Young people must move from silent students to active architects of global education

Across South Africa and the globe, millions of students, educators and policymakers observed the International Day of Education with a singular focus: transforming young people from passive beneficiaries of learning into active architects of their own future.

In a world grappling with climate crises and widening inequality, the United Nations is highlighting youth as essential partners in modern education.

This year’s theme drives home an important reality that, while youth under 30 make up more than half the world’s population, they remain largely underrepresented in the decisions that shape their lives.

Democratising education

“We are moving beyond consultation to co-creation,” states the latest Unesco briefing released ahead of the global summit in Paris. To truly co-create, we must commit to democratising education.

This involves dismantling the barriers that keep knowledge gated behind high costs or exclusive institutions.

By leveraging open-source educational resources and decentralising decision-making power, we ensure that students from all walks of life have ownership over their learning journey.

Democratisation means that the curriculum is influenced by the diverse voices of the student body it serves.

Increasing access to education

According to Unesco’s Global Education Monitoring Report, 2023, around 272 million children are still out of school globally. This makes it evident that old methods are failing.

Increasing access to education is about innovating how education is delivered. Co-creation invites youth to solve the logistical hurdles of their own communities, whether through remote learning hubs in rural areas or flexible scheduling for students who must work to support their families.

This observance underscores that achieving sustainable peace and development requires an education system designed with youth, not just for them.

Technological trends in AI

A “Glocal” Outlook implies keeping pace with rapid innovation. As we look at local contexts, the student body is increasingly demanding input on digital integration. Specifically, navigating technological trends in AI is paramount.

Educational institutions must drive technology integration, ensuring that Generative AI and automation are studied and applied critically.

AI ethics must be taught as a core subject, empowering youth to control these tools rather than be controlled by them.

The shift toward holistic education

The global picture reflects that traditional curricula often fail to equip students with the capabilities required for modern survival in an uncertain world.

There is a pressing need for holistic education that transcends typical academic learning. A co-created system values emotional intelligence, mental wellbeing and “green skills”.

Youth are calling for an education that nurtures the whole person, thus developing resilience, empathy and environmental stewardship alongside literacy and numeracy.

Inclusivity, equity and lifelong opportunities

The vision for a co-created future rests on a fundamental pillar: inclusivity, equity and lifelong opportunities as a prerequisite for achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Education must be the great equaliser. By ensuring that girls and marginalised groups have equal access to Stem fields and leadership roles, we attack poverty at its root.

Furthermore, education must be viewed as a lifelong journey, offering upskilling opportunities well into adulthood to adapt to a dynamic economy.

Future-proofing students

To navigate the complexities of the 21st century, education must go beyond knowledge transfer to character-building.

We must instil specific attributes to future-proof the next generation:

Harnessing diversity

In an interconnected world, the ability to work within diverse teams is a superpower. Students must be taught to view cultural, social, and intellectual differences as assets that drive innovation.

By harnessing diversity, young people learn that collective intelligence often solves problems that singular perspectives cannot.

Leading consciously

The definition of leadership is evolving from authority to responsibility.

Co-created education ensures conscious leadership, teaching students to make decisions grounded in empathy, ethics, and sustainability.

It prepares them to lead with a moral compass, understanding the wider impact of their actions on society and the planet.

Thinking differently

As automation takes over routine tasks, the human competitive advantage lies in cognitive flexibility. Education must encourage thinking differently, challenging the status quo and embracing non-linear problem solving.

We must move from rewarding the “correct” answer to rewarding the most creative question, ensuring students remain agile in a volatile world.

The era of the silent student is over

On this International Day of Education, the message is that the era of the silent student is over. The collaboration has only just begun.

If we truly desire an education system that supports peace and power development, we must be brave enough to offer students a seat at the table to co-create the future of their education. DM

Dr Sibongiseni Kumalo is the Academic Dean at Regenesys Education, where he holds overall responsibility for academic governance.