Lifelong Learn. 2020, 10, 9-24
Why Should Lifelong Education Be Considered a Good for All Humanity? Revisiting UNESCO’s View Through Comenius’ Lens
The article contributes to a vigorous debate on the significance of lifelong education and learning held at the political, practical and academic levels, especially concerning approaches of international organizations ( UNESCO in this case). It represents one of the attempts to restore the thoughts of the philosopher, which may serve as valuable sources of inspiration at the time of transitions and crises of a globalized world. The author’s explicit orientation is on ideas that have long been embraced by UNESCO’s education policy. He views them through a lens that is significantly influenced by Comenius. His philosophy is presented as a strong argument to affirm as well as a reason to partially revisit UNESCO’s position. The article builds on a combination of theoretical inquiry and critical analysis of policy documents. In his work, Comenius formulated key and timeless arguments in favour of a universal approach to education throughout the human lifespan, and he also justified why education is a prerequisite for the ability to act rightly and correct what is wrong. Comenius emphasised the ability “to understand right, to act rightly” as dependent on wisdom, and universal education as a pathway to the wisdom. Consequently, according to Comenius, universalism is bound to appreciate such forms of education that in basic features correspond to the ideal of Bildung. It is argued that what UNESCO refers to as universalism is not genuine universalism because it does not fully appreciate education as a source of inner cultivation – one of the prerequisites of acting rightly.
Keywords
UNESCO, Comenius, lifelong education and learning, universalism, Bildung, education policy.
