Lot's Wife Edition 1 2016

SOCIETY
According to the Independent Schools
Council of Australia (ISCA), January is that
time of year when financial institutions begin
bombarding parents with calls to save for their
children’s future education costs. These estimated
fees are often thousands of dollars more than
what parents are reasonably expected to pay, often
representing the “upper ranges” of independent
schooling. Some education providers suggest
that it can cost up to one million dollars to put an
individual child through non-government schooling.
However, the ISCA feel that these estimates are
misleading, arguing that their “data shows that
in 2014 the median Australian metropolitan
Independent school fee was $5,887 per annum”,
a more ‘reasonable’ estimate as to what parents
should expect to pay per year for their children’s
education.
Regardless of whether you’re willing to pay
the $5,887 or the million dollars, and regardless of
your perspectives on public or private education,
there is surely one thing that we can all agree on:
education is important. Why? Because it is a proven
vehicle to combating poverty and inequality. In fact,
it is often argued that education is one of the most
important investments that a country can make for
its children and for its future. In relation to the 17
Global Goals, education is crucial to the success
of each and every one of them. The Global Goals,
otherwise known as the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), came into being in 2015 by the UN.
Together, the goals make a “17-point plan to end
poverty, halt climate change and fight injustice and
inequality”. Signed by 193 governments, including
our own, the Global Goals are part of the 15-year
‘2030 Agenda’ that succeeded the Millennium
Development Goals.
Although non-binding, there has been
encouraging enthusiasm by different sectors in
society – enthusiasm that has been described as
‘unprecedented’ in some regards. This enthusiasm
is welcomed as the Global Goals are only words
in a document at the end of the day, and cannot
achieve themselves. Global Goal 4 (Quality
Education) will most certainly need support, as
education will play an important role in achieving
the 17 goals. Global Goal 4 is all about ‘ensur[ing]
inclusive and equitable quality education and
promot[ing] lifelong learning opportunities for
all’. Its importance to other the Global Goals can
be highlighted through the following example.
In relation to Global Goal 3 (Good Health &
Wellbeing), effective education will mean that more
people are aware of preventable health risks, as
well as ways to improve their health and wellbeing.
In other words, better-educated people will be less
vulnerable to health risks. Therefore education can
help achieve good health and wellbeing.
Aside from the importance of education in
achieving the 17 Global Goals, we cannot argue
that everyone should have access to quality
education and the freedom to be able to pursue
lifelong learning opportunities if they so choose.
However, not everyone in the world enjoys this
fundamental right of education, often because
they are born into situations beyond their control.
Situations such as being born into fragile and
conflict-affected areas, or in families or countries
that do not have the capacity to support a young
person through schooling, impede that person’s
right to an education.
If you are able to read this, then you are
fortunate to not be one of the 774 million adults
in the world who are illiterate. This fact may mean
that you won’t find yourself living in poverty, or if
you do, you may have the ability to lift yourself out
of poverty. With each year of schooling, you may
find that your income increases. Your children may
not experience malnutrition or be at risk to adverse
health effects. You may have the capacity to adapt
to new technologies and contribute to local or
global innovation and infrastructure. In fact, your
education may allow you to help create sustainable
cities and communities, and be an advocate for not
only the human species, but also for other fragile
ecosystems. You may find yourself being a promoter
of peace and justice, or simply participating in the
democratic process by exercising your civil rights.
Whilst enjoying some or all of these possibilities,
you could also work in creating partnerships to
achieve our Global Goals.
Truly, let’s talk about education, because
everyone deserves the possibility of living a life of
empowerment. After all, universal education won’t
achieve itself. And neither will the Global Goals.
Lot’s Wife | 23