Is education a basic human right?

Adrienne Rich is a well known feminist who argues in her essay “claiming an education” that students need to be responsible, pro-active and not let others do their thinking and talking for them. They need to claim an education rather than receive one. She states that “university education implies an ethical and intellectual contract between teacher and student. This contract must remain intuitive, dynamic, unwritten; but we must turn to it again and again if learning is to be reclaimed from the depersonalizing and cheapening pressures of the present-day academic scene.”

So what is the difference between claiming an education and receiving an education? Claiming an education means that the student takes an active part when learning and is responsible. Receiving an education means accepting the teachings of another individual without questioning it, without using one's brain by seeking challenges.

Why does Rich encourage students to be challenged in every course they take? Why would they want to be challenged when they can receive their education with much less pressure? I think the idea is that actively claiming an education means sorting ones own thