Education: Why not a race to the top?

Abstract

This essay reminds us that more than five decades of research establish education as one of the best economic investments in terms of future economic growth and material well-being. Despite that, global education is facing both a crisis of access and equity and a crisis of quality and relevance. The essay emphasizes the need for a holistic transformation of education across four dimensions: learning to learn, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be. To effectively advance in that direction, it advocates for the need to transform schools, teachers, learning methods, and resources, including the harnessing of the digital revolution. The essay identifies a paradox of educational investment, revealing huge global disparities and calling for increased and better investments. It discusses the danger of poverty traps, where short-term gains impede long-term investments in education. Ultimately, it calls for a shift from a “race to the bottom” mentality to a “race to the top” approach, emphasizing the need for visionary leadership, a social movement and international cooperation to break free from poverty traps and advance towards sustainable development.