The Education Coalition of Zimbabwe held belated commemorations for the 2024 Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) under the theme Transformative Education on 17th May 2024 at Chedope Primary School in Zvishavane, Midlands Province.
GAWE 2024 was commemorated from 22nd – 26th April and was officially launched by the Honourable Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Dr Torerayi Moyo during the 2024 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo.
Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) 2024 also marks the 22nd annual weeklong campaign coordinated by Global Campaign for Education (GCE) and celebrated worldwide by education movements and advocates, to remind governments, decision-makers, and other strategic stakeholders to deliver on the global commitments for education.
Education is one of the most powerful forces for change in our world. It can change lives, communities, and even entire nations. This year’s theme of Transformative Education is a crucial one, as we navigate the rapid changes and challenges facing our global society. Two years after the pandemic (COVID-19), the Transforming Education Summit (TES) convened by the UN Secretary General galvanized global efforts to transform education. More than 130 countries committed to rebooting their education systems and accelerating action to end the learning crisis.” This was because many countries faced deteriorating education budgets, and the Summit called on countries to continue investing in education and fast-track actions to achieve SDG 4 targets.
Transformative education is about more than just imparting knowledge. It is about empowering learners to think critically, to question the status quo, and to become active agents of positive change. It is about cultivating the skills, mindsets and values that will enable our young people to tackle the complex problems of our time – from climate change to inequality and to conflict resolution.
Transformative education must be inclusive and equitable, reaching the most marginalized communities. It must be respective to local contexts and centered on the unique needs and aspirations of diverse learners. And it must prepare learners not just for jobs, but for life – helping them develop the creativity, collaboration, and courage to build the future we all want to see.
Together, with transformative education as our guiding light, we can unlock the incredible potential of this generation – and generations to come – to create a better future for all.