, and local school boards.

Still, each and every teacher holds great sway in her or his own classroom, thus having a direct effect on the lives of students. In his book There Are No Shortcuts , Rafe Esquith, who taught students of low-income families at Hobart Elementary School in Los Angeles, described teaching as “a holy mission” that required tremendous effort but offered the great reward of changing people for the better. Many of us are the people we are because of a teacher or two, something we should acknowledge and appreciate.

Samuel, Lawrence R. (2024). The American Teacher: A History. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Rafe Esquith . (2003). There are No Shortcuts. New York: Pantheon.

Lawrence R. Samuel Ph.D.

Lawrence R. Samuel, Ph.D. , is an American cultural historian who holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and was a Smithsonian Institution Fellow.

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What you need to know about education for sustainable development

What is education for sustainable development  .

Education for sustainable development (ESD) gives learners of all ages the knowledge, skills, values and agency to address interconnected global challenges including climate change, loss of biodiversity, unsustainable use of resources, and inequality. It empowers learners of all ages to make informed decisions and take individual and collective action to change society and care for the planet. ESD is a lifelong learning process and an integral part of quality education. It enhances the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural dimensions of learning and encompasses learning content and outcomes, pedagogy and the learning environment itself. 

How does UNESCO work on this theme?  

UNESCO is the United Nations leading agency for ESD and is responsible for the implementation of ESD for 2030 , the current global framework for ESD which takes up and continues the work of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD (2015-2019). 

UNESCO’s work on ESD focuses on five main areas: 

  • Advancing policy
  • Transforming learning environments
  • Building capacities of educators
  • Empowering and mobilizing youth
  • Accelerating local level action

UNESCO supports countries to develop and expand educational activities that focus on sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, water, the oceans, sustainable urbanisation and sustainable lifestyles through ESD. UNESCO leads and advocates globally on ESD and provides guidance and standards. It also provides data on the status of ESD and monitors progress on SDG Indicator 4.7.1, on the extent to which global citizenship education and ESD are mainstreamed in national education policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessment.  

How does UNESCO mobilize education to address climate change?   

Climate change education is the main thematic focus of ESD as it helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change. The importance of education and training to address climate change is recognized in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change , the Paris Agreement and the associated Action for Climate Empowerment agenda which all call on governments to educate, empower and engage all stakeholders and major groups on policies and actions relating to climate change. Through its ESD programme, UNESCO works to make education a more central and visible part of the international response to climate change. It produces and shares knowledge, provides policy guidance and technical support to countries, and implements projects on the ground. 

UNESCO encourages Member States to develop and implement their  country initiative  to mainstream education for sustainable development. 

What is the Greening Education Partnership?

To coordinate actions and efforts in the field of climate change education the  Greening Education Partnership  was launched in 2022 during the UN Secretary General's Summit on Transforming Education. This partnership, coordinated by a UNESCO Secretariat, is driving a global movement to get every learner climate-ready. The Partnership addresses four key areas of transformative education: greening schools, curricula, teachers training and education system's capacities, and communities.

How can I get involved?   

Every single person can take action in many different ways every day to protect the planet. To complement the ESD for 2030 roadmap , UNESCO has developed the ESD for 2030 toolbox to provide an evolving set of selected resources to support Member States, regional and global stakeholders to develop activities in the five priority action areas and activities in support of the six key areas of implementation. 

UNESCO also launched the Trash Hack campaign in response to the 2 billion tons of waste that the world produces every year, waste which clog up the oceans, fill the streets and litter huge areas. Trash Hacks are small changes everyone can make every day to reduce waste in their lives, their communities and the world.   

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Assessing the Classification of the Dominican Republic as a Third World Country

This essay is about evaluating whether the Dominican Republic can be classified as a Third World country. It examines the country’s significant economic growth, driven by tourism and manufacturing, alongside persistent challenges like poverty, income inequality, and limited access to quality healthcare and education. The essay discusses the country’s relative political stability and infrastructure development, noting disparities between urban and rural areas. It argues that the term “Third World country” is outdated and that the Dominican Republic is better described as an emerging market. This classification reflects its progress and ongoing challenges, providing a more nuanced understanding of its development status.

How it works

The term “Third World country” frequently denotes territories with diminished economic advancement, inferior standards of livelihood, and amplified degrees of destitution and political volatility relative to more industrialized realms. Originally formulated during the Cold War to delineate countries not allied with NATO or the Communist Bloc, the phrase has since transformed, often carrying a derogatory undertone. When scrutinizing whether the Dominican Republic conforms to this categorization, it is imperative to scrutinize diverse socio-economic benchmarks and the country’s developmental trajectory.

The Dominican Republic, situated in the Caribbean, shares the isle of Hispaniola with Haiti.

It has encountered notable economic expansion in recent epochs, propelled chiefly by tourism, manufacturing, and amenities. The nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate has stood amongst the highest in the Latin American and Caribbean sector, recurrently surpassing 5% annually prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This economic progression has precipitated enhancements in infrastructure, healthcare, and education, augmenting the quality of existence for myriad Dominicans.

