I recently had a discussion with a friend of mine about Africa ELI and our philosophy.  My friend asked me to name one of the fundamental beliefs that drives our mission.  I responded with a phrase that comes up often in discussions with my colleagues at Africa ELI and in communications with our supporters.  “Education,” I said, “is a vehicle for positive social change.”  My friend then replied by asking, “What do you mean by positive social change, and why is education so important for it?”

My friend had posed an excellent question, and one that deserves some reflection.  The assertion that education drives positive social change is widely accepted, and indeed seems rather self-apparent.  However, it is worthwhile to investigate what it means.

First of all, what do we mean by social change?  The sociologist George Lundberg  defined social change as “any modifications in the established patterns of inter-human relationship and standard of conduct.”  There are various aspects of social change, including cultural, political, economic, religious, demographic, and technological.  The subject itself is deeply complex, and a thorough investigation would be far outside the scope of this article.   To get a handle on it for our purposes, and to help us understand what we mean by positive social change, these are the factors which seem to me to be most relevant:

  1. Positive social change results in the improvement of human and social conditions and in the betterment of society.
  2. Such change can occur at many levels, including individuals, families, communities, organizations, and governments.
  3. Positive social change is driven by ideas and actions with real-world implications.

What, then, is the role of education in creating positive social change? This question gets to this crux of the matter.  The answer can be found by looking at socialization and the transmission of knowledge — two of the central elements of education — and at the role of an education system within society.  

While education is not synonymous with socialization, it does enable the socializing process.  A better way to state this might be to say that schools are an agent of socialization.  For example, in school children learn social skills through interactions with teachers and other students. They learn how to relate to different personality types, to work through disagreements, to problem-solve, and to exercise self control.  (Granted, not every child learns all of these skills or develops them at the same pace, and some children may possess anti-social tendencies due to influences in their lives which make them resistant to socialization). Perhaps most importantly, school reinforces the concept that actions and choices have consequences.  All of these factors influence the social development of the individual, thereby increasing the likelihood that he or she will become an agent for positive social change.

Early on, teachers acquaint students with the social, moral, and cultural values of society through activities, games, and storytelling. Later, students learn about their system of government, its constitution, and its history.  Education makes students aware of the rights of citizens and imbues them with a sense of civic duty and responsibility.  Through lessons about public figures and leaders, education develops leadership qualities in students and inspires them to become future leaders.  Education counteracts superstition and parochialism, both of which are obstacles to positive social change.

The education system of any society is related to its overall social system, and the goals and needs of a society are reflected in its education system.  This dynamic is perhaps even more significant in a very young nation, such as South Sudan, where goals and needs are rapidly changing and developing.  How does this relate to positive social change?  The Former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, wrote, “The education system in any country is a point of contact between governments and their citizens.”  It is because of that relationship that those belonging to an education system are especially well positioned to have a positive impact on society.

This is probably a much longer answer than my friend was expecting (or wanting)!  Nevertheless, this idea of education being a vehicle for positive social change is an important one for those of us with a desire to be agents for change.  It is indeed one of the ideas central to Africa ELI’s philosophy and belief which drives our efforts.  

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