Nelson Mandela and his philosophy of educational weapons to change the world

Nelson Mandela's belief in the world-changing power of education has inspired generations and created change not just in South Africa but across the continent.

"Education is our most powerful weapon to change the world."

It is one of the most famous quotes of Nelson Mandela, the first black president in South Africa's history and a hero against apartheid. Nelson Mandela's belief in the power of education is drawn from his growing up process and his struggle for equality for people of color in the country.

In his 1994 memoir, "Long Walk to Freedom," Mandela said he was trained in English in the Western model at seminaries from an early age. He believes that it is the feeling of injustice that has caused black people in South Africa to repress their anger, leading to social resistance.

"What holds my people back is not a lack of ability, but a lack of opportunity. We were taught that only the British were the best," he wrote.

Throughout his life, including during his 25 years in prison by the Arpartheid government, Mandela never stopped learning. He saw education as an escape from captivity. Even in the days before the court, despite the death penalty hanging in front of him, Mandela still managed to finish his law essay.

Not only studying for himself, the South African revolutionary also encouraged his fellow prisoners to study. "When night fell, our cell was more like a self-study room than a prison. Robben Island was called a 'university' because there we taught each other," he wrote in his memoirs.

Nelson Mandela (left) and his wife Graca Machel met nearly 40,000 students at the SkyDome, Toronto, Canada in 1998. Photo: Toronto Star.

Mandela was well aware of certain limitations of the mainstream educational framework. Although he holds a bachelor's degree and a law degree, he understands that a degree is not a ticket to success or wisdom. The late South African leader has always humbly said that a person without formal training or education can still be "a person superior to me in all areas of knowledge".

This modesty partly influenced Mandela's political thinking and thoughts about the country. An "educated" person does not necessarily have to be literate and earn a bachelor's degree, he said.

"A person who is illiterate can still be a more 'educated' voter than some people with advanced degrees," said the late South African leader.

Not only training the mind, Nelson Mandela also emphasized the importance of physical health to maintain a healthy mind. He once shared that exercising helps him feel calmer, works better and is when he thinks most clearly.

Training became one of the immutable principles in the life of the South African revolutionary. He found running taught him the value of hard work and discipline when it comes to goals. In long-distance runs, practice is more crucial to success than natural talent. He learned for himself that the loss of talent can be made up for with diligence and discipline.

"I apply that to everything I do. Ever since I was in school, I've seen many young people with amazing natural abilities, but without the sense of discipline and patience to develop the gift they've been given. gift," Mandela once wrote.

In addition to the guiding philosophy, the former South African president also left many legacies for South African education with development organizations and funds. He founded the Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development with the mission of universalizing education for children in poor rural areas where infrastructure is inadequate. The Institute works with communities to remodel schools and train teachers.

Following the end of his term in office in 1999, he founded the Nelson Mandela Foundation and in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched the Schools for Africa program, supporting education initiatives in 13 countries along with continents. Since its inception in 2005, this project has helped more than 30 million African children improve the quality of their education.

"Education is the great engine of personal development. Through education, a farmer's daughter can become a doctor, and a miner's son can become the main owner of a mine. that, and the children of farmers can become the president of a great country.The way we make the fruits of what we have, not what we are given, is what makes it special. between one man and the rest," he wrote in his memoirs.