Page 31 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 3-4: Convention on the Rights of the Child: Educational Opportunities and Social Justice, eds. Zdenko Kodelja and Urška Štremfel
P. 31
s. kraljić ■ implementation and protection of the child’s right to education
196 countries, including all European Union (EU) Member States.1 The
UNCRC is a landmark treaty on rights of the child, outlining univer-
sal standards for all children’s care, treatment, survival, development, pro-
tection and participation. The Convention covers all aspects of a child’s
life and sets out the political, civil, social, economic and cultural rights to
which all children everywhere are entitled. These rights may be defined
as the set of values that adults (e.g. parents, guardians, teachers) should
respect in their relationships with children. The principle of best interests
(Article 3 UNCRC) should always be the fundamental starting point in
all relations and decisions concerning children and their rights (for more,
see Kraljić, 2016, 2018, 2019a; Kraljić and Drnovšek, 2019). The UNCRC
also explains how adults and governments must work together to en-
sure that all children can enjoy all of their rights. It is necessary to see the
UNCRC as a whole, with all of the rights being linked and holding equal
importance (UNICEF, n.d.). It provides children with rights across all ar-
eas of their lives, including education.
Today, the right to education is regarded as a common good, one
of the most important human rights and a special right of the child.
Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable vehicle for
realising other human and child rights (e.g. the right of the child to be
heard, to not be discriminated against) (Committee on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, 1999). Education is an essential creator of any child’s
life before and after they reach full age.
National education systems vary (e.g. organisation, curricular con-
tent). This made it necessary to form key definitions and outlines (e.g. in-
puts, process, outcomes) so as to enable different national education sys-
tems to be compared from a global perspective (UNESCO, 2012, p. iii).
UNESCO’s “International Standard Classification of Education ISCED
2011” distinguishes eight levels of education2, where primary education is
the most protected part of the right to education as a foundation. Primary
education is established in various international documents and national
constitutions as a minimum educational standard, provided by states to all
people, especially children. Secondary and higher education complement
primary education but do not enjoy the same protection level as it (Kama,
1 See United Nations Treaty Collection – Status of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child on 1 July 2020, retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?s-
rc=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&clang=_en (2 July 2020). The United States is
today the only United Nations member state that is not a party to the UNCRC.
2 The eight ISCED 2011 levels of education: O Pre-primary education; 1 Primary education;
2 Lower secondary education; 3 Upper secondary education; 4 Post-secondary non-tertiary
education; 5 Short-cycle tertiary education; 6 Bachelor or equivalent; 7 Master or equivalent; 8
Doctoral or equivalent. Slovenian ‘Basic education’ covers level 2 of the ISCED classification.
29
196 countries, including all European Union (EU) Member States.1 The
UNCRC is a landmark treaty on rights of the child, outlining univer-
sal standards for all children’s care, treatment, survival, development, pro-
tection and participation. The Convention covers all aspects of a child’s
life and sets out the political, civil, social, economic and cultural rights to
which all children everywhere are entitled. These rights may be defined
as the set of values that adults (e.g. parents, guardians, teachers) should
respect in their relationships with children. The principle of best interests
(Article 3 UNCRC) should always be the fundamental starting point in
all relations and decisions concerning children and their rights (for more,
see Kraljić, 2016, 2018, 2019a; Kraljić and Drnovšek, 2019). The UNCRC
also explains how adults and governments must work together to en-
sure that all children can enjoy all of their rights. It is necessary to see the
UNCRC as a whole, with all of the rights being linked and holding equal
importance (UNICEF, n.d.). It provides children with rights across all ar-
eas of their lives, including education.
Today, the right to education is regarded as a common good, one
of the most important human rights and a special right of the child.
Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable vehicle for
realising other human and child rights (e.g. the right of the child to be
heard, to not be discriminated against) (Committee on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, 1999). Education is an essential creator of any child’s
life before and after they reach full age.
National education systems vary (e.g. organisation, curricular con-
tent). This made it necessary to form key definitions and outlines (e.g. in-
puts, process, outcomes) so as to enable different national education sys-
tems to be compared from a global perspective (UNESCO, 2012, p. iii).
UNESCO’s “International Standard Classification of Education ISCED
2011” distinguishes eight levels of education2, where primary education is
the most protected part of the right to education as a foundation. Primary
education is established in various international documents and national
constitutions as a minimum educational standard, provided by states to all
people, especially children. Secondary and higher education complement
primary education but do not enjoy the same protection level as it (Kama,
1 See United Nations Treaty Collection – Status of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child on 1 July 2020, retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?s-
rc=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&clang=_en (2 July 2020). The United States is
today the only United Nations member state that is not a party to the UNCRC.
2 The eight ISCED 2011 levels of education: O Pre-primary education; 1 Primary education;
2 Lower secondary education; 3 Upper secondary education; 4 Post-secondary non-tertiary
education; 5 Short-cycle tertiary education; 6 Bachelor or equivalent; 7 Master or equivalent; 8
Doctoral or equivalent. Slovenian ‘Basic education’ covers level 2 of the ISCED classification.
29
