Widening Access to Education as Social Justice

Among the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century is that of providing adequate educational opportunities to all citizens of the globe. The broad availability of such opportunities and the genuine ability to take advantage of them are fundamental components of any equitable society. In examining how widening access to education contributes to social justice, this anthology composes a tribute to the life and work of the Nigerian educationist Michael A. Omolewa. The twenty-seven contributions to this volume discuss foundational issues related to the educational dimensions of social justice, present overviews of approaches related to widening access, and analyze case studies from around the world, as well as consider future directions in education policy and research. This thematic depth is matched by the geographic representativeness of the work, with contributors coming from the global South and North. Widening Access to Education as Social Justice speaks with a credible and powerful voice about how making greater formal and informal educational opportunities available to men and women, young adults and children everywhere can help bring about more equitable ways of living together, thereby fostering the goods of cultural diversity, tolerance and respect along with the creativity and responsibility vital to bringing about actual social harmony.

Universal access to education, a gage of social justice, is much more than a right—it is an open door to freedom: the freedom to initiate, to act and to take one’s own destiny in hand. True, access to education has progressed considerably in recent years, notably to the benefit of women who, nonetheless, still represent two-thirds of illiterate adults. But the strides made conceal widening disparities, with some countries still suffering from a combination of backwardness and inequality. This means that we must step up our efforts.

This book, issued in honor of the President of the General Conference of UNESCO, Michael Abiola Omolewa, who has devoted his life to the cause of education, is a major contribution to helping women and men of goodwill, who must more than ever fight to secure for the have-nots of this world the right to education.

Boutros Boutros-Ghali Chairperson of the International Panel on Democracy and Development, UNESCO Former Secretary-General of the United Nations