Education for All

Practice:

The activity is divided into two parts: part 1, the memory game and part 2, reporting on the issues.

Part 1: The memory game (10 minutes)

1. Explain that there are twenty pairs of cards; each pair comprises a statement card and a picture card. The task is to identify the pairs and to match them. The texts on the cards relate either to the aims of World Education Forum to bring about “education for all”, or to general issues of human rights and education.
2. Tell people how to play. The participants should form small groups of three or four. They should spread the cards face down on the floor. In turn, people turn over two cards. If one (or both) of the cards is a statement card, then the player reads out the text to the rest of the group. If the cards are a pair, then the player keeps them and has another go. If the cards do not match, then s/he turns them over so they lie face down again on the floor in exactly the same spot as they were before. The next player then has a go to turn over two cards. It is a memory game. Players have to memorize where the different cards lie, in order to be able to pick up matching pairs.

• The winner is the player who holds the most pairs of cards at the end of the game.

Part 2: Reporting

1- Summarize the issues on a flipchart. Ask participants to read out the headings on their cards (not the whole statement again) while you write them down. 2- Ask the group to identify four to six issues which interest them most. 3- Divide the group into sub-groups of four or five people. Ask each sub-group to pick two of the issues they would most like to discuss. (Try to organize it so that two different groups discuss the same issue in order to generate more ideas. This will mean that the sub-groups will have to do some negotiating about which issues to discuss.) 4- When the issues have been agreed and allocated, give the groups 20 minutes to discuss their two chosen issues. The focus of the discussions will differ slightly depending on the card. If the card has a question on, this should be answered. If the card has a written statement, people should prepare a critical comment. 5- After 20 minutes, call people into plenary for reporting back. Take each issue in turn. Give each group just 5 minutes to feed back. Allow no more than an extra 5 minutes to answer any potential questions. 6- After all the groups have reported on all the issues, move to the evaluation session.

Debriefing and evaluation

• You will have already had a good discussion about the issues, so now go on to evaluate the game itself and what people learned. Did the participants enjoy the memory game? Was it a good way to start a discussion on the issues of education? How did the discussions in the groups go? Did everyone feel that they could participate? Were there too many challenges? Is it possible to have “education for all”? What can you, your group, your community do to work towards achieving the goal of “education for all” in your country and/or in developing countries?

Role cards:

Money & Education

Lack of resources is the main threat to “education for all”. Without financial means, governments cannot meet their commitments to education for all. It is also a question of standards. Poorly paid teachers and lack of education materials jeopardize the quality of education. Without resources, education is meaningless; no money, no education! Do you agree?

Globalization & Education

Whoever thinks that globalization only brings advantages to education through access to new technology is wrong! The effects of rapid trade liberalization, and the need for structural adjustment characteristic of globalization, have threatened the revenue base of governments in several countries, but mainly developing countries. In these circumstances funding for education is often hit very hard

Food & Education

In developing countries there is a strong view that food and education should come together: A hungry student cannot concentrate properly. Food is often used as an incentive for parents to send their children to school; if the children were not fed at school, then they would send them out to work instead.

Education & the Internet

In many countries, information technology has become a core part of the education process. It is seen as essential for research and for homework. Many would agree that the Internet has opened new ‘ways’ for education, but it has also closed some. The gap between developed and developing countries has increased. In many countries not only are there no PCs, there is not even electricity.

Education & Alcohol

In many schools/universities, alcohol abuse is a big problem. It prevents students from learning and increases violence. Most schools have a policy that no alcohol can be brought onto the premises, but this does not seem to work. What do you think can be done in order to solve this problem?

University Education (Higher Education)

In terms of human rights law, nation states have the duty to provide free basic (primary) education only. Their commitments do not extend to higher education. Should the state’s duty be extended to university level? And if so, is it a realistic demand?  

Teachers & Education

The quality of teachers/lecturers is sometimes a problem; they may lack experience or training to be top quality educators. There are calls for minimum requirements for teachers/lecturers, such as a teaching degree for school teachers and a doctorate for university lecturers. Are these demands realistic or would they only increase the problem of teacher shortages?          

Education & Environment

The lifestyles of the majority of people in European countries are unsustainable (not continual or balanced). If people are to make informed choices about how to change their lifestyles, they need to understand ecological balance, economics, politics and history. They need intercultural skills and values of responsibility and concern. How would you include education for sustainability into the curriculum?

Free Education          

Governments have the duty to guarantee free primary education to all. The reality is that in many countries if a family has no resources to pay for the fees and/or materials, their children cannot go to school.

Discipline & Education                      

Schools and universities in different countries use different means to ensure discipline. Methods include corporal punishment, suspension, extra-work, expulsion and being sent to school council. What do you think is the best approach to guarantee discipline in an educational setting?

Women & Education

In developing countries, 78% of girls are in schools, as opposed to almost 86% of boys. 60% of out-of-school children are girls. One of the goals of the World Education Forum (WEF) is to eliminate gender disparities in primary and high school education by 2005, and to achieve gender equality in education by 2015.

Peace & Education

“Peace starts at home.” Educational institutions are often seen as students’ second homes. Education for peace should then be part of the formal education curriculum as well as being encouraged in non-formal educational settings. How would you include peace education within the formal curriculum?

Education & Equality

Pre-school enrollment rates range from close to 100% in Bermuda, Malaysia, Belgium and Sweden, to 2% or less in countries suffering from war and economic challenges. One of the goals of the World Economic Forum is to ensure that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equal access to appropriate learning and life skills programs.          

Sports & Education   

A) Sports need not be compulsory during the entire school period. If time is lacking for other subjects, these should be prioritized.

B) Sports should always be present during the entire school period. It teaches many things that cannot be learnt in other subjects, such as cooperation and full development of body and mind. Which statement do you agree with?

Social Exclusion & Education

Not everyone can be included in the State educational system. Street children, poor children, full-time child workers are usually not catered for by the school state system. In Romania, the foundation “Back to School” caters to the needs of children excluded from the state system – giving them a chance of education and better employment opportunities later in life.

Education & Minorities

The inclusion of minorities in school/universities is a common problem in multicultural societies. Besides the issue of discrimination against the person, differences of religion and language also present the system with challenges. How would you adapt the system and the curriculum to meet the needs of minorities?  

Life-Long Learning

Adult illiteracy is a big problem in countries that lack even a basic education system. One of the WEF’s (World Economic Forum) goals is to achieve a 50% improvement in adult literacy by 2015. Many European countries have made commitments to “life-long learning”. However, they fail to deliver adequate further education to adults. What do you think a government’s educational priorities should be?

Human Rights Education

Human rights education (HRE) in formal, non-formal or informal education is considered to be a responsibility of the government. Why then in civil society should NGOs be responsible for something that is the government’s duty and responsibility?

AIDS/HIV & Education

“The first battle to be won in the war against AIDS is the one to smash the wall of silence and stigma surrounding it.” (Kofi Annan). It is necessary to break the silence to end discrimination and to prevent further transmissions. The HIV/AIDS crisis should be at the center of national educational agendas. What can be done to fight HIV/AIDS in educational institutions?

(PUSULA Bilgi University)