FCO Blogs > Ian Hughes > Education is the most powerful weapon …
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela
November 29, 2013
I am a great fan of education. As a consumer I learned how to think and to write at St John’s in Singapore, about statistics at South West London College, about international relations at the LSE and about management at LBS. Without education my options and prospects would have been limited, like those of my Welsh slateminer ancestors or even those of my father, a Sergeant Major of whom I am so very proud.
My professional experience convinces me that education is one of the fundamental building blocks of society, of its prosperity and sustainability. I believe strongly that education should be one of the FIRST sectors addressed when seeking to build or rebuild societies battered by conflict.
But my experience has also shown me that in too many post conflict countries education is starved of attention and resources. I am glad to see that in South Sudan education is taken seriously. An alliance of national, civil society and international partners is working to build an education system that will help underpin the success of this brand new country. I’m proud that the UK is playing its part.
I’d like to say a word about an under-appreciated player South Sudanese education: the private sector.