High school. One thing many students dread waking up for. A blaring alarm at 6:00 a.m., lectures that feel like watching paint dry, and a school day that seems to move in slow motion. Although it may look like a jail cell to students, it is something often taken for granted, as proper schooling can help students turn mirrors into windows of opportunity. Now more than ever, education is an essential skill for human development. The absence of conventional education is a pervasive issue in many communities. For those living outside of these situations, it’s easy to look the other way. However, we must realize that when educational inequity worsens in one part of the world, the world as a whole is put at risk. 

Why is education such a big deal? As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Although educational inequality may seem insignificant compared to gender, race, and LGBTQ+ inequities, these issues are globally interconnected since educating people helps develop their self-awareness, allowing them to establish their identity, beliefs, culture, and understanding of others. Moreover, a well-educated society is essential for economic growth. Innovations and discoveries can only be uncovered through learning and research, so countries with higher literacy rates are more likely to prosper economically. Furthermore, education allows for social awareness, which involves the ability to empathize with, appreciate, respect, and build relationships with diverse individuals and groups. It not only fosters personal growth but also contributes to a more well-informed society that can make responsible decisions about political actions and public policies. 

Today, the global learning crisis runs rampant throughout the world. If nothing is done to solve this issue by 2030, 84 million children and youth will stay out of school, and 300 million will not even learn the most basic literacy and numeracy skills. Several education systems worldwide are already failing to serve the role of caring for, conserving, and transforming the world. Thus, a critical reflection on educational support is long overdue for us in order to overcome such challenges presented by the modern world. 

Currently, the biggest problem to tackle is socioeconomic barriers to education. Many children in developing countries are forced to drop out of school due to poverty. They often cannot afford the school fees and materials required for attendance. On top of this, girls particularly face a wide range of issues related to developing countries, such as early marriage, lack of security, gender-based violence, or pregnancy, causing them to relinquish proper schooling. But with increased educational investment, we can mitigate these problems and, in turn, boost economic growth. Individuals will be paid more, the workforce will be more efficient, and the GDP will rise. However, when children are not educated, they will remain in this cycle of poverty, contributing to a global economic deficit.

Several countries have launched programs to increase federal funding for schooling, but even this may not be enough to close the education gap in time. Recent increases in spending, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), have been associated with only relatively minor improvements in educational outcomes. With six out of every ten children currently unable to read a simple age-appropriate text, desperate action must be taken to improve learning disparities. As for the rest of us, it’s time we stop taking our right to education, the right to know, for granted.

This article was edited by Grace Hur.