Education is the foundation of our future – we must strengthen education to shape a just and sustainable world.                                                                                 

The theme of this year’s International Day of Education centers around transforming education and navigating the course of its digital conversion in the wake of an ongoing pandemic. The path we take must include supporting teachers and unlocking the potential in every person to contribute to the well-being of our global community.

The devastating impact of a worldwide pandemic exposed the gaping inequalities and interconnectedness of human life, presenting us all with a choice: Continue on an unsustainable path or drastically change course? As the world stands at a turning point, we must acknowledge the power of education to bring about profound change and renew our collective commitment to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” (UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4) 

Fundamentally, teachers are at the heart of education renewal. Providing teachers with the recognition and professional support to collaborate and innovate will strongly influence the future of learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated our pre-existing education crisis. Education is critical to charting the course towards stability and growth, but it is failing millions of children, youth, and adults, increasing their exposure to poverty, violence, and exploitation. In addition, reliance on digital technology for learning has deepened exclusion and gender inequalities. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s population is still offline today! Redefining our relationship with technology begins with ensuring that digital tools benefit all and are at the service of all, starting with the most marginalized. The digital transformation must be steered around inclusion and equality.

Transforming education requires us to ponder: What should we continue doing? What should we abandon? What aspects of teaching need to be creatively reimagined?

Helping Hand for Relief and Development’s Education Support Program (ESP) is actively changing the lives of orphans, refugees, and disadvantaged children. With over 6,600 beneficiaries in 2021, ESP is active in 9 countries, providing equal access to quality education. You, too, can transform lives by sponsoring a child today at hhrd.org/ESP.