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A child’s right to education entails the right to learn. Yet, for too many children across the globe, schooling does not lead to learning.

Over 600 million children worldwide are unable to attain minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, even though two thirds of them are in school. For out-of-school children, foundational skills in literacy and numeracy are further from grasp.

Children are deprived of education for various reasons. Poverty remains one of the most obstinate barriers. Children living through economic fragility, political instability, conflict or natural disaster are more likely to be cut off from schooling – as are those with disabilities, or from ethnic minorities. In some countries, education opportunities for girls remain severely limited.

Even in schools, a lack of trained teachers, inadequate education materials and poor infrastructure make learning difficult for many students. Others come to class too hungry, ill or exhausted from work or household tasks to benefit from their lessons.

Compounding these inequities is a digital divide of growing concern: Most of the world’s school-aged children do not have internet connection in their homes, restricting their opportunities to further their learning and skills development.

Without quality education, children face considerable barriers to employment later in life. They are more likely to suffer adverse health outcomes and less likely to participate in decisions that affect them – threatening their ability to shape a better future for themselves and their societies.

Education is a basic human right. In 147 countries around the world, UNICEF works to provide quality learning opportunities that prepare children and adolescents with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. We focus on:

Equitable access : Access to quality education and skills development must be equitable and inclusive for all children and adolescents, regardless of who they are or where they live. We make targeted efforts to reach children who are excluded from education and learning on the basis of gender, disability, poverty, ethnicity and language. 

Quality learning : Outcomes must be at the centre of our work to close the gap between what students are learning and what they need to thrive in their communities and future jobs. Quality learning requires a safe, friendly environment, qualified and motivated teachers, and instruction in languages students can understand. It also requires that education outcomes be monitored and feed back into instruction.

Education in emergencies : Children living through conflict, natural disaster and displacement are in urgent need of educational support. Crises not only halt children’s learning but also roll back their gains. In many emergencies, UNICEF is the largest provider of educational support throughout humanitarian response, working with UNHCR, WFP and other partners.

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Teachers wanted

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Children and teachers killed in air strikes on schools in eastern Myanmar

Right to Education : Situation around the world

Situation of children’s right to education worldwide.

Today, education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children.

Causes of lack of education

Marginalisation and poverty.

For many children who still do not have access to education, it is notable because of persisting inequality and marginalization.

In developing and developed countries alike, children do not have access to basic education because of inequalities that originate in sex, health and cultural identity (ethnic origin, language, religion). These children find themselves on the margins of the education system and do not benefit from learning that is vital to their intellectual and social development.

Undeniably, many children from disadvantaged backgrounds are forced to abandon their education due to health problems related to malnutrition or in order to work and provide support for the family.

Financial deficit of developing countries

Universal primary education is a major issue and a sizeable problem for many states.

Equally, a lack of financial resources has an effect on the quality of teaching. Teachers do not benefit from basic teacher training and schools, of which there are not enough, have oversized classes.

This overflow leads to classes where many different educational levels are forced together which does not allow each individual child to benefit from an education adapted to their needs and abilities. As a result, the drop-out rate and education failure remain high.

Overview of the right to education worldwide

Most affected regions..

As a result of poverty and marginalization, more than 72 million children around the world remain unschooled.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected area with over 32 million children of primary school age remaining uneducated. Central and Eastern Asia, as well as the Pacific, are also severely affected by this problem with more than 27 million uneducated children.

Additionally, these regions must also solve continuing problems of educational poverty (a child in education for less than 4 years) and extreme educational poverty (a child in education for less than 2 years).

Essentially this concerns Sub-Saharan Africa where more than half of children receive an education for less than 4 years. In certain countries, such as Somalia and Burkina Faso, more than 50% of children receive an education for a period less than 2 years.

The lack of schooling and poor education have negative effects on the population and country.  The children leave school without having acquired the basics, which greatly impedes the social and economic development of these countries.

Inequality between girls and boys: the education of girls in jeopardy

Today, it is girls who have the least access to education. They make up more than 54% of the non-schooled population in the world.

This problem occurs most frequently in the Arab States, in central Asia and in Southern and Western Asia and is principally explained by the cultural and traditional privileged treatment given to males. Girls are destined to work in the family home, whereas boys are entitled to receive an education.

