Learning: the Treasure Within.

Report to UNESCO of the International Commission

on Education for the Twenty-First Century

by Jacques Delors , et al, 1996

UNESCO publishing, Paris, France

Learingn the treasure within is a report to UNESCO of the international commission on edeucation for the twenty-first century. It is the outcom of three- years work by a panel consests of specialists from around the world. The title of the report about education for the twenty-first century which means litearally the period beteween year 2000 till 2100. Yet is seems that this report is about education in the first three decades. Moreover, since the report has written in 1996, one cannot imagine much to change just because we have passed into the next century.

The report is centered on education reform. However, the main motive to this reform is the forces of globalization as it is seen by western. The aim of education will be preparing for democratic participation, yet it is not clear from the report if this will improve the impacts of globalization in the developing countries. In addition, most presented arguments are normative rather than experimental.

The report counts variety of tensions which will be central to the problems of the twenty-first century. For example, tension between global and local, the universal against the individual, tradition against modernity, long-term considerations reverse short-term considerations, and the tension between spiritual and material. The commission considers education essential factor to reduce the negative effects of these tensions.

The commission proposes four pillars to be foundations of the education. The first pillar is learning to live together. On this pillar, the report has put greater emphasis, and it believes that the education must play important role to avoid conflict between different people by developing an understanding of others . The next pillar is learning to know. People have to learn to understand the world around them. Learning to do is another pillar, this kind of learning entail the acquisition of a competence that enables people to deal with a variety of situations . The fourth pillar is learning to be in which education should contribute to every person s complete development, mind and body (pp. 23-24).

The report stress basic education as a priority which should extended worldwide. Education in this stage should stimulate a love of knowledge and provide the opportunities for learning throughout life. Then the report underlines the vital role of secondary education in the education progression of young people and social development. Beside their roles as cores of knowledge and professional training, universities shall be places of learning throughout life and international co-operation. In this sense universities would transcend what is wrongly held to be the conflict between the logic of public service and the logic of the job market (pp 27-29).

One can perceive from the 11 papers, written by the members of the commission, the complexity to involve the views on education of people from different background in one report.