Competencies are not forever!Lifelong Learning it is....

Reports and official (and non-official) documents calling for a change in Education are raising and being consensual.

“If the report teaches us one thing, it is this: We need to take urgent action to change course, because the future of people depends on the future of the planet, and both are at risk. The report proposes a new social contract for education – one that aims to rebuild our relationships with each other, with the planet, and with technology.” (Audrey Azoulay/Director-General of UNESCO – p.6). (Reimagining our futures together: a new social contract for education (186 pages-edited end of 2021)

(UNESCO: Corporate author:International Commission on the Futures of Education)

“Note: During CONFINTEA VII (June 2022) , a new instrument, the Marrakech Framework for Action, will be adopted to guide the development of ALE in the coming decade”.

At this report from the International Commission on the Futures of Education, chaired by Antonio Novoa (DEC2021): - he emphasizes....”we need a new social contract for education to repair injustices while transforming the future” and so we must recap that there were predecessors:

1º Edgar Faure (1972) : -learn to be; Faure, E. et al. Learning to Be. (1972). Paris: UNESCO.

2nd Jacques Delors (UNESCO, 1996): - knowing how to be with others; The treasure within: Learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be.

One of the outcomes of this last one was the calling for attention over soft skills , and among those, on leadership.

Yes, leadership in E&T&L (education&training&learning). Soft-skills are essential to adapt to the world of today and tomorrow, as much to find a job and maintain oneself in employment as to include oneself in society. But commonly we listen that competency on those are only confirmed in work context. And they are.

So, it requires that, on a LLL perspective, the person should be able to improve those competencies and be a better worker, chief or leader. So, who is going to do that? And how competent it is to do that? And the environment to achieve the results expected? And how the developments are recognized and certified?

That is the point...microcredentials could be a pathway? Yes, they can! But in close relation between the corporate world (private, public or social) and the field bodies: higher education institutions or (and) professional bodies and associations or schools. And this means Collaboration and Cooperation.

To bring onboard the GAFAM corporations (GAFAM -the five webtech giants, Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon e Microsoft) and make them being part of this designation is, perhaps, inreachable. But it must be tried!

This is easier (?) when we refer to Technical, or Technological, or all skills of the psychomotor domain (Bloom: “taxonomy” of learning), commonly called by skills. The individual got it, or not, and that is observable&measurable. But still that collaboration and cooperation must be “in place” and structured in order to be speedy as the world of today demands! Including, of course, a proper use and incorporation of artificial intelligence/machine learning and more, trough robots or any other device, including social media. Parentheses open to ask why are the E&T&L sector accepting that computers must be part of our schools (to ALL learners and teachers/trainers?) and not arguing why and how? More important than that, and critical, it is the web infrastructure (now demanding for 5G access) and their maintenance and updating. And why not mobile phones that are less expensive, inclusive and accessible to great part of the population. Parentsis closed.

Ah! Of course you did pay attention that several young Ukrainians on the run from the war, they keep in touch with their content learning and teachers trough the web and web devices available. Are we awake? Or we did forget already the emergency distance learning submitted during the pandemic?

“We never think alone. Today, in the midst of this pandemic tragedy, we know, better than ever, that alone we can do little or nothing. Only together can we define the future paths for education." . (António NÓVOA, SALVADOR-BAHIA, 4 february 2022. Book – School and teachers: protect, transform, value)

Any direction will be good!

The EU system of ECVET is now being reviewed as it is no more compatible with the needs of the real world and even with some competencies/skills offered by National Agencies and EC/E&T&L platforms trough a classroom offer and ignoring the ICT offer. (I wonder why it took US so long to develop courses offers online especially for MooC's. Epale is an example of lazy offer for that evolution). Why?

This is more weird, as regular argued, as it is an offer of two in one. The individual gets an offer in skills/competencies that, he or the company/organization searches, and at the same time gains experience in using online platforms or social media representations. And can be accessible at all time or moment and anywhere!. However, for the best and the worst, it is recommended that a Leader/Trainer/Teacher should be available and in supervision! For now....

The DEAP's (digital education action plans) are already ongoing...but, designed in a LLL perspective? And taking in consideration the world of today's for the young generations?

Of course we are not alone and this fight will take years! And will never end....

“We must foster a culture in which the value of lifelong learning is recognized in, and adapted to, every context”. (EDUCATION2030 - LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL - Medium-Term Strategy 2022–2029 UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning - uil-estrategia2030.pdf )

This, has a consequence:

Investing in lifelong learning means valuing and humanizing knowledge and skills, transformed in competencies recognizing that, if used well, it is the mechanism par excellence for improving living conditions and, consequently, people’s life expectancy and well-being.

And as, once more and again (for how many times more!) we had the

Paris Declaration: a Global Call for Investing in the Futures of Education

(Conference:Global Education Meeting, Paris, 2021)

“allocate at least 4-6% of GDP and/or at least 15-20% of total public expenditure to education....;Raise more revenues to increase education budgets,”

Arrived at our point, at last!

Better workers, best leaders, well-being, healthy society, peace – (never missing the UN agenda for sustainable development(SDG's goals): The four imperatives: 1. Climate crisis (primary imperative); 2. Technological transformation; demographic changes, health crisis."

This means :- investment in Education from all parts and in Collaboration and close Cooperation, not Public Education«»Private Education«»Corporate Learning«»Social Learning and citizenship. Educating throughout life (“From birth to cradle” as LLL platform advocates) is to value each Human Being in its context of an ecosystem of relationships. The increase in knowledge and skills reduces prejudice, distrust towards change and evolution, equalizes people, reduces the difference in access to learning and, therefore, to the mechanisms of power between the sexes.

Portugal, Lisboa, 31 march 2022

Etelberto Costa

LLLplatform poolofexperts

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