Notwithstanding these advancements, the Dominican Republic still grapples with substantial quandaries that align with attributes frequently correlated with “Tertiary Globe” nations. Destitution persists as a formidable predicament, with a considerable segment of the populace residing beneath the poverty threshold. Income disparity is conspicuous, and there exists a palpable dichotomy between opulent localities, such as Punta Cana and Santo Domingo, and the impoverished rural hinterlands. This incongruity constitutes a pivotal element in evaluating the country’s overarching developmental status.

Healthcare and education, albeit ameliorated, harbor potential for augmentation. The healthcare framework has made strides, yet access to superior care can be circumscribed, particularly in rural precincts. Educational reforms have been instituted, notwithstanding, educational outcomes lag behind those of more developed nations, influencing the country’s human capital advancement. These spheres are pivotal in delineating a nation’s advancement, and the Dominican Republic’s divergent outcomes in these realms intimate that it is still traversing the trajectory to surmount these hurdles.

Political constancy stands as another pivotal facet. The Dominican Republic has relished relative political steadiness vis-a-vis myriad of its regional counterparts. Nevertheless, corruption and inefficacy within the administration persist as issues impeding further progression. Endeavors to counter corruption and foster transparency are underway, yet these endeavors necessitate fortification to ascertain sustainable advancement and equitable resource apportionment.

Infrastructure expansion in the Dominican Republic has been conspicuous, notably in tourism-laden locales. Modernized aerodromes, thoroughfares, and harbors have been erected, buttressing economic undertakings and elevating tourism. Notwithstanding, rural precincts frequently lack rudimentary infrastructure such as dependable electricity, potable water, and sanitation amenities. Remedying these disparages is imperative for comprehensive expansion and ameliorating the overall standard of existence for all Dominicans.

The notion of being a “Third World country” is progressively perceived as antiquated and overly simplistic, falling short of encapsulating the intricacies of advancement in a globalized milieu. The Dominican Republic’s economic strides and extant challenges epitomize this complexity. While the country has realized substantial headway, predominantly in economic expansion and infrastructure construction, it still grapples with predicaments typical of burgeoning nations, such as destitution, inequality, and restricted access to superior healthcare and education.

To proffer a more nuanced comprehension, it is pragmatic to allude to contemporary classifications like “developing nation” or “emerging marketplace.” These terms more aptly delineate the dynamic nature of the Dominican Republic’s advancement. As an emerging marketplace, the Dominican Republic is typified by swift economic expansion and substantial investment prospects, yet by predicaments that necessitate resolution to attain high-income status.

In conclusion, pigeonholing the Dominican Republic strictly as a “Third World country” overlooks the significant strides it has undertaken and the complexities of its extant status. While it shares attributes with developing nations, such as destitution and inequality, its robust economic progression, ameliorating infrastructure, and relative political steadiness augur well for a nation on the ascent. A more precise classification would acknowledge it as an emerging marketplace with noteworthy potential, yet with lingering challenges necessitating continuous attention to guarantee comprehensive and sustainable advancement. This equitable perspective permits a superior appreciation of the advancements the Dominican Republic has made and the exertions still mandated to secure a prosperous future for all its denizens.

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  1. 100 Words Essay on Education Is the Most Powerful Weapon

    In conclusion, education is indeed the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. It is a catalyst for personal growth, social change, and economic advancement. It empowers individuals, fosters empathy and understanding, and promotes social cohesion and stability. Despite the challenges, the potential of education to transform lives ...

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  4. Global education: How to transform school systems?

    The way forward. To achieve this vision, we propose five actions to seize the moment and transform education systems (focusing on pre-primary through secondary school) to better serve all children ...

  5. How Education Changes the World

    There is strong evidence suggesting that when our students graduate, they will be more likely to earn more money, be more employable, and be more financially secure. But they will also be profoundly changed. Their worlds will be forever altered, and because of this, our students will go on to alter the world around them.

  6. The turning point: Why we must transform education now

    Transforming education requires a significant increase in investment in quality education, a strong foundation in comprehensive early childhood development and education, and must be underpinned by strong political commitment, sound planning, and a robust evidence base. Learning and skills for life, work and sustainable development.

  7. Rethinking education in a changing world

    Ultimately, we need to redefine the basics to include the full breadth of academic and non-academic skills that all children, rich and poor alike, need. Then we need to rethink how to help ...

  8. Mandela's belief that education can change the world is still a dream

    Published: July 17, 2015 3:27pm EDT. Nelson Mandela believed education is the most powerful weapon which can change the world. Reuters/Antony Kaminju. Education is the most powerful weapon which ...

  9. PDF Is education the most powerful weapon we have for changing the world?

    In 1990, at Madison Park High School, Roxbury, Nelson Mandela said that 'education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world'1. Changing the world requires first changing minds - and since education is so deeply linked to persuasion, it is no surprise that it is such an effective tool.

