The vital importance of teaching Scotland's youngsters to be global citizens

Now though - perhaps more than ever - the return to routine carries with it both the everyday strain of rising living costs and the wider existential unease of a world in crisis. The deepening climate emergency has been relegated to an afterthought by cruel conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond, driven by strongmen who seem hell-bent on abandoning long held international norms and the rule of law.  More than ever this assault on human rights and long held values of tolerance and co-operation is being felt by so many of us, with a sense of helplessness and a collective dread for the future. 

Here at home, these forces are made real through an increasingly intolerant attitude to ‘others’ – with pressure on public services blamed on immigration and populist disinformation, eroding our trust in politicians and our democratic institutions.  Long standing commitments to meet the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to respect the planet and address poverty and inequality - have been undermined by catastrophic aid cuts to fund defence spending.   Addressing such enormous issues is not easy - but it is possible.

Education can be a powerful force in bringing about long-term change, but it must take account of these realities of local and global injustice. Imagining different futures begins with learning that engages people in understanding these issues, both in schools and in our wider communities. While this approach should be locally focused, it must also always remain connected to the wider world and to the Global Majority. We call this kind of learning Global Citizenship Education.

Global Citizenship Education is education that enables people to reflect critically on the world and their place in it; to open their eyes, hearts, and minds to the reality of the world at local and global level. It involves imagination and hope, respect for human rights and diversity, inclusion, and a decent life for all, now and into the future.

In the Scottish education system, this is not an add-on - Global Citizenship is embedded within Curriculum for Excellence, making Scotland a world leader in placing Global Citizenship values at the heart of education. What matters now is ensuring that schools and teachers feel empowered, supported and encouraged to bring this part of the curriculum alive for young people - helping them connect classroom learning to the global issues that shape their futures.

Scotland’s learners need to understand more about the world and the interconnected nature of today’s threats and challenges. That means not only looking at environmental protection and sustainability but also facing up to the thornier issues of climate justice - what should be done to support communities already living with the harshest impacts of a crisis they did the least to cause. The Scottish Government plays a vital role by funding the network of Development Education Centres, giving teachers access to high-quality professional learning and resources. But if we are serious about preparing young people for their future, this commitment needs buy-in at every level - through education policy that equips teachers and learners, through wider national decisions on climate, energy and international development that model the values we want to instil, and through local authorities, school communities and the choices made every day in the classroom.

Crucially, we need stronger policy cohesion across sectors – areas like education, climate, and international development must all pull in the same direction. Only then can we create the kind of joined-up, outward-looking approach that today’s learners deserve. Education settings must nurture cognitive, social, and critical thinking skills –empowering learners to put knowledge into practice in ways that are relevant to their lives. We need educators who are confident and trained to guide learners through sensitive discussions on racism and Scotland’s colonial role which has left a long shadow of exploitation and prejudice.  We need to develop digital literacy, giving children the skills and understanding to navigate the largely unregulated dangers of social media whilst also helping them identify disinformation and its corrosion of trust in our democratic institutions. 

The scale and urgency of the challenge should now be clear but, perhaps unsurprisingly, attention and funding for this discipline has disappeared in recent years.  With deep cuts to international aid and the end of European funding post Brexit, Scotland’s network of development education centres can’t keep up with demand from educators who know what young people need and want to help them thrive.

A first, but significant step, is to bolster these longstanding efforts of educators with the expertise of Scotland’s international development charities and their global networks of expert partners, who daily experience the real-life impacts of inequality, conflict and the climate emergency.  Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA) is working to build a stronger coalition for global citizenship beyond schools and their local communities, bringing organisations and individuals across sectors and communities together alongside a group of diaspora community leaders, academics and activists of colour.

This weekend, as the Edinburgh Festivals welcome culturally diverse global voices, we’re encouraging children and young people at the Book Festival, the Festival of Politics, and the Beyond Borders festival to share their views on today’s key global issues, and what action Scotland should take.

At the same time, we are renewing our call for a strengthened recognition and inclusion of global citizenship across various government portfolios, including education, equalities, children and young people, international development, and communities.  To make this vision real, we need long-term investment in the people and organisations best placed to nurture Scotland’s young global citizens.

Amidst the fear and chaos, principled action must match our rhetoric. Scotland has a role to play - standing in solidarity with the global community, working for a cleaner, safer world with greater equality, peace and justice.

Charlotte Dwyer is Director of Scotdec development education centre and Board member of Scotland’s International Development Association