In sub-Saharan Africa, over 12 million girls are at risk of never receiving an education. In Yemen, it is more than 80% of girls who will never have the opportunity to go to school. Even more alarming, certain countries such as Afghanistan or Somalia make no effort to reduce the gap between girls and boys with regard to education.

Although many developing countries may congratulate themselves on dramatically reducing inequality between girls and boys in education, a lot of effort is still needed in order to achieve a universal primary education.

• Understanding the right to Education
• Read more about the condition of children worldwide
• OHCHR, Special Rapporteur on the right to Education
• www.right-to-education.org
• Wikipedia, Education
• Education International
• UNESCO, Education
• UNESCO, Education for all: Reaching the marginalized
• HREA, Study guides: Right to education
• Unicef, State of the World’s Children 2010
• Unicef, State of the World’s Children 2004: Girls, Education & Development

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Right to Education: Implementation, Problems and Challenges

The Right to Education: Education is one of the most valuable tools that mankind has to be able to make drastic changes within and to the world around. As the world has progressed, it has become evidently clear that knowledge is a very powerful possession. As an extension of this education becomes a very important tool in fostering children to create a pathway to a better and sustainable future for the planet. Education has evolved to become multi-dimensional, in the sense that it has a social, economic, and cultural aspect to it as well. It becomes socially relevant as it ensures the nourishment of an individual’s personality. Economically, it enables people to be self-sufficient and live their life without falling at anyone’s feet. Lastly, it is culturally important because it aids in the entrenchment of education as the way to build a global culture of human rights.

This issue came to the very forefront after the Second World War, a very harsh and volatile period for the world. Naturally, discussions of the importance and essentiality of education in recreating the global world after a violent period came to light very quickly. Many years have passed and the right to education has become a very basic human right. But the importance of education is far more relevant in developing countries. In such places, education serves to better the state in many aspects. It allows the population to be gradually alleviated from poverty , aid democracy, increase awareness about human rights and prevents exploitation of children. Ultimately it allows to reduce the barriers between classes and a much more uniform progression to be shared among the people of a state. Education has been and continues to remain one of the most worthwhile financial investments a state can do to alleviate human capital and help in the betterment of the state.

The Right to Education in India

For India, the right to education is ever more important considering the sheer enormity of our population and our status as a developing nation. As such, for the country to develop, education of the masses was and continues to be a very difficult but important, necessary and rewarding endeavour.

The RTE act in India came about almost sixty-three years after independence. The Act guarantees to provide every Indian child in the age group of 6-14 a most basic and fundamental right to education. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July 2009 containing a few minor changes compared to the draft bill. On the 4 th of August in the same year, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha . Soon after presidential assent was given and the law became active on the 3 rd of September 2009 as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE Act). The Act was amended again in 2010 and became enforceable throughout India excluding the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Positive Aspects of the RTE ACT

Broadly speaking, the act aims to provide free, compulsory, and most importantly quality education to children. There is also a focus on the social responsibility upheld by teachers and a simplification in the admissions process in most schools. Children who have dropped out or have never attended any educational avenues could now be helped and given the gift of education. It is also not reductive as it does not only enforce the enrolment alone. Instead, there is the importance given to the physical conditions of the school and its surroundings, qualification of teachers, the ratio of students to teachers to name a few.

The Act forces state governments to make sure that every child in the age group of 6-14 years under their jurisdiction receives at least eight years of education in a school that is able to meet the minimum standards. Children admitted like so, will be allowed to complete their elementary education even after 14 years of age as well. Authorities are also obligated to identify dropouts or other children who have never been to school and allocate them to age-appropriate classes after providing special training to make sure they do not fall behind. Free education does not mean the exemption of the tuition fees alone. The act goes further in ensuring that children do not have to pay for other costs such as books or uniforms. This is a nice addition as it incentivizes even more children from many communities to attend school on a regular basis.

It is also a well-known fact that schools have become increasingly bureaucratized, and as a side effect of that, there is an unnecessary and bothersome insistence on documentation. And children have turned away on the grounds that the admission cycle is over in most schools. Children coming from lesser fortunate communities may not necessarily be able to provide said documentation. They may also not be able to adhere strictly to the timetable of admission cycles of schools. Section 14 of the Act prevents denial of admission on the grounds of any inability by the child to produce their documentation. Furthermore, the Act prohibits children from being held back in any class, expulsion from the school, or be forced to pass any board examination until they are able to complete their elementary education. Children with disabilities will also not be exempted from these special provisions.

