Social Justice Activism

Well-guided educational programs can foster personal transformations
that empower learners to play a constructive role in society and re-build the RoL (and its
institutions) where necessary. Such programs must take into account the social
environment of learners, and in particular, the degree of dissonance
between norms and values taught in schools and those that prevail outside.
Reinforcing Positive Behavior
It is necessary when working with children and youth, in particular those perceived as
vulnerable, to take a positive look at their skills, assets and attributes as the foundation
for further learning. This approach is much more effective than viewing young people as
lacking knowledge, skills or values to promote the RoL.
The challenge is to support positive and sustained behavior change when working with
vulnerable learners. This is important in a context where the enforcement of norms is
not sufficient and policymakers, therefore, need to ensure education systems create the
desire and conditions for positive behaviors and genuine sustainable change.
Depending on the age, gender, socio-economic background of learners and the social
context in which they live, this may involve developing educational policies that go
beyond conventional educational approaches to expose learners to new experiences
that bring to life abstract ideals. For example, rather than punishing inappropriate
behaviour, it can be effective to introduce mediation or reconciliation programmes. The
challenge is to ensure learners are able to apply their new skills in a real-world context.
Practicing What We Preach
Schools or any other educational setting who play a meaningful role in strengthening
the RoL, should carry out , and strive to apply, the principles of the RoL. This means
ensuring all aspects of school management and school life, including teacher-teacher
relations, learner-teacher relations, and school-family relations, are guided by
a culture of fairness, rights, accountability and transparency, consistent with
international human rights norms and standards.
Not all education staff are aware of their own behaviors, attitudes and biases (overt and
covert) and this can undermine their ability to speak credibly about the RoL and
contribute actively to its implementation on a daily basis. The principles of the RoL in
schools and classrooms is not easy and should be encouraged and supported by
education leaders.
Making the RoL and a CoL a priority is not just about transmitting knowledge but also
about values and behaviours that are modelled and enforced on a daily basis through
what is called the ‘hidden curriculum. ‘The ‘hidden curriculum’ of
the classroom and school transmits norms, values and beliefs to learners in ways other
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