  10. The role of education in transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for

    Cultivating our imaginative capacity through education enhances our motivation for change and for taking action to make the world a sustainable place. In his 2016 Peace Proposal, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, an educator and a 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, identifies two important functions of learning:

  11. Transforming education systems: Why, what, and how

    How can education system transformation advance in your country or jurisdiction? We argue that three steps are crucial: Purpose (developing a broadly shared vision and purpose), Pedagogy ...

  12. Literacy Education for a Changing World

    Educators, and especially literacy educators, are uniquely positioned to be changemakers. Alongside tangible reading and writing skills, literacy educators can teach social awareness and critical reflection—powerful tools for personal and social change. These skills and mindsets empower children to question the world inside and outside their ...

  13. Nelson Mandela: 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can

    The quote by Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," holds immense significance in highlighting the transformative power of knowledge. Mandela recognizes that education holds the key to societal progress, as it empowers individuals to challenge existing norms, question their surroundings ...

  14. Essay on Education Is the Key to Success by Nelson Mandela

    Cite this essay. Download. Education is the key to changing the world. It reduces poverty, decreases racism, eliminates gender inequality, prevents needless deaths, and most importantly fosters peace. Yet, many do not have basic Education. Only Education can change the world. Nelson Mandela, one of my heroes, advocates Education as the most ...

  15. "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the

    College has simply become accepted as the way to get a leg up rather than a way to get out. Individualism and expression is a natural right to me and my peers. With America's changing role on the world's stage, competition from other countries compounds our nerves to get a good job and attain a level of admirable success.

  16. The power of education: Inspiring stories from four continents

    A girl and a woman in Burkina Faso.An Afghan refugee family in Greece.A teacher in India.An entrepreneur in Guatemala.. These are the stories on the power of education currently featured in an immersive exhibition entitled "Education transforms lives" that UNESCO has set up at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the High-level Political Forum.

  17. Learning to Change the World

    Learning to Change the World. By Connie K. Chung. Portions of the essay below was adapted and recently published in the book, Empowering Global Citizens, by Reimers, Chopra, Chung, Higdon, and O'Donnell. Researchers have noted that traditional global citizenship education (GCE) curriculum encourages students to understand globalization; to ...

  18. Our education system is losing relevance. Here's how to update it

    We must update education with job readiness, the ability to compete against smart machines and the creation of long-term economic value in mind; Education access, equity and quality must be improved to solve the global education crisis - 72 million children of primary education age are not in school. Education today is in crisis.

  19. How Education Can Make The World a Better Place

    Those 2 examples are only a tiny part of how education made the world a better place to live in. Educating people can help the whole world fight one of the biggest crises occurring in the world. The crisis is pollution. To be honest, when I was in elementary school I didn't care about littering and when my parents yelled at me I didn't listen.

  20. The Power of Teachers: Ordinary People Can Change the World

    I learned how to compose an essay. It was her belief in me that gave me the confidence to become a writer. And it was her example that first taught me that ordinary people can, indeed, change the ...

  21. Why education is one of the most powerful weapons to transform society

    Education is one of the most powerful weapons -- it can change people, communities, entire nations and the future of humanity. Nelson Mandela has rightly said that 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'. Yes, education is the key to eliminate all problems.

  22. How Can I Change the World: Essay

    858. Pages: 2. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Cite this essay. Download. Our objective is to change the world into a united, color-blind society. Instead, we intend for, as my father advocated, people, to be "judged by the content ...

  23. How Did You Grow and Change This School Year?

    May 20, 2024. The 2023-24 academic year is coming to a close, and we have a post describing 10 ways to reflect on these last months and learn from them. But the 10 ways aren't just for students ...

  24. How Teachers Change Lives

    Teachers can have a deep, positve impact on the life of a young person. People tend to undervalue the role that teachers play in shaping students' minds. People's personalities as adults can have ...

  25. What you need to know about education for sustainable development

    Education for sustainable development (ESD) gives learners of all ages the knowledge, skills, values and agency to address interconnected global challenges including climate change, loss of biodiversity, unsustainable use of resources, and inequality. It empowers learners of all ages to make informed decisions and take individual and collective ...

  26. Assessing the Classification of the Dominican Republic as a Third World

    This essay is about evaluating whether the Dominican Republic can be classified as a Third World country. It examines the country's significant economic growth, driven by tourism and manufacturing, alongside persistent challenges like poverty, income inequality, and limited access to quality healthcare and education.

  27. Global report reveals major gaps in menstrual health and hygiene in schools

    NEW YORK, GENEVA, 28 May 2024 - Around the world, menstrual health and hygiene needs are being overlooked due to limited access to information, education, products and services, as well as inadequate facilities and inequalities. A new report, Progress on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools 2015-2023: special focus on menstrual health, launched by UNICEF and WHO on Menstrual ...

  28. For islanders, India election is about climate change and survival

    Home to more than 4.5 million people, the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world and regarded as a climate change hotspot as the planet gets warmer. The region is shared by India ...