It’s that time of the year when the world comes together to celebrate the importance of education and its value in determining major changes, growth, and development in the society.

In celebration of International Day of Education, this year’s theme is “Changing Course, Transforming Education.” Education has proven over the years to be a  vital tool and is at the heart of sustainable development. With changing times and conditions, the world has gone digital. 

Going down memory lane, I remember the young girl who dreaded going to school. For some reason, I didn’t like the thought of being confined to the four walls of a classroom, staring at my teacher(s) and trying not to miss a thing they said. I remember vividly, this one time, when my uncle was driving my sister and I to school. I really did not want to have to go through the same routine, so I opened the car while in motion and jumped out. Thankfully, we were still inside the street, so it wasn’t a busy road. Till this very day I laugh anytime I remember and shake my head. The question however is, why? Why did I never like school as a child? Did I find it boring or cliché? I see our current reality and how technology has upped the game in many ways. If we learned nothing from the covid-19 era, we definitely learned that almost anything is possible with technology, even education. Now, students can be saved from the embarrassment of being kicked out of school because of incomplete fees. So many digital tools have been provided to bridge the “class” gap.

I watched my niece have virtual classes and was fascinated by how much she looked forward to each class. It warmed my heart so much watching her bond with her virtual classmates. The seriousness was there, but so was the sense of humour and togetherness. Learning is supposed to be fun! 

Education and learning are no longer limited to the four walls of a classroom. Technology has made the impossible possible.

This year’s theme aims at generating debate around how to strengthen education as a public endeavour and common good; how to steer the digital transformation, support teachers, safeguard the planet and unlock the potential in every person to contribute to collective well-being and our shared home.

I strongly believe that transformed education will birth a transformed society, and everyone deserves the opportunity to be a part of this society.