Page 8 - 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. 8
šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 3–4
injustice suffered by millions of children in different parts of the world;
on the other, they highlight the vast differences in the global distribution
of educational opportunities. Because educational opportunities are es-
sential to ensuring equal opportunities and since without equality of op-
portunity there is no social justice, it is clear that great injustices are being
done in the world in which we live. Yet, the injustices resulting from vio-
lations of the right to basic education as a fundamental human and child
right are far from equally distributed. They mainly occur in the most un-
derdeveloped and extremely poor countries. This means the nationality or
membership of a particular nation is today a much stronger factor affect-
ing the inequality of opportunity than are race, gender or even talent and
ability, as it is nationality that determines different educational oppor-
tunities and labour market access and to quite unequal systems of social
rights. However, this stands in stark contrast with the traditional concept
of social justice, which requires that those who have the same abilities and
an equal will to learn must not simply have equal opportunities for edu-
cation but also for success in education, irrespective of their social status,
race, nationality, religion etc. Still, is it necessary and appropriate to ex-
pand this understanding of justice to the global level?
The five articles in this thematic issue address these and other chal-
lenges of realising the Convention on the Rights of the Child from differ-
ent perspectives, theoretical and empirical backgrounds. The first three
articles discuss these issues on a global level.
Zoe Moody in her article Children’s Rights to, in and through
Education: Challenges and Opportunities addresses the practical implica-
tions and challenges of providing schools as an ideal space/save haven in
which children’s rights are fully respected and implemented. By employ-
ing a descriptive approach through the prism of the concepts of diversi-
ty, participation and social transformation, she exposes how unrealistic
or even idealistic this goal currently is. She explains why ensuring access
to quality education and effectively removing exclusionary practices are
still global concerns with regard to ensuring that all children are entitled,
as subjects of the law, to acquire knowledge and skills, notwithstanding
characteristics like gender, citizenship, migrant status, disability status,
socio-economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, family lan-
guage, religion and imprisonment. She indicates a few solutions to help
move towards the effective transformative education that would support
the full realisation of children’s rights in and through education.
In the article Implementation and Protection of the Child’s Right to
Education, Suzana Kraljić reviews instruments provided by important in-
ternational human and child’s rights treaties that have improved access
6
injustice suffered by millions of children in different parts of the world;
on the other, they highlight the vast differences in the global distribution
of educational opportunities. Because educational opportunities are es-
sential to ensuring equal opportunities and since without equality of op-
portunity there is no social justice, it is clear that great injustices are being
done in the world in which we live. Yet, the injustices resulting from vio-
lations of the right to basic education as a fundamental human and child
right are far from equally distributed. They mainly occur in the most un-
derdeveloped and extremely poor countries. This means the nationality or
membership of a particular nation is today a much stronger factor affect-
ing the inequality of opportunity than are race, gender or even talent and
ability, as it is nationality that determines different educational oppor-
tunities and labour market access and to quite unequal systems of social
rights. However, this stands in stark contrast with the traditional concept
of social justice, which requires that those who have the same abilities and
an equal will to learn must not simply have equal opportunities for edu-
cation but also for success in education, irrespective of their social status,
race, nationality, religion etc. Still, is it necessary and appropriate to ex-
pand this understanding of justice to the global level?
The five articles in this thematic issue address these and other chal-
lenges of realising the Convention on the Rights of the Child from differ-
ent perspectives, theoretical and empirical backgrounds. The first three
articles discuss these issues on a global level.
Zoe Moody in her article Children’s Rights to, in and through
Education: Challenges and Opportunities addresses the practical implica-
tions and challenges of providing schools as an ideal space/save haven in
which children’s rights are fully respected and implemented. By employ-
ing a descriptive approach through the prism of the concepts of diversi-
ty, participation and social transformation, she exposes how unrealistic
or even idealistic this goal currently is. She explains why ensuring access
to quality education and effectively removing exclusionary practices are
still global concerns with regard to ensuring that all children are entitled,
as subjects of the law, to acquire knowledge and skills, notwithstanding
characteristics like gender, citizenship, migrant status, disability status,
socio-economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, family lan-
guage, religion and imprisonment. She indicates a few solutions to help
move towards the effective transformative education that would support
the full realisation of children’s rights in and through education.
In the article Implementation and Protection of the Child’s Right to
Education, Suzana Kraljić reviews instruments provided by important in-
ternational human and child’s rights treaties that have improved access
6
