Everyone Has The Right To Education.

In a few articles during the school holidays, I have discussed education issues. I have suggested that we should make basic education for all by sharing the resources we have, and we should change the content to focus on values and the children's interests, not an overcrowded curriculum. The school must be a place where children love to be and learn, unlike the way it is for many today. Those who never had the chance to attend formal education, mainly due to poverty, must be given a second chance in literacy, skills, and values education.

Workplaces must give room for lifelong education and training, maybe giving workers some hours off every week to attend organized courses. Like in schools, people should thrive in their jobs. Labour unions must be seen as positive organizations developing the workplaces and country, including being involved in training. Let us remind ourselves that illiterates and manual workers are just as intelligent as the rest of us, some even more, and many poor people have invaluable experience from work from early years and managing difficult home life. Education is not only school but a broad socialization experience.

Now when the new school year begins, let us continue reflecting more on education issues, realising concretely that many children and youth cannot get enrolled in formal education, but society would benefit from everyone getting an education. We could discuss a lot about the content and organization of further and higher education. But since basic education and literacy, skills, and vocation training, are more essential, I shall focus on that in today's article: knowing, too, that only if you and I, and certainly the politicians and leaders in the private sector, want to change the situation, nothing will happen. If we don't get every child and youth enrolled in relevant education, it is neglect we all are responsible for, and we will all suffer for it in the future. We become responsible for stealing from the poor, benefiting those who are better off.

In my recent articles, I have stressed that values must form the foundation of the new education we need, at all levels, in Pakistan and worldwide, all the way from basic education, notably primary schools, and 'second chance' education for youth and other adult education. Education and socialization must impart to the learners good values, and they include respect and self-confidence, skills to master life's challenges on rainy and sunny days, and...