Teaching 'cultural tolerance' essential in modern international education, says Tony Blair

Tony Blair, along with business leaders, global education commentators and government representatives gathered in Dubai this week to discuss the most pressing issues in global education.Mr Blair told the assembled group that he believes educating young people on citizenship values is fundamental to building a future of tolerance and global peace.“There is real anxiety among people on how the world is changing,” said Mr Blair. “Your education system does express what you stand for as a society. If you want to educate young people for the modern world, it is essential that they are also educated to a culturally tolerant view of the world. This works across the boundaries of faith and culture.”

Cultural tolerance in schools

In Relocate Global’s recently published Guide to International Education and Schools, David Porritt, headteacher of the British School in the Netherlands Junior School Leidschenveen campus, in The Hague, argues that students at international schools provide a model for cultural tolerance in today’s globally mobile society. “International schools are unique environments creating important reflections of the wider world in which we live,” he says.“There is a rich tapestry of variation and cultural expression amongst the students themselves. Watching multilingual, multi-aware and multinational students working together with humility, respect and tolerance is truly inspiring. There is always so much to learn from one another.“Our challenge and responsibility is to develop the next generation of ethically and morally responsible leaders. It is what underpins all of the activities that students get involved in. It’s what we, and they, do all day.”Mr Blair believes that strengthening the quality of teaching by raising the standards of the teachers, and building leadership skills in schools is the answer to reaching the level of cultural tolerance that is often found in good international schools. “I have seen bad schools with good leaders but never a good school with bad leaders,” he said.

Role of technology in education

The GESF also looked at the role of technology and the growing involvement of the private sector. Sir Martin Sorrell, Group Chief Executive of communications services group WPP plc, UK spoke of the urgent need for education systems to adapt to new technological advances and called for the world’s education systems to provide a, “highly practical and relevant education.”In the Guide to International Education and Schools, Karin Purcell, Development Director, Marymount International School, London speaks of how technology has become ubiquitous and embedded into every part of our lives but yet, girls are still lagging far behind when it comes to participating as ‘creative contributors.’“As an all-girls school, Marymount International School has taken extra care to awaken an interest in technology,” says Ms Purcell, “thereby breaking down gender-based stereotypes. The recent installation of a Fab Lab as a ‘maker space’ for girls has given students unhindered access to an array of digitally driven instruments, such as 3D printers and laser cutters. This has naturally led to students developing an interest in coding, programming and robotics.”“By giving girls the ‘digital bug’ early, they will be able to participate fully in the next wave of innovation, and contribute positively to shaping the digital world.”

Equal access to global education

GESF is convened by the charitable Varkey Foundation and brings together partners including UNESCO, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Dubai Cares, GESF features debates on, “the relevance, excellence and inclusiveness of both public and private learning environments.”Vikas Pota, Chief Executive of the Varkey Foundation, said, “The alliances have been created to find real and actionable pathways to solving public education’s longest standing problems. Issues like ensuring girls worldwide have equal access to education, raising the quality of teaching and respect for the teaching profession, and how to best use innovation in education represent three of the biggest educational challenges facing the world today.”Relocate Global’s new annual Guide to International Education and Schools, looks in depth at the issues facing international education and global mobility today.  To order copies, download an order form, complete it using your keyboard, and email, fax or post it to us. 

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