My name is Simão Dauce Castiano Júnior, but I prefer to be called "Júnior." I am 17 years old, and I live in the city of Beira, in Mozambique. Since 2022, I have been a UNICEF Youth Advocate, something that I am very proud of and love to do. I am also a high school student.
In my free time, I enjoy being with my family, who are my greatest source of inspiration. It was from my father (whose name I proudly carry) that I learned to smile in the most difficult moments, and to make others laugh and be happy. Making the people I love happy is what motivates me to get out of bed. Among the people I love, there are all the children in the world.
Talking about the right to education is both simple and complex. It seems like everything has already been said, and indeed it has, but many actions are still needed to ensure that every child truly receives a quality education.
The right to education is stipulated in Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the following article states that a child has the right to an education that helps develop their skills and talents. Educators have the duty to bring out the best in each child, encouraging them to develop these skills. Schools should be places where every child is valued, where their talents are nurtured, and where they are encouraged to continue their studies and strive to be better at what they love to do.
Education is not just about learning to read, count, write, and do calculations. With a good education, we learn to be better people, more empathetic. It's no coincidence that we make our best friends in school.
A good education leads us to be independent and autonomous and to discover the wonderful world around us. This is why education is important, and every child depends on it for a dignified future. In a world where all children receive quality education, we would have more creative children, with a stronger ability to defend their rights and a more influential voice in solving various global problems. And certainly, we would have happier children.
These are a few (but not insignificant) reasons why governments should invest more and more in education, parents should encourage their children to go to school, and why children have the right to education. All of society is responsible for ensuring quality education for all children.
It may seem utopian, but I dream of a world where all children attend school, and with everyone's effort, this dream will become a happy reality.
For every child, Education.
Illustration by Kevin Naranjo
