The period of youth is pivotal for human development

The period of youth is pivotal for human development . A critical period of perso-nal change, this is when you begin to consciously explore and apply your knowledge, values and beliefs about individual and collectivelife. You take on new responsibilities, becoming agents of change in your communities. Young, you are not victims in need of others to solve your problems. Rather, your age group represents a tremendous source of intellectual and social potential waiting to be developed and channelled towards socially constructive ends. The future will depend a great deal on the manner in which educational programmes and methods are designed to release your latent potential, preparing you for the world you are to inherit. The connectionbetween education and individual and collective well-being is well established and it is imperative to focus on a particular dimension of education, namely education in service of commu-nity, which, in our experience, is central to the transformation of individual and community life. Forces that influence the intellectual and emotional development of a child are not confined to the classroom. Media, technology, family, peers, the wider community and other social institutions convey messages that may be reinforcing in some respects and contradictory in others, which could add to your confusion - about identity, moral purpose and social reality. As such, formal education needs to go beyond the exclusive aim of helping you to secure gainful employment. Educational processes need to assist you to recognise and express your potential while developing in you the capacity to contribute to the spiritual and material prosperity of communities. The concept of a twofold moral purpose - to develop your inherent potential and to contribute to a transformation of society - provides an important axis of the educational process. Many educational programmes perceive young people as mere receptacles of information. To challenge these trends, the community endeavours to develop a culture which promotes an independent way of thinking, studying and acting, in which students see themselves as united by a desire to work for common good, supporting one another and advancing together, respectful of each one`s knowledge. Knowledge is the key if you wish to flourish. Access to knowledge is the right of every human being. The responsibility to generate new knowledge and apply it in socially beneficial ways rests on your shoulders. In the same way, the creation of an environment conducive to this process is a duty of every government. Without access to knowledge, your meaningful participation in community affairs is not possible. The primary focus of educational processes, then, must be to build capacity in young people like you to participate fully as protagonists of social progress. Inequities of girls' access to quality education must be addressed for this would have a 'multiplier effect'- it results in reduced chances of early marriage, greater likelihood of their informed and active role in family planning, reduced infant and maternal mortality, enhanced participation in social, economic and political decision-making and promotion of economic prosperity. The equality of men and women, boys and girls is a fundamental truth about human reality and not just adesirable condition to be achieved for the good of society..