Every private school is required by the Act to ensure that 25 percent of the children enrolling for their incoming class are from weaker sections and disadvantaged communities. This quota cannot be left empty. The teacher-student ratio is fixed at 1:30 for each school and has to be complied with. This ensures that the teacher is able to give equal importance to all students in a given class. The financial weight of such an elaborate scheme covering such a massive population have been agreed to be split by the central and state governments in a 55:45 ratio.

These are a few key aspects of what is a very elaborate effort by the Indian government in bringing about a change in the country by reducing illiteracy and providing education to the masses.

Problems and Challenges 

All of the aforementioned points sound really appealing and nice on paper. The actual implementation is actually far from easy and even after more than ten years, there is much more to be seen in terms of changes brought about by the act. There are many reasons for this.

Lack of Funds

The first thing that immediately comes up is the glaring deficit of funds in order to implement every aspect of this Act as efficiently as possible. Despite the state and central governments coordinating it is not a small amount that is required to educate such a large population. Many state governments initially came out and said that they would require additional funds in order to implement the Act. The Orissa government then also made a demand that the state should be allocated into a special category. The state governments are not at all wrong in claiming a lack of funds as each demographic is different and will require different levels of funding. The same ratio of 55:45 might not be practical everywhere, nor in the long run.

Infrastructural Challenges

The Act aims for schools to keep up a minimum standard of infrastructure for students. Basically, making sure that with free education there is no lack of necessary student amenities such as availability of drinking water, clean kitchens for midday meals, number of classrooms and their capacities, playgrounds and finally separate toilets for boys and girls. The underlying reality is that most schools still do not meet such basic requirements and come up short in many aspects. A survey conducted by the National University of Education Planning and Administration revealed that roughly half of the elementary schools in the country do not have separate toilets for girls.

Furthermore, a report from The District Information Systems for Education Report 2008-9, showcased that of the 1.29 million schools that they covered, a shocking 60 percent did not have electricity. More and more surveys or inquiries into this issue would only reveal the very sad reality that is the infrastructural deficit of a majority of Indian schools. This is also a consequence of the lack of funds on the both the state and central government’s side. Better decision-making and better allocation of funds can potentially fix this problem.

Shortage of Qualified Teachers

A much less evident problem is the lack of qualified teachers in most schools across India. It is predominant in the government schools in rural areas, but private schools are also susceptible to the same problem. Even where there are qualified teachers, the average teacher-student ratio is much higher than the prescribed 1:30 in the Act. This disappointing shortage of teachers is very detrimental to the cause of educating such a big population.

What is very much needed is the presence of regulatory bodies, similar to bar councils for lawyers, for school teachers and administrators. It would enforce strict adherence to certain prescribed qualifications that the teachers must meet. A sense of accountability is also bought in as necessary actions can be taken against teachers or administrators, without involving the school.

No Detention Policy

The policy of not detaining students in a class as prescribed by the Act is one that has proved to be a loophole. What this means is that, there is no insistence on a formal examination that a student must write and pass before being promoted to the next class. The measure was taken to reduce the chances of a student dropping out of school in case they were detained. A direct offshoot of this is that it fails to examine a students knowledge base. Students also do not have the drive to learn and compete. This policy overall promotes carelessness and a laid-back attitude amongst teachers as well. Simply because there is no possibility of detention, there is no definite need for them to ensure their students gain as much knowledge.

Conclusion:

The right to education is a fundamental human right and there is no denying that it enables the upliftment of many communities across the globe. While the RTE ACT is the right step towards that direction, changes as a result of this act remain yet to be felt or seen in India. The problems that are mentioned above are only a few and there are more issues that come up when it comes to actual practice and implementation. The Act must now focus on better funding and improving the quality of education at a deeper level.

Abhiram Sajai

I am Abhiram T.S, a 2nd year undergraduate student currently pursuing a Liberal Arts degree at Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts. I major in International Relations with a minor in Anthropology with additional elective courses. I have a deep interest in current affairs, history, and writing. I intend to pursue a Masters's in International Relations. I am also an avid cyclist and runner.

