Education is extremely relevant for the progress of society, so it is worth paying attention to notice how school institutions have dealt with the process of education for children and teenagers.
In the last decades, there has been an intense debate regarding the seeking for a holistic education that values different knowledge, so as not to rank different areas of knowledge. However, it is still noticeable how difficult it is to accomplish this goal, especially when schools tend to turn to pragmatic objectives about the qualification of these individuals for the labor market, in addition to the overvaluation of certain careers over others.
Thus, the school environment may become an obstacle for the development of these students, since they understand education and school routine as difficult obligations. There is a huge disincentive to learn with the daily pressure on grades and assessments, plus the endless rush into a future career. In this scenario, students do not absorb the true meaning of education: the critical emancipation that can change their lives. For education to be emancipatory, the school must not be subordinated to the utilitarian molds that only prepare their kids for the job market. On the other hand, the school environment must emphasize the true meaning of education with critical analysis about human existence, also the understanding of oneself, and the evolution of its worldview.
From this perspective, educator Paulo Freire — one of the greatest thinkers of pedagogy in the world — highlights that education is the engine for the empowerment of society, which enables individuals to change their reality. This transformation is part of the collective struggle for the development of an interdependent society that values critical thinking. In this sense, we have to insert in school institutions the conception of a holistic education that inspires students and instructs them to respect themselves and others. Thus, education can be successful in providing a mechanism for emancipation, as defended by the pedagogue Freire. Therefore, the World Youth Alliance Latin America is proud to highlight the Human Dignity Curriculum (HDC), a program that advocates for education that transforms lives.
HDC runs from kindergarten through high school. Through the program, students come to understand who they are, and who they may ultimately become. The lessons address human dignity as intrinsic and inviolable, and deal with the quest to understand personal identity. It promotes respect for yourself and the individuals around you, so it shows how freedom is based on principles and the relationship of individuals’ behavior to human excellence. Furthermore, the curriculum favors the potential of students and it seeks to guide these children and adolescents in order to use their freedom to achieve admirable trajectories with the reaffirmation of their autonomy.
Let’s empower our youth! For more information about the Human Dignity Curriculum, visit the website. Send an email to latinamerica@wya.net and make a partnership with us to promote human dignity through HDC.
Published: December 15, 2021
Written by Anni Barreto, Project Management Intern for the World Youth Alliance Latin America.
References:
100 anos de Paulo Freire: Patrono da Educação Brasileira.
