What if We Broadened Our Definition of Education?

Nobody, including myself, will tell you they like to quote former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, except for one thing — his famous education speech. “Education, education, education,” was how Mr. Blair set out his top three priorities for office. This will go down, if you ask me, as one of the most passionate commitments to education reform in the history of manifestos.

Many of us like to talk about education. But what do we mean by education, and why do most people struggle with the question?

My own mantra and understanding of education has been shaped by one other inspiring quote by writers Will and Ariel Durant, who said, “education is the transmission of civilisation.”