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Local Actions for Global Goals Buddies Without Borders Online Forum kicked off during the weekend after a week-long warm-up exercise. Tyeisha Grier, Director of Partnerships at Network Delaware, shared how people power is behind any successful social change. We then recognized the forum's Rising Stars, the top five participants who have set the bar for this global competition on creating positive change both locally and globally.
During the warm-up week, the students were given the topic of explaining how their favorite community service projects benefit the world. They practiced conducting effective discussions by first stating their points of view, then citing credible references, and finally developing lines of inquiry.
Madeleine Nicole (British School Jakarta, Indonesia) wrote the best original argument:
"The notable gap in access to quality education remains a fundamental issue, reinforcing cycles of poverty and limiting opportunities for economic growth. Education is both a fundamental human right and a catalyst for sustainable development (UNESCO, 2023). My favorite community service experience has been contributing to increasing quality education through youth-led organizations. This involved visiting charities in my hometown to teach topics that equip individuals to survive in modern society. Topics that my community and I have addressed include digital and financial literacy. This experience has opened my eyes to the reality that is faced by many individuals, where they aren't able to access quality education, which is quite a significant risk to one's future.
While youth-led initiatives can have a meaningful impact, some argue that systemic changes, such as development in government policies can be more significant in improving education access (World Bank, 2022). Some argue that youth-led initiatives may not address the root cause of educational inequality, it rather serve as a short-term initiative, that may not be sustainable in the long run (Hanushek & Woessmann, 2020).
References -
UNESCO. (2023). https://www.unesco.org/en/education
World Bank. (2022). https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education
Hanushek, E. A., & Woessmann, L. (2020). Journal of Economic Perspectives, 34(3), 75-98."
Riko Hashimoto (Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen, Japan) followed up with the best response:
"I believe that institutional changes, such as developing government policies, are more important to improve access to education rather than youth-led initiatives. It is because even though young people can teach a lot of things to others and they will be able to learn the present situation of their communities, I think the available activities are limited. It is because if the government takes some policy steps, the quality of education will increase more quickly as efforts are made not only in some communities but throughout the country. Also, even if we simply provide education, it will be difficult to attend school if the conflict does not stop and even if we increase opportunities for learning, women may continue to be deprived of learning opportunities if the gender gap remains persistent.
I believe it is important to create an environment where people can go to school based on circumstances that prevent them from learning, and to create a society where quality education is available to all, in order to achieve “SDG 4, Quality education for all.’’ And only the government can make this happen. However, in many societies around the world, biased stereotypes, male-dominated practices, and assumptions such as “women do not need to study” still remain, causing educational disparities.(PLAN INTERNATIONAL) So, how can we eliminate prejudice and discrimination among the people and ensure equal access to education for everyone regardless of gender, religion?
Reference -
“New Issue Paper: Tackling Prejudice and Discrimination in and through Education and Training”, European Commission, 2023
Please join us in recognizing the following students as the Rising Stars for the Local Actions for Global Goals Buddies Without Borders Online Forum. Let the collaboration and competition begin!
Riko Hashimoto, Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen, Japan
Madeleine Nicole Yotoho British School Jakarta, Indonesia
Lino Hayasaka, Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen, Japan
Zeynep Fatmanur Kaya, Muammer Guler Social Sciences High School, Türkiye
Krisha Karippail, Green Bay High School, New Zealand
#internationaleducation, #globaleducation, #highschools, #internationalbaccalaureate, #unitednations, #globalgoals, #SDGs
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