Nelson Mandela And His Vision Of Education

What did Nelson Mandela think about educating children? Let’s talk about your vision of education and how to apply your teachings today.

We all know and value the figure of Nelson Mandela, a South African lawyer, activist and politician who decided to dedicate his life to the fight for a better world, in which all people could be free and live together in peace, far from racism and of inequality.

So many were his contributions to the social good that the United Nations General Assembly declared the 18th of July Nelson Mandela’s International Day, coinciding with the date of his birth.

We are talking about one of the most important and influential leaders in modern history, who left us many lessons that we still need to reflect on today. Do you want to know what this wise man thought about education? Next, let’s talk about this.

Nelson Mandela and his vision of education

Nelson Mandela defended education as one of the most important things for society to function, improve and move forward. Thus, every child, wherever they live, has the right to receive a quality education that allows them to develop and grow as a person to become an adult with the ability to contribute something to the community.

However, for this, it is not only necessary to focus on purely academic values, but to give children an education based on values ​​such as equality, inclusion, respect, collaboration, etc.

Furthermore, according to Mandela’s vision , it is essential to teach children to think for themselves, in a critical and reflective way, as only then will new generations be able to avoid the mistakes of the past.

Some of your famous phrases

The above summary can be seen reflected in some of Nelson Mandela’s most popular phrases:

1. “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”
2. “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through this that a peasant’s daughter can become a doctor, a miner’s son can become the head of the mine or the son of rural workers can become president of a great nation”.
3. “ Without education, children cannot face the challenges they will face. Therefore, it is very important to educate children and explain that they must play a role in their country”.
4. “Only the education of the masses can free the people. An educated man cannot be oppressed if he is able to think for himself”.
5. “ We owe our children a life free from violence and fear”.
6. “No country can really develop until its citizens are educated.”
7. “There is no clearer revelation of the soul of a society than how it treats its children.”

Currently apply the teachings of Nelson Mandela

Many people assume that today we live in a modern and advanced society in which many social problems have disappeared. However, this is not quite the case. There is still a lot to be done so that everyone can live in peace and harmony, asserting human rights.

In short, to achieve this goal, it is important that families and schools apply and take Nelson Mandela’s teachings seriously. Fundamentally, so that children grow up internalizing civic and social values, and taking advantage of quality education that emphasizes positive coexistence, inclusion and mutual respect.

We know that the new generations are the future. Therefore, from the first years of life, they must be taught to take advantage of the resources at their disposal to make this world a better place.