How rights adapt as education evolves

While the central principles of the right to education remain unchanged, stakeholders must constantly interpret and apply human rights norms to reflect the realities of diverse and ever-changing societies. The COVID-19 pandemic, the increased use of technology, and climate change are some of the causes of the seismic shifts occurring in our education systems. As part of the 10th consultation on the 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education Member States highlighted new challenges as well as existing barriers to the right to education (see full report ). These emerging challenges were captured in a report launched by UNESCO’s Futures of Education Initiative that aims to broaden our understanding of the right to education towards lifelong learning by reimagining the nature of learning and the spaces we learn in.  

What you need to know about UNESCO’s initiative on the evolving right to education

Dialogue opened on the evolving right to education

In December 2021, UNESCO convened an  international seminar on the evolving right to education to start a dialogue around which aspects of the right to education framework may need to be reframed in the light of 21st century trends and challenges.  

Six evolving dimensions were identified for review:

UNESCO believes that the traditional view of education as aimed at children and young people is outdated. Education is not separate from life but is lifelong and lifewide. With longer life expectancies and a fast-changing world, early learning, technical and vocational education and training and diverse learning pathways are an integral part of education throughout life. 

The right to lifelong learning is not an explicit right under international human rights law but was cemented in the right to education vocabulary by SDG4, which implores States to ‘promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ in its headline. It is imperative that the human rights framework be strengthened to ensure equality of opportunities at all levels of education. Governments must prioritize and allocate adequate resources to the lifelong process of learning as well as ensuring that different learning settings and types of learning - formal, non-formal and informal - are better connected. UNESCO works to ensure equality of opportunity by filling the gap in access to learning past formal school age with support for skills training including technology, literacy and decent work and beyond. 

In this regard, UNESCO and the Kingdom of Morocco are co-organizers of the Seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) that will take place in June 2022. This is an occasion to take stock of the global efforts made in adult learning and education and examine how the right to education can take these into consideration to clarify existing rights and obligations, especially in light of the Marrakech Framework for Action which is being drafted. 

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is increasingly recognized as an essential element in realizing a wide range of educational, social and economic rights. It enables all children, including the most vulnerable, to start school on an equal footing with their peers and improve overall educational achievement and enhance social equity. While the right to care and nutrition are established in international human rights law, the right to ECCE is not and deserves greater attention.  

The international community included Target 4.2 in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which calls on States to, 'By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education'.  Government commitments to reaching this target are measured by monitoring the number of years of free and compulsory pre-primary education guaranteed in legal frameworks (SDG Target 4.2.5)  

UNESCO conducted a study to better understand global and regional trends regarding the adoption of free and compulsory pre-primary education. It aims to fill a gap in monitoring and evaluating the impact of the adoption of legal provisions of free and compulsory pre-primary education on a global scale.  

Beyond pre-primary education, UNESCO is working to ensure a right-based approach to ECCE. In December 2021, UNESCO launched a Global Partnership Strategy (GPS) for early childhood , and a Call to act together to ensure that quality early childhood care and education, early primary school years, and family education, are available for all children, leaving no child behind. To build on this momentum, UNESCO, in collaboration with Uzbekistan, is organizing an intergovernmental World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (WCECCE) to reaffirm the right of the child to quality ECCE from birth and urge Member States’ renewed commitment to, and investment in, the SDG Target 4.2. 

• Clarifying the legal framework of ECCE rights: Key components and obligations. Expert workshop meeting report
• Access the report on the right to pre-primary education  
• More on UNESCO’s work in early childhood care and education
• Building and strengthening the legal framework on ECCE rights: achievements, challenges and actions for change; thematic report , 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the sudden mass deployment of online distance learning solutions. No country was fully equipped to ensure that all learners could continue their education without disruption, leading to the entrenchment of existing inequalities in many contexts. Digital learning presents valuable opportunities, it can expand the reach of education both geographically and temporally, encourage connection and collaboration and support teachers in delivering inclusive education to the most vulnerable. At the same time, inherent risks are incurred by the widespread use of ICTs in education, particularly with regards to data privacy and online child protection, learner wellbeing and an increasing digital divide. UNESCO is seeking to bring greater clarity on how the right to education applies given the increasing technological changes in education. 

