In 2009, Ashok Pandey, then a school head in India, first encountered the Global Peace Foundation (GPF). Over the years, he became an invaluable collaborator—organizing conferences, roundtables, and later hosting webinars that reached educators worldwide. Today, Pandey serves as a Global Peace Fellow for Education at GPF, championing a vision of schooling that goes far beyond test scores and job-market readiness.
“I’m wedded to the philosophy of GPF,” Pandey explains. “Education isn’t just about developing cognitive skills; it’s about building character and preparing young people to solve real-world problems as ethical, empathetic citizens.”
The Need for a New Vision in Education
Across the globe, educational systems have undergone countless “reforms,” yet many of the same issues persist: rote memorization, exam-centric approaches, and narrow definitions of success. Pandey and colleagues at GPF believe these challenges demand a more radical shift—an authentic transformation of education.
Transforming Education 2050, GPF’s newly developed framework, addresses what Pandey sees as a global shortfall in current reforms:
“Everyone is talking about what’s wrong with education systems—organizations like OECD, UNESCO, UNICEF. But few truly highlight the central role of character building in helping young people tackle the fast-changing world around them.”
The aim is to envision the next 20 to 30 years of education with a renewed focus on moral development, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership, so that future generations can thrive as both skilled professionals and principled global citizens.
GPF’s Role in Global Education Transformation
At the heart of GPF’s mission is the vision of “One Family under God,” which recognizes our shared humanity and the importance of nurturing moral and ethical foundations. When it comes to schools, GPF and its education track emphasize:
- Holistic Development: Blending cognitive rigor with character formation, empathy, and collaboration.
- Family and Community Ties: A child isn’t shaped by school alone; family and society have an equally crucial role.
- Long-Term Commitment: Engaging not only students but also school leaders, superintendents, and policymakers to ensure transformation from the top down.
Character at the Heart of Education
Pandey underscores that knowledge plus skill, without strong character, is incomplete. He references GPF’s success in the Philippines’ Region 3, where over a hundred school leaders and supervisors have embraced GPF’s character-centric model:
“We believe leaders must transform themselves first. If principals, superintendents, and educators deeply value ethics and service, they can inspire genuine changes in the classroom. Students learn best from role models—not just from words, but from what they see in their mentors’ actions.”
In this pilot, educators integrate moral lessons into standard curricula, allowing students to practice problem-solving, teamwork, and empathy alongside reading, math, and science.
Overcoming Barriers to Educational Transformation
Historically, educational reforms often remain superficial, tweaking curricula or updating teaching methods without challenging fundamental assumptions about the purpose of schooling. GPF pushes for deeper change:
- Policy Shifts: Encouraging national and regional governments to formally recognize character-building as essential, on par with academic standards.
- Leadership Training: Hosting workshops, webinars, and summits for school administrators, helping them champion values-based learning in their institutions.
- Cultural Adaptation: Recognizing that each country (and often each district) has unique contexts, GPF customizes approaches rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all solution.
Large countries like India highlight the complexity: it has multiple boards of education and diverse linguistic, cultural, and economic conditions. Still, Pandey believes real progress is possible, citing GPF’s experience with roundtables, policy dialogues, and direct engagement with educators.
Vision Beyond the Classroom: Education and Global Peace
Pandey draws on India’s own history of partition to emphasize how national divisions can shatter families and societies. He connects these lessons to GPF’s ongoing commitment to global peace initiatives, including the One Korea Global Campaign:
“When two nations remain divided, the ripple effects can destabilize an entire region. But miracles happen—even in geopolitics—when people dream big and mobilize youth. GPF’s founder often says, ‘Dreamers are the change-makers.’ By fostering empathy, collaboration, and moral courage in our classrooms, we’re raising a generation better equipped to bridge divides.”
The 2023 Convention & Launch of Transforming Education 2050
The Transforming Education 2050 initiative was intensively brainstormed at the multi-day Global Peace Convention 2023, attended by educators, policymakers, and researchers from across the globe. Pandey highlights a pivotal day-long session where participants tackled key questions: How can we ensure leaders adopt—and model—these values? How do we balance academic proficiency with moral character-building?
“We’re laying the groundwork for a major shift,” Pandey says. “With the document’s official release, we want schools, colleges, and entire education systems to adapt this approach. If real transformation can happen at the leadership level, the ripple effect on students will be massive.”
For Ashok Pandey and the Global Peace Foundation, the classroom is more than a space for academic instruction; it’s a gateway to personal growth, social responsibility, and peacebuilding. By integrating character, ethics, and collaborative problem-solving into every lesson and leadership training, they aim to shape societies that thrive on shared values and mutual respect.
“Education is the foundation of everything, and if we neglect character, we fail our children,” Pandey reiterates. “If we get it right—if we truly transform education—then we stand a better chance of realizing a peaceful, prosperous future for all.”
Explore GPF’s Transforming Education 2050 framework and consider donating to our Transforming Education initiatives. By uniting educators, families, and community stakeholders, we can ensure that future generations grow up equipped to lead with integrity and compassion.
