Should philanthropy be a subject in school?

The word philanthropy comes from the Greek language, formed by “filein”-(to love) and “antropos”-(human).  In other words, it means that philanthropy studies assisting others in need and the actions we are willing to take in order to help them. A humane person, who helps others without presuming he gets something in return, is called a philanthropist. So, has this topic enough significance to become a school subject?

To begin with, let’s have a look at today’s school system. All of the students study compulsory subjects such as Math, English, Physics, Biology and so on… But, there’s a group of electives which the students choose to study personally. These will guide them later in life when they are getting jobs and working full-time. In this particular group we have business, philosophy, sociology…but, what about philanthropy? It is not disputed that philanthropist are needed in the world, however if the new generations aren’t informed on what a philanthropist exactly is and does, they will “extinct”. 

So, what can be done to help connect more young people to philanthropy? One of the best ways is to teach it in schools. Being exposed to philanthropy at a young age helps understand the importance of giving back, learning about community needs, and how our skills could help grow and strengthen the town we call home. When young people are trusted and valued as an important community resource, they rise to the occasion and serve with pride. If children are taught philanthropy now, by the time they become adults they will have already developed skills, knowledge, confidence, leadership abilities which leads to a better future. Therefore, they build a mindset that prepares them for a lifetime of giving and service.

To conclude, the main point is to remember that in many years to come, the younger generation will run this world. Hence, it is important to mold them into responsible and caring human beings today. Let’s all learn together because it is our duty to instill pride, caring and a love of humanity – philanthropy is the best way to do this.

Written by:

Milijana Stojanovic & Veronika Blazhevska