• More on how to bridge the digital divide and ensure online protection  

All people have the  right to non-discrimination and equality in education . Despite progress made over decades, vulnerable groups, such as girls and women, refugees and migrants and persons with disabilities, are more likely to suffer from educational inequalities and face discrimination. The concept of inclusivity in education seeks to overcome these enduring disadvantages and ensure that everyone has equitable opportunities to learn that are adapted to their needs. UNESCO seeks to clarify what rights deserve to be better enshrined in international human rights law to ensure that education systems do not leave anyone behind. 

• More on ensuring the right to education for vulnerable groups  

The right to higher education is part and parcel of the right to education requiring states to put in place an enabling environment through legal and policy measures that implement the relevant international obligations and commitments.   

Yet, across the globe, inequality and challenges related to access and enrolment persist in higher education, which is often perceived as peripheral to the right to education. Increasingly high university fees, in contradiction with existing human rights obligations to make higher education progressively free, coupled with admissions procedures that do not take into account structural inequalities are preventing many from entering this transformative level of study. The COVID-19 pandemic has also been massively disruptive for more than 220 million students due to university closures worldwide, the majority of whom will never make up for those lost years. 

UNESCO seeks to unpack the existing rights and obligations as laid out in international instruments in light of the global trends and challenges in higher education. Specifically, as part of a broader  UNESCO IESALC project , and in contribution to the  World Higher Education Conference 2022 , a policy paper prepared by UNESCO and the  Right to Education Initiative  aims to assist Member States in making the right to higher education a reality for all.  

• More on UNESCO’s work in higher education  
• Right to Education Initiative’s higher education page

Education about, through and for human rights is an integral part of lifelong learning and a vital tool in the creation of peaceful and just societies. Human rights are threatened at every stage in life and people need first to understand the human rights that they have, and then be given the tools to advocate for themselves and others around them. Human rights and the building of human qualities such as solidarity, compassion, ethics, and empathy must become central features of the right to education. 

Human rights education should be strengthened with an emphasis on developing the skills, attitudes and beliefs needed to uphold rights and empower citizens to take action, with special attention given to climate change education and education for sustainable development. International frameworks must also protect children by prohibiting violence in education, including learning about child abuse and bodily integrity. Human rights education should be mainstreamed throughout education, and better integrated into teacher training and curricula. 

Most notably, UNESCO is revising the 1974  Recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace and education relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms , the landmark legal instrument which brought together for the first time peace, international understanding, human rights, fundamental freedoms and education, with the aim of reviving and updating the global consensus around the role of education. 

• More on the revision of the 1974 Recommendation

UNESCO is to develop a global framework on the evolving right to education, covering five dimensions (roadmap with key milestones, policy and research, consultative processes, institutional modalities, communication and advocacy). To achieve this, a research policy paper, which builds on the  background document  and the findings of the seminar , as well as additional in-depth research, literature review and country experiences, will be produced as a basis to develop the plan.   

At the same time consultations will be held with experts, targeted organizations working in the field of education and Member States. Key milestone events, such as the Transforming Education Summit 2022 , will also feed into the proposal. 

Have your say!

Share your comments, inputs and feedback on the Initiative’s working paper Bringing into focus the future of the right to education .

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‘Survival of our democracy:’ Civics Learning Project holds ‘Law Day’ at COCC to teach how government, law work

(Update: adding video, comments by Civics Learning Project, panelist, student)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Civics Learning Project hosted a "Law Day" event Tuesday at Central Oregon Community College, one of four being held on campuses across the state to promote youth learning and development of legal, social and political issues concerning and of interest to high school students.

In Central Oregon, this is only the second year the event has taken place. Students will sat in on learning sessions and heard from a panel of professionals in government and law.

"I wanted to come because I wanted to learn about government and about how it works," high school student Daniel Miran said.

Miran says the most beneficial part about the conference is learning from professionals on the panel like Jack Landau.

Landau served on the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals for 25 years and now teaches at Lewis and Clark Law School, Willamette University College of Law and the University of Oregon Law School.

Landau said, "(Thomas) Jefferson said many years ago that the key to democracy is an informed electorate. People have to understand how their government works, what the rules are. what is the role of the law in our society?"

"I think there's no age young enough or too young," he said. "We're talking about students today being the voters tomorrow. It's the survival of our democracy."

The main theme of the conference is preserving democracy. The purpose is to educate student on how government works, promote civic engagement, and show them career opportunities.

