Is Education a Right or Privilege?
Name
Institution
Is Education a Right or Privilege?
Thesis Statement: Nevertheless, the characterization of learning as everyone’s right coupled with the presence of equality initiatives make education to be considered more of a right rather than a privilege.
Education is the process of acquiring knowledge and skills to use in handling different problems and shaping the future of an individual. While education is essential for shaping both individual and societal future, over 61 million children mostly girls do not attend schools (Humme, 2013). The lack of education contributes to generational poverty in many societies. Equally, poor education causes low economic development due to lack of adequate expertise to foster innovation and creativity to develop economic growth. The disparities in education in the world generates the debate on whether education is a right or a privilege.
Many governments have policies that enhance equal access to education for all children regardless of social factors like race or ethnicity. For example, the US has made tremendous efforts in eliminating education-related discrimination among the different races. For instance, in the past blacks attended poor schools. However, multiple integration efforts have seen significant changes in white and black kids school ratios. Currently, most district schools have about 35% black and 55% white, unlike the past where black kids were restricted to poor schools (Emily, 2004). These equality initiatives make education a right and not a privilege.
Additionally, even though education is not a fundamental human right, every person’s right is guaranteed devoid of discrimination. The states must safeguard, respect and fulfill the right to education for all its citizens. As such, people enjoy avenues of holding states accountable for violation of education rights. Moreover, the UN general assembly regards the right to education as “an inherent entitlement irrespective of race, sex, religion among other social factors” (Global Partnership, 2017). The declaration asserts that everyone has a right to education, parents can choose education for their kids, all children have the right to access quality education and must enjoy the same opportunities in their educational development. These insights, in totality, make education as a right and not a privilege
References
Emily, B. (2004). the Next Kind of Integration. In R. Moore, Education and Society: Issues and Explanations in the Sociology of Education (pp. 2001-2011). Polity.
Global Partnership. (2017, December 10). 3 things to know about education as a human right. Retrieved from global partnership.org: https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/3-things-know-about-education-human-right
Humme, A. (2013, October 30). Education is a Right, Not a Privilege. Retrieved from Global partnership.org: https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/education-right-not-privilege
