Building and re-building nations...

Observer

22-05-2025

Rome was not built in a day. This age-old proverb contains a timeless truth that nations, like grand cities and civilisations, are not born overnight. They are crafted over generations through vision, struggle, learning, and collective will. Central to this process is education the engine that drives the rise, resilience, and renaissance of nations.
Nation-building is not simply about constructing infrastructure, drafting constitutions, or marking territorial boundaries. It is about cultivating a sense of identity, purpose, and shared values among people. It is the creation of strong institutions and the empowerment of citizens who think critically, act ethically, and contribute meaningfully. And education is the single most powerful tool in this noble endeavour.
Throughout history, societies that prioritised education laid the strongest foundations for their national development. Plato, in his famous work The Republic, envisioned an ideal state governed by philosopher-kings, leaders shaped by decades of moral and intellectual education.
Centuries later, thinkers like Paulo Freire and Amartya Sen reinforced this principle. Freire believed that education must awaken critical consciousness and liberate minds from passive acceptance.
Sen, a Nobel laureate, argued that education expands human freedom, not just economic utility. It gives individuals the capacity to live with dignity, to participate in shaping society, and to pursue their own aspirations.
Examples from the modern world are abundant. After the devastation of World War II, Germany and Japan rose from the ashes through widespread educational reforms. Germany introduced civic education programmes to reframe national identity and promote democratic values, while Japan focused on universal access, innovation, and moral education. Both nations used schools not just to teach but to heal. Similarly, South Korea, once a war-torn country, turned to education as the primary path to development.
It invested heavily in literacy, teacher training, and research, resulting in one of the world's most advanced economies within a generation.
The type of education provided is just as important as its accessibility. A curriculum designed solely to produce workers will not build a nation. Education must be holistic, one that nurtures not just knowledge, but empathy, courage, creativity, and character. It must teach students to ask questions, to embrace diversity, and to participate in civic life. It must encourage them not just to make a living, but to make a difference.
Who delivers education matters greatly. Teachers are the unsung architects of nation-building. Yet in many countries, they remain undervalued and underpaid. The quality of a nation's teachers directly impacts the quality of its citizens.
Investment in teacher training, academic freedom, and innovative pedagogy is a long-term investment in national resilience. As Nelson Mandela once said, 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.' Mandela understood that rebuilding South Africa after apartheid would require not just legal and political change, but a transformation of hearts and minds a task entrusted to education.
When nations face collapse from war, colonisation, or economic crisis, education becomes the path to rebirth. Rwanda's post-genocide recovery, for instance, included a strong emphasis on peace education and unity-building programmes in schools.
In post-independence India, leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Azad saw education as the central force in building a democratic, scientific, and secular nation. They established institutions of higher learning and encouraged scientific temper and critical thinking as tools for national integration.
In today's globalised world, the challenges facing nations, climate change, inequality, extremism require a new generation of citizens who think globally and act locally.
Civic education, ethics, environmental awareness, and leadership must be woven into the learning process. Countries like Finland and Singapore have embedded these values into their education systems with measurable success. Their students are not only knowledgeable but socially responsible and nationally committed.
Ultimately, nation-building begins within the hearts and minds of its people. The transformation of a country is not just through policies and projects but through people who embody the values of justice, compassion, and wisdom. Education is what awakens this potential. It builds character, confidence, and community. It transforms passive subjects into active citizens.
To build or rebuild a nation, one must begin with the minds of the young. The blackboard is stronger than the battlefield. The pen holds more promise than the sword. A society that sows education will harvest peace, prosperity and progress.