Miran said, "It makes me definitely want to learn about more government. I want to try and get a position in the government, like helping people."

The event included 16 learning sessions. Topics covered include freedom of speech, voting rights, the importance of media, plus law and order.

Amy Sabbadini,  regional director for Civics Learning Project, said, "Younger Americans tend to think that the adults aren't doing a very good job of making things function, and they would be right in a lot of ways. But, there are still very functional things happening that aren't as visible, so we wanted to make those parts visible."

Sabbadini says one goal is to teach students how to solve problems and bring change as a community. 

She said an important aspect of preserving democracy and being civically engaged is knowing "that your public servants and your elected officials are accessible to you."

The University of Oregon also hosted a conference Tuesday as part of Law Day. Earlier in the month, the Portland area had an event. The last of the four conferences will be held for high school students from southern Oregon on Thursday at the University of Oregon.

From the news release:

The best way to preserve democracy is to teach democracy.

Civics Learning Project’s “Law Days” Host 32 Schools Civics Learning Project’s annual Law Day Conferences for Students will welcome over 300 students from across Oregon this May.

“Law Day,“ hosted annually on college campuses in four regions of Oregon, is a series of events and presentations developed for high school students focusing on legal, social, and political issues concerning and of interest to youth. Presentations and workshops are provided by experts, scholars, and activists from Oregon and beyond, designed to provide a cohesive and engaging experience for students.

The Northwest/Metro Area Law Day, held on Friday, May 10th, welcomed speakers like Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court Meagan Flynn and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

The remaining three Law Day Conferences are coming up this month in the Southern Willamette Valley, Central, and Southern regions of Oregon.

The Southern Willamette Valley Law Day will be held at the University of Oregon Law School on Tuesday, May 21st.

The Central Region Law Day will also take place on Tuesday, May 21st, at Central Oregon Community College .

Lastly, Southern Oregon Region Law Day will be held at the University of Oregon Law School on Thursday, May 23rd. Law Day is entirely free for Oregon high school students and educators. Civics Learning Project is committed to making holistic, engaging lessons in civics accessible to students of all high school grades levels and varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

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Matthew Draxton

Matthew Draxton is a multimedia journalist for NewsChannel 21. Learn more about Matthew here .

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What the parents' rights debate misses: the kids' right to learn to be free thinkers

Our children, just like our neighbors, may not choose to be like us in the end, but our commitment to freedom and independence requires us to ensure their rights..

“ Parents’ rights ” have been widely discussed in local, state and national debates around education in recent years. Here in Indiana, Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office has released a “ Parents’ Bill of Rights ,” which specifies that parents “have a constitutional right to direct the upbringing and education of (their) child in the manner (they) see fit.”

Many of these bills and discussions, however, crucially forget that the higher obligation in education is not to the parents but to the children themselves.  

We have a collective community responsibility to ensure that children’s education is not determined by or dependent on the whims of a few, but instead is truly preparing children for a future as independent, free-thinking citizens in a world beyond their parents’ control and vision. In our communities, we need to work together to collectively ensure that children's rights to education are what is privileged in our schools and laws.  

Democracy needs educated Americans

Public education that could enable independence has been a priority in our country since its very founding, as many of the Founders recognized education’s valuable role in equipping people to navigate the complex challenges and competing interests that would face the commonwealth. Education was essential to their vision of how power would be balanced and distributed.  

In his 1778 “Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge,” Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large.” 

My education: Teachers are so much more than their curriculums. They should be supported, not scrutinized.

He later described this as one of the most important bills he had written, noting that other than public education, “no other sure foundation can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness .”  

Elsewhere, enabling broad access to education and simultaneously broadening education’s relevance and subject matter were seen as profound advances unique to the American system. In my research on early American science education, I have seen how the push to better equip the next generation to navigate a world of new social and technological developments drove innovation in every arena of education throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries.  

No longer would education be the privilege of certain classes of society and only a few traditional career paths. Instead people pushed for an education that would open new avenues for businessmen, farmers, housewives and more. Good education was expected to make for a rich, robust country where everyone was better equipped to pursue both their own purposes and to contribute to the public good. 

While education has not achieved all of the lofty goals and ideals placed before it, what stands out in so much of U.S. educational history is the pursuit of education that seeks to equip rather than restrict and to enable rather than to control. 

This tradition is one now threatened by new efforts to narrow education’s scope and content to only what is approved by particular individuals.  

They won’t be children forever

Certainly, the parental impulse to protect, guide and nurture is an important one, and one that strongly benefits children and their education. 

However, we must remember that impulses can lead even the well-intentioned astray. Protection can be stifling, guidance can seep into control, and forms of nurturing that were once age-appropriate must transform and transition into different varieties of love and respect as children mature.

Furthermore, we are sorrowfully aware that not every parent has their children’s best interest at heart.  

Book bans and 'memory laws': You can't tell the truth about the Holocaust in Poland. Could that happen in the US?

For some children, a parent’s right to control their education can become another area of abuse, one that limits and destroys not just their childhood but also their future. Just as we bear a community responsibility to watch out for abuse and intervene when necessary, we have a community obligation to ensure that education remains ultimately about equipping children for their own future.

Allowing children to grow is an exercise in letting go, in learning where your rights and control over their lives begin and make way for them. When we educate them, whether in the home or in the school, it should not be to make them into copies of ourselves, our knowledge and our views, but rather to equip them to navigate a world that will require them to formulate thoughts and beliefs of their own.  

Although parenting, caregiving and mentoring can have its own temptations toward tyranny, we recognize that the best parents, mentors and leaders are those who allow those in their charge the freedom to grow and change, even when such changes may eventually lead them away.

As with democracy, there can be a profound risk in this process, that in allowing the opportunity for independence and self-determination we may find that others do not fulfill our own vision for their choices. 

Our children, just like our neighbors, may not choose to be like us in the end, but our commitment to freedom and independence requires of us that we ensure their rights even when the result may differ from our own desires.

Whether you are a parent, an aunt, a grandfather or simply a community member, please consider how you can advocate for a rich and robust education that equips children to navigate the challenges of recognizing and responding to multiple voices in society, to confront hard truths about our history and in our world, and to be capable of forming and defending their own opinion rather than yielding to the pressure of peers, friends or family.

They won’t be children forever, and even now, they deserve to have rights of their own.  

Sarah J. Reynolds is an assistant professor of physics and Earth-space Science at the University of Indianapolis. She is a Public Voices Fellow with The OpEd Project. This column first published at the Indianapolis Star , part of the USA TODAY Network.

Gareth M. Green Award 2024: Patrick Chen, Kasey Pomeroy, Faisal Reza

Awardees: patrick chen (middle), kasey pomeroy (right), faisal reza (left), program: mph generalist, project title: potential crisis in taiwan: implications for public health, organization: harvard chan.

Our team used geospatial modeling and population health analytics to identify how Taiwan could build resilience to a crisis, such as a natural event or a foreign invasion, and what assistance the country is most likely to need during or in the immediate aftermath of the event. We presented our findings to policymakers at the National Security Council, Department of Defense, Department of State, who used our analysis to tailor their approach to helping Taiwan prepare for disaster events. The project built on novel geospatial and systems analysis to identify ways to mitigate the scale and scope of a major disaster on the island and opportunities tailored specifically for US policymakers to help build infrastructure and population resiliency during such an event. The project sought to identify pathways to minimize civilian loss of life during a crisis by expanding trauma response capabilities, addressing pre-existing needs among the population, and providing insight into evacuation and contingency planning during emergencies.

MOST REWARDING PART OF THE FIELD EXPERIENCE

Patrick : Our team’s transition from a virtual brainstorming session to federal briefings at the White House could not have happened if not for the Harvard community. It was incredibly rewarding and exciting to partner with world-class faculty members and public health practitioners to advance the public health mission of creating a healthier world.

Kasey : I found the multidisciplinary nature of our team to be the most rewarding part of our project. It was incredible to watch Patrick develop novel and hard-hitting geospatial analysis while Faisal applied his deep expertise to the problem of population health needs.

Faisal : The most rewarding aspect of my experience was the opportunity to work with, and learn from, individuals across sectors in order to collectively contribute to the improvement of the health and well-being of populations in realized or potential crises. Public health is indeed a team sport.

ADVICE FOR STUDENTS DOING WORK IN THE FIELD

Patrick : I highly encourage students to build diverse teams with multidisciplinary skillsets when tackling complex public health problems. I have found incredible value in partnering with students and faculty members that specialize in different areas of public health.

