But if we the vision outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights took a rights-based approach to education, it is possible of the Child: a world where every child is guaranteed that we could instead measure progress based on a bigger the right to an education that grants them “an equal broader, stronger vision. [...] opportunity to develop [their] abilities, [their] individual judgement, and [their] sense of moral and social The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – signed responsibility, and to become a useful member of society.” onto in 1948 by all the countries in the United Nations – describes the purpose of education as follows: Imagine if those were the kinds of goals we articulated for our schools, ra. [...] “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for For years in education, we have talked about “moving human rights and fundamental freedoms. [...] The Covenant states that education is What if, instead of promoting the idea that everyone in “the primary vehicle by which socially and economically education just needs to work harder and better to move marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out the equity needle, we focused on quality education as of poverty.” a fundamental human right, and we structured our systems, our policies. [...] defined, then, there is a commitment to providing The pandemic also made clear that there are cracks in our the resources necessary to meet those goals, and lastly, system and deeply entrenched inequities that cannot be and most importantly, there is a commitment to reporting addressed by adding new requirements, new targets and every year on the progress being made toward those goals.
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