located: | Germany |
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editor: | Shira Jeczmien |
Maybe it’s been said many times before, but this year’s G20 Summit, due to take place in Hamburg from the 7th to the 8th of July is a real Orwellian tale. 20 world leaders (why just 20?) gather to discuss the global economic, environmental, and security issues for the year to come. The Summit often draws protesters’ attention, while political scandals, too, are not uncommon; this year has been no exception. Yet, I’m not here to discuss any of that. Instead, I’d like to draw attention to one of the uncomfortably missing topics from the Summit’s agenda: education.
While the Summit is still one day away, media outlets have been basking in the chaotic events in its lead up. For instance, predicted clashes between Merkel (this year’s chair of the charade) and Trump on issues regarding climate change, free trade, and the management of forced global migration; or Putin and Trump’s anxiously anticipated first meeting, and numerous extreme-Left protests against capitalism – some peaceful, some titled ‘Welcome to Hell’. What concerns me most, however, is that within this milieu of political noise, there has been scarce media coverage regarding the absence of global education from the programme.
It’s estimated that by 2030, low-income families in Sub-Saharan Africa will see only one in 10 children gain basic secondary school education, which, ironically, is the same target year for the realisation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We needn’t look as far as Africa; even in middle-income countries only half of young people are expected to complete secondary school by that same target year. Add to the mix the growing job loss to automation and, therefore, much higher educational requirements for employees. As Austria’s former Labour Prime Minister Julia Gillard writes, “literacy and the ability to seek out and act on information are critical to rebuilding communities affected by conflict, climate change and natural disasters.”
Without a solid agenda to fund education across the globe, the G20 Summit seems, to me at least, useful only for the outrageous headlines we’ll certainly soon be drowning in. Solutions for forced migration, climate change, women’s rights, sustainable growth, and job creation are to be promoted in tandem with an increased global investment in education for all, as those issues are inextricably linked. This G20 Summit is exemplary of 2017 itself. Once again we’re seeing our world leaders hovering over rather than smacking global issues right on the mark, and our media platforms too occupied with trending headlines to filter through the smoke and divert our attention back to where it all starts, education.