Kasey : Great ideas can only save lives if they are implemented. Find the right change organization to drive action on your work.

Faisal : As we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, but rather borrow it from our children, I would advise us to think deeply about where we are needed most and to act purposefully. Though the public health classroom is the crucible in which our skills are forged in biostatistics and epidemiology, leadership and communication, public health policy and politics, health systems, social determinants of health, and qualitative methods, it is our planet writ large where these skills are practically applied. It has been at times inspiring and humbling to realize that work that can be done, and needs to be done, to improve the health and well-being of populations – let us lead the way in getting it done.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Patrick : I’d like to thank Craig Vanderwagen for his mentorship, Bill Bean for his unwavering support and belief in our team’s vision, and Bonnie Blanchfield for her invaluable guidance and expertise.

Kasey : We would like to share our deep appreciation for Matt Hepburn at the White House for his incredibly useful feedback on our project development and his enthusiasm for our work. Our Harvard faculty team was fantastic and we would like to thank Craig Vanderwagen, Bill Bean, and Dave Matheson for all of their input, advice, and support.

Faisal : I have had the distinct privilege and pleasure learn from my advisors, team members, and audiences on this Harvard MPH-45 Generalist Program Practicum, and without whom it would not have been possible. William Bean has been always available to mentor me throughout the Program. W. Craig Vanderwagen has been ever generous to me with his time and thoughts in this Practicum. The talents of team members Kasey Pomeroy and Patrick Chen made our Practicum team’s dream work. Audience members from the U.S. government and the international community have encouraged our work. Empowering this work are those from the Harvard community, including Bonnie Blanchfield, Megan Kerin, and Paul Venton, among others from its MPH-45 Generalist Program. Learning from them, and others, has been the highlight of my time at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

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Lands Project Assistant (Summer Student)

Employer: Mohawk Council of Kahnawake

Job Type: Fixed-Term

Country: Canada

Industry(s): Lands

About the Role:

Open until filled, salary: based on tewatohnhi’saktha kssep rates – level d university - $17.25 (12 weeks) (june 3-august 23, 2024, hours of operation: four-day week 8:30-4:00pm hours per week: 30 hours per week, reports to: director of lands, general job description, under the supervision of the director of lands, is responsible for providing project support to lands unit departments which include land management and tioweró:ton. to perform a range of tasks and functions in a timely, efficient, and professional manner, supporting the lands unit., roles & responsibilities.

• Assists with creation of Lands services brochure and buyer awareness campaign in collaboration with the Land Management and Tioweró:ton departments.
• Research, track, and file Land Use Agreements.
• Provide general support to the Unit operations, ensuring effective client services.
• Decision-Making Authority

*The statements herein reflect general details to describe the principle functions for this job and should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties or be assigned projects associated with these responsibilities as directed by their immediate supervisor.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• To perform duties accurately and efficiently.
• To maintain user-friendly and accurate files.
• To provide accurate information.
• To respond to customer, client, and Lands Unit requests in a timely manner.
• Ensures the Lands Unit is serviced effectively.
• Conducting business with internal and external clients in a tactful, discreet, and courteous manner.
• Maintaining confidentiality.
• Adhering to the MCK Administration Manual-Personnel Policy and Kanienkeha Language Initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and experience required:.

• University or CEGEP student.
• 2021 KSSEP student enrolled in post-secondary program.

Skills Requirements:

• Knowledge of the Internet, Outlook, and MS Office programs (specifically Publisher, Word, and Excel).
• Basic research skills.
• Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills.
• Strong oral and communication skills, including proper spelling and grammar.
• Attention to detail.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Able to work efficiently as part of a team as well as independently.
• To maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to communicate in the Kanien’kéha and French languages is an asset.
• The willingness to learn Kanien’kéha is required.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Friday, May 24, 2024- 4:00 p.m.

Requirements: all required documents must be submitted before the deadline for your application to be considered..

• Applicant Checklist
• Letter of Intent
• Registered at Tewatohni’saktha (KSSEP)

APPLICATION: Please address your application to Dawn Stacey, Manager of Recruitment & Staffing. Forward your complete application via e-mail to: [email protected]

• Please ensure applications are submitted complete, as requested. Incomplete applications may not be considered.
• Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

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