Fostering Quality Education: The Passport to a Sustainable Future

Imagine a world where everyone was empowered to make informed choices and improve our overall quality of life, a world with less conflict, zero hunger, and no poverty. That sounds utopian, right? Nonetheless, it’s what sustainability is all about—creating a better world for our generation as well as future generations.

And this was why Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set up in 2015, as a part of the development agenda for peace and prosperity for the people and the planet. The SDGs are a list of 17 interconnected objectives that articulate the necessary elements for sustainability with the target date being 2030.

Among these strategic goals is Quality Education, the fourth on the list. SDG 4 aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” It’s made of targets and indicators which provide a guide to successfully achieve this crucial goal.

A popular saying that encapsulates the importance of education is: “knowledge is power”. In other words, education empowers us. We are able to think more critically and solve problems. We become better communicators. We embrace and cultivate innovation. If that isn’t a key to a brighter future for the world, then I don’t know what is.

When you start to realise the possibilities of an educated world, you understand that we can’t just leave this agenda in the hands of a few—governments, corporations and nonprofits. Of course, we should hold our government responsible and even expect corporations to give back through their corporate social initiatives, but we also have our individual roles to play. As Barack Obama said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” The power to change the world around us lies within us.

This is the part where you figure out where you can come in to further drive this education goal. I have put together 4 ways to do this below:

1. Give to make a difference

A perspective that illustrates the essence of giving is captured in the words of John D. Rockefeller Jr.: “Think of giving not as a duty, but as a privilege.” Our positions in life can give us the privilege to help or serve others in need. 

It could be a monetary donation or simply providing other resources; your privilege should be an opportunity to make a difference. Giving, of course, goes beyond material resources. You can also give your time.

Whether you volunteer to teach school children in an underserved community, or you donate textbooks to your alma mater’s library, just make sure you’re intentional about adding value.

2. Leverage your area of expertise

It’s usually more practical to focus on one thing, than to try to achieve so many things at once. Remember, you can’t do it all. Instead of trying to be a jack of all trades, choose an area that aligns with your interests, lifestyle and strengths. 

Can you do a free training for undergraduates interested in your line of career? Do you have the network to influence policies that will further educational development? Figure out how best you can help and work on it.

3. Don’t stop talking about it

If knowledge is power, then sharing it is empowering others. Raising awareness and enlightening your friends, colleagues, family and community on how they can contribute is a great way to drive quality education. By doing this, you create a much-needed ripple effect to further your cause. 

Think of it like this: you’re reading this article on fostering education. After reading this article, you decide to repost it. Someone else reads it and decides to set up a social media page on educational development. Then some of their followers decide to take action. One decides to donate computers to their former secondary school. Another decides to volunteer as a teacher in the neighbourhood primary school. The third person starts up a project that empowers youths with tech skills. The possibilities are endless, therefore let your voice be heard. 

4. Embrace lifelong learning

You can’t give what you don’t have; impact starts from within. Lifelong learning involves a continuous pursuit of new knowledge and skills throughout your life. Through deliberate and consistent learning, unlearning and relearning, you’re able to expand your mind in a way that will improve your quality of life and inevitably those around you.

You come up with better ideas and solutions, work smarter and add more value wherever you find yourself. So, ensure you make the conscious decision to elevate your mind every day, and it’s through books, webinars, tourism, conversations with peers, social media and so on.

In conclusion, the change we seek lies in our hands. It’s up to us to ignite it and make our world better for our generation and the ones to come.

#Sustainability #Education