Democracy – Why is it important in education?

This Wednesday, 15 September, was the ‘International Day of Democracy’, a day introduced by the United Nations in 2007. The purpose of the of the annual commemoration is to promote and uphold the principles of democracy, and to raise public awareness about the topic. However, while democracies share features, there is no single model and the concept has been developed over millennia. And why is democracy important in education, and how is it brought to life at TISB? We got ahold of a few members of TISB staff to explore the topic.

Democracy is an important part of education because democratic education is based on respect, tolerance and love – Mr Vijayakumar, Head of History

The concept of ‘democracy’, which means the power of people, comes from ancient Greece. The term democracy combines two Greek words: ‘demos’ (people) and ‘kratos’ (power/rule). “Democracy is always superior to any other form of government as it enhances the dignity of the individual by giving every person equal treatment”, says Mr Vijayakumar, and explains that this is why the 16th American President, Abraham Lincoln, defined it: "Democracy as the form of Government of the people, by the people, and for the people." As Head of History and part of the IB subject group ‘Individuals & Society’, Mr Vijayakumar sees democracy as a key component for students at TISB and in the IB Programme. “It gives an ability to have autonomy in the direction of one’s own educational path”, he says.  

Democracy is also a part of the IB Learner Profile, which encourages students to go beyond their academic results, to support everyone in the school community, as well as others around the world. Deputy Principal, Mr Santanu, is also Head of TOK (Theory of Knowledge), which is a cornerstone of the IB Programme. He encourages students to challenge taken for granted knowledge, beliefs and assumptions: “Democracy theoretically harnesses the 'wisdom of the crowd', that is, together we know more than alone. But do we really have a say in issues affecting us? Democracy should be intellectual decolonisation, a liberation of thought and an empowerment of minority voice. But is it?” 

TISB encourages student participation in school decisions and the life of the community, for example, through student Prefects. This starts already in the Primary Years. “In the PY we feel that democracy is very important, because we believe that democracy is based on equal rights for everyone”, says Ms Emily, Deputy Principal of PY. To encourage student involvement, PY has establish a School Council, where students are free to voice their opinions to their peer representatives. "In PY we also introduce democratic values, such as equality, justice and freedom”, says Ms Emily, whose team introduces this through classes and assemblies, where real-time and comprehendible examples are given to students of all ages. 

To celebrate the International Day of Democracy, Mr Vijayakumar concludes with a few interesting facts about democracy: 

• The longest standing modern democracy is the USA (221 years) 
• The world’s largest democracy is the Republic of India 
• The father of Democracy was Cleisthenes of Athens
• Magna Carta, or the “Great Charter” - signed by the King John of England in 1215, arguably, set precedence for modern democratic governments

For more on the history of democracy, Mr Vijayakumar suggests the popular book ‘Athens: A History of the World’s First Democracy’, by Thomas N. Mitchell.