Emily Markovich Morris and Ghulam Qargha
Last month, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed acknowledged that achieving the goal of quality education for all by 2030 is unlikely due to the “triple crisis in education” many countries face—”equity and inclusion, quality, and relevance.” Ensuring education systems are relevant requires reflecting on the historical purposes of schooling and examining how those purposes have evolved in different contexts. In order to transform education, it is important to have dialogues on what quality, inclusive and relevant education means for different communities and societies.
This commentary discusses how modern schooling is tied to colonial legacies and highlights how it has suppressed and obscured other forms of education and their purposes as they have spread. To understand how we as a community want to transform education, it’s important to acknowledge the traditional forms of learning that preceded modern schooling. The rich mosaic of educational histories, purposes and cultures allows us to build on the strengths and capabilities of different educational systems and ensure that transformation efforts are centered…
