What does this mean education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world?

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

The Oxford Dictionary defines Education as, “The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.” As a noun, it is described as, “a body of knowledge acquired while being educated.” So in essence Education involves the imparting of knowledge to a person and then the consequent knowledge gained through this process.

Education is seen as integral to enabling sustainable development around the world and especially so in developing countries. From fighting poverty to providing food security to curing diseases – education provides the tools needed to improve quality of life both economically and sociologically in modern society. So a lot of faith is placed in Education as a tool or weapon to change the world.

There is no denying that Education is at the heart of global developmental planning. Quality education is, in fact, one of the key goals on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. But how does it actually have an impact of change?

Education changes a person

Learning quite literally changes a person. On an anatomical level, when a person is exposed to new experiences, the brain modifies its connections and creates new pathways. Known as ‘brain plasticity’ this process illustrates that our brains are wired to change as we learn. Exposure to new concepts and ideas through Education also influences the way we see the world. New perspectives break through pre-conceived barriers, changing mindsets. This change in how we see the world leads to a behavioural change, especially when it comes to how we interact with our world and with others. It is knowledge that empowers individuals to act or respond to circumstances they usually would not have.

Education changes society

Education, especially higher education, teaches individuals the skills they need in the workplace. This has a direct impact on the socio-economy of a community. In fact, The World Taskforce on Higher Education[1] came to the conclusion that, “Higher education is no longer a luxury: it is essential to national social and economic development.” Education promotes political participation, social equality and environmental sustainability. It offers a solution to social and economic development. And it is the application of newly learnt skills that shows the power of knowledge in action.

Education changes the world

Through Education individuals learn how to solve problems in society. And applying learnt skills in the workforce of course leads to experience and acquiring new knowledge through this experience. When this new knowledge is applied, it has an impact on an individual level as well as an impact on society at large. And so the process continues, creating new solutions for our world today and its future.

We live in a knowledge based economy, where we probably have access to knowledge more readily than ever before. But knowledge is deemed powerless if it is not interpreted or applied correctly. And herein lies the “power” of Education – it is a tool or a ‘weapon’ that shapes us as human beings, spilling over into society through the actions of individuals who apply their acquired knowledge. The application of knowledge in real life scenarios lead to problem solving, which in turn affects the socio-economies of countries and eventually it contributes to world change.

Therefore Education has the latent potential to initiate change, not only at the heart of a person, but in society, and in time the world. It is this deep-rooted nature of change that makes Education one of the most powerful weapons to impact the human race – to change the world.

[1] World Bank. (2000). Higher education in developing countries: Peril and promise. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

School girls in Sana’a gather for their lesson / Clinton Doggett, USAID

As Nelson Mandela says, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Education is the key to eliminating gender inequality, to reducing poverty, to creating a sustainable planet, to preventing needless deaths and illness, and to fostering peace. And in a knowledge economy, education is the new currency by which nations maintain economic competitiveness and global prosperity.

Education is an investment, and one of the most critical investments we can make. This is true not only for the United States, but for countries around the world.

Arne Duncan serves as U.S. Secretary of Education

The UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of providing universal primary education to all and eliminating gender inequities, has propelled many nations and multi-governmental organizations to boost educational spending. But the work is not easy, and many countries are falling short of achieving these goals, particularly the 2015 target date that was set when the goals were adopted in 2000.

Today, around the globe, an estimated 61 million primary-aged children are out of school, almost half of them in conflict-affected poor countries. Too often, even those students who do go to school finish without basic literacy and numeracy skills: it is estimated that 250 million children cannot read, write or count well.

Expanding educational access for girls is not just an urgent economic and social need. In many cases, it is literally a matter of life and death. A mother who can read can better protect her children from chronic illnesses, from AIDS, and from dying young. A child born to a mother who can read is 50 percent more likely to survive past age five. And in Africa’s poorest states, UNESCO projects that the lives of 1.8 million children could have been saved if their mothers had at least a secondary education.

In announcing his Global Education First initiative, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reminded us that, “We cannot afford to waste the talents of a generation.” He related this to his own experience growing up in the Republic of Korea as it recovered from war. “People today often ask about my country’s transformation from poverty to prosperity. Without hesitation, I answer that education was the key.”

USAID supports the Haitian Government’s plan to get 1.5 million students in school by 2016, improve curricula, train teachers, and set standards for schools / Kendra Helmer, USAID

The Global Education First initiative, along with the Learning for All Ministerial event in Washington, D.C. last week with the UN, World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, USAID and others, are building momentum around the global movement for education: to put every child in school, to improve the quality of learning, and to foster global citizenship. With roughly 1,000 days to the 2015 MDG deadline, the pressure is on to accelerate progress to expand access, improve equity and boost student achievement.

Education is the foundation of peace and prosperity. I can’t imagine a better world without a global commitment to providing better education for women and youth and I urge all of us to reinvigorate our efforts to accelerate progress in improving access, quality and student achievement worldwide.

Related Links

• Explore USAID’s work supporting Education around the world
• Read how we’re putting girls in the ‘Front Row’ of Yemen’s new education drive
• Check out our Grand Challenge: All Children Reading
• Follow @USAIDEducation

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