The WISE Global Education Barometer 2020

On the occasion of the International Day of Education, WISE has released an extensive study on the views of young people. Conducted by Ipsos, the survey was undertaken in 20 countries across the globe, in order to understand how the youth perceive their education and how prepared and confident they feel in their future. These results have been initially revealed at the “Learning for people, planet, prosperity and peace” conference on January 24, 2020. Key findings will be included in the work conducted by UNESCO’s Futures of Education and CRI’s Learning Planet initiatives.

In an increasingly complex and rapidly-changing world, global institutions, states, and educators have started movements and launched reforms in an attempt to adapt education systems to new global challenges. In its mission to contribute to this global debate and reflection, WISE seeks to amplify the voices of the youth to ensure that their aspirations and concerns are taken into consideration.

9,500 people aged 16 to 25 were surveyed in 20 countries across the globe, including in the Middle East (Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey), Africa (Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa), Asia (China, India, Malaysia, South Korea), the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the United States) and Europe (Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Russia).

This executive summary highlights a few of the survey’s findings; the full results are available upon demand.

1. Young people believe their generation has a responsibility to better the planet, yet only half feel ready to better the world around them. They don’t necessary expect school to make them more active and well-rounded citizens, but rather to be ready for the future on a personal level.
2. Young people value education and express an overall satisfaction with the education they’ve received. They trust the educational system and their teachers in their ability to provide them with useful skills and knowledge. However, they also expect more diversity in their learning experiences and they would like schooling to give more space to new technologies and creativity, curiosity or collaboration.
3. A major area for improvement in schools, according to the youth, is the need for equal opportunities for all, especially between boys and girls.