An improved and systematic tutorial are essential in all schools to motivate and inspire the young generation by helping them to bridge polarised differences on the most challenging issues of our time, education advocates have told Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates’ #DearWorldLive programme session three that was conducted recently. 

The programme featured solutions from three education activists: Jayathma Wickramanayake, United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth; Dr. Fatima Akilu, a Nigerian psychologist and expert on countering violent extremism; and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, chair of the board of the Global Partnership for Education. 

Wickramanayake stressed that young people are uniquely positioned to tackle polarisation. Speaking on the incredible resilient nature of the younger generation, she said: “(young minds) have the fantastic ability to reach across the divide and build coalitions to drive towards a common goal, often by holding the leaders of previous generations accountable.” 

Wickramanayake also argued by stating that “affordable, accessible, and quality education is one of the most important tools that we have at our disposal in fighting social inequalities, which in turn will help us deal with polarization.” 

Dr. Akilu, the director of Nigeria’s Neem Foundation, said: “We see polarization because schools are not as inclusive of differences. “We must not only look at education in terms of numbers, but in terms of content. When we talk about education, we just talk about people being in school, but we have to talk about how [you are] taught to navigate your way around differences.”

 To tackle these obstacles that comes in the way, she said: “Education has to always adapt. Curriculums must continually evolve.” She also highlighted that it is also essential to really address the issues of access and must fun more spaces for girls and more equality within the education system.

 

The season three debut episode of #DearWorldLive coincided with the educational focus ‘SXSW EDU Conference and Festival’, where Doha Debates is a featured exhibitor. Over 250,000 viewers across the globe took part in this virtual programme. Gillard, the board chair of the Global Partnership for Education, said: “Building back better would mean putting gender equality right at the centre of decision-making and making sure every child could get a great quality education.”

Otherwise, she warned: “I see another future, and it’s the one that we need to avoid, and it’s the one where government budgets are really hit by the economic shock of COVID-19, [where] governments retreat their expenditure on education. That cements pre-existing inequalities based on poverty and race and gender. That, to me, is the future we definitely have to reject.” The programme also included comments and questions from people around the world, including Bhagyashree Prabhutendolkar, an Indian student and the founder of Youth Magazine. Prabhutendolkar concluded that, “Progress can only happen when you realize that learning should be endless. As a student, you never just stick to textbooks — especially in this polarized world.”