Four pillars of education

Keywords; what are The ‘Four Pillars of Education, Learning to know, Learning to do, Learning to live together, Learning to be

Four pillars of education

The ‘Four Pillars of Education’ were originally set out in a report for UNESCO by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century chaired by Jacques Delors (UNESCO, 1996). These pillars underline the very breadth and depth of UNESCO’s vision of education within and beyond schooling. Education, the report holds, must be organized around four fundamental types of learning throughout a person’s life:

1. Learning to know,
2. Learning to do,
3. Learning to live together, and
4. Learning to be.

Although they can be defined separately, they form an integrated whole and should ideally be present in all pedagogical encounters and the curriculum as a whole (Scatolini, 2010). The Four Pillars are programmatic and can be summed up as follows:

Learning to know: ‘Learning to know’ lays the foundations of learning throughout life. Learning to know’ concerned less with the acquisition of structured knowledge than with the mastery of learning tools. This pillar refers to the basic knowledge that we need to understand our environment and to live with dignity in the world. It is also about arousing curiosity, allowing us to experience the pleasures of new research and discoveries. This learning to know move us toward the challenge of combining a sufficiently broad education with the in-depth investigation of selected subjects. “A truly educated person in the 21st Century needs a broad

general education and the opportunity to study a small number of subjects in depth” Learning to know implies learning how to learn by developing one’s concentration, ability to think and memorizing skills.

Learning to think and understand is a lifelong process that can helps us to Enhanced on his experience or the experiences of other people.

Learning to do: ‘Learning to do’ refers to the acquisition of practical skills in life and qualities needed in this world to work and survive, but it also require an aptitude for teamwork and initiative, and a readiness to take risks in life. It teach us self-management and to know how to manage over life and things around us. The purpose of this pillar is the competence of putting what we have learned into practice. So act creatively in our environment and to serve our purpose in this world. Learning to do enables us to turn our knowledge into innovations for the future of mankind. It also teaches us the skill of co-Management and work with other in teams and groups. It enhances the ability of a person to manage the work of others and complete the task which some else started.

Learning to live together: ‘Learning to live together’ is the ability to understand other people’s reactions and feeling by looking to things from his own point of view. On this pillar the UNESCO Commission emphasizes more than any other pillars. It refers to developing an understanding of others through dialogue leading to empathy, respect, and appreciation. To understand others, we must first know ourselves. ‘Learning to live together’ is also about recognizing our growing interdependence, about experiencing shared purposes, and about implementing common projects and a joint future. Only then will it be possible to manage the inevitable conflicts in a peaceful way.

Learning to be: ‘Learning to be’ is founded on the fundamental principle that education needs to contribute to the all-round development of each individual. When person evaluates himself, in the process he should accept whatever outcome he may face. For the unfavorable one results, one should take them as constructive “criticism” to improve himself to get a better result. This pillar deals with the broadening of care for each aspect his personality. It gives us the freedom of thought, imagination, and feeling that we need to act more independently, with more insight, more critically, and to have more responsibly. The end of education is to discover and open the talent of a person which is hidden like a treasure within every person. As a tool of personality development and training, education should be a highly individualized process and at the same time an interactive social experience. The challenge will be to ensure that everyone always has the personal resources and intellectual tools needed to understand the world and behave as a kind and responsible human being”

The conclusion of theses pillars is to emphasis on acquisition of skill building rather to getting a certificate or degree, Less of classroom learning, more emphasis on out-door-learning. Revisiting education that’s promotes partnership in individuals and strategic alliances in people ( Olaniran, 2016).

By speaking of learning to know rather than of knowing, UNESCO indicates that this is a never-ending process that is both personal and shared. Education is not only about know-what, but also about know-why, know-how and know-what for. Said otherwise, learners are not called to merely become experts in their field, but also coworkers in knowledge production processes and managers of meaningful, responsible and sustainable development (Burgoyne & Reynolds, 2002)