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Maaher Sayeed

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Do basic core educational systems enable global understanding and cooperation?

The world has been changing rapidly in last 30 years with the help of technology and easy access to create, gather and share information. We are certainly living in more global societies than we did 20 year ago. As the cultures mix and people learn to co exist, learn from each other and progress towards better futures, are the educational system aligned to develop the young fresh eager to learn minds to understand and cope with tomorrow’s world?
Many core curricula consist of nationalist and internal focused studies, but often fail to educate the young minds of global contributions and progress made towards human development. Some countries go to the extent of developing hatred towards other nations by teaching carefully developed lessons that feed certain political and national interests. Several cultures from different continents have contributed positively in terms of inventions and major discoveries which is essential for the young minds to learn at an early age. This enables them to understand, respect and value other cultures and cope with the global societies better in the future world.
Are there any significant changes made or are being made globally, especially in the developing countries, to educate young minds on such global contributions that enable them to respect other cultures and promote global integrated thinking towards progress?

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Topics: Accountability: education Ancient history Education Environnent
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    Robert Winner 50+

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    Feb 18 2013: Maaher, In your explaination you hit on the answer. Educational systems are an extention of the existing government. It has everything to do with political and religious foundation of the country / state. As an example let us compare what the countries of Iran, China, Isreal, Italy, and the USA would have as guidance. A broad spectrum of policial systems and a wide spectrum of religious foundations. The only core here is the prevenent language, math, and science studies. Even the science studies would be effected by the religions and what the doctrine allows.

    So I am going to say education will not be the answer.

    The answer probally will be electronic communications. We e-mail and talk .. good. We see videos of the real world without political spin ... good.

    Thinking is not my strong suit .... however, I see this as a Romeo and Juliet answer. My parents say I cannot like a person who believes as you but I find you interesting and refreshing not at all like my church and parents say you would be like.

    The answer will be one conversion at a time. Not any mass educational model. However, that works well for hate NOT for love.

    I answer you as Maaher ... and judge you as Maaher ... not as a Canadian. Works for me ... friend.

    I wish you well. Bob.
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      Maaher Sayeed 10+

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      Feb 18 2013: Bob, as usual your input and responses are of interest to me to say the least. You said it absolutely right, education is an extention of the government. So is the media and mass communication models available. They are controlled if not owned by the government in many ways as it has always been.

      But the world of today and the world of tomorrow cannot be confined by the age old paradigms and biased education. The youths of today are not really being prepared with a midset to acknowledge, value, interact and effectively use the global talent pool which seems to be the most effecient way to develop the world of tomorrow.

      As individuals, we may chose to extend our interests and strive to learn these ways ourselves. But in the countries you have mentioned and many others the people are confined by the biased systems and media which limits the broader prespective needed for the future.

      Much appreciated as always Bob! Your friend...
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        Robert Winner 50+

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        Feb 19 2013: Maaher, There is a documentary called 2 million minutes ... it takes a boy and a girl from a few countries and compares educational systems.

        A Sophmore from India was in her third year of Physics and said that the American system look like a vacation. If you get a chance pull up 2 million minutes and read the comments. It is a eye opener.

        Have you ever had the opportunity to talk to a exchange student. Our last student was from Japan and the time in the states does not count toward their graduate credits. What a slap in the American educational systems face.

        All the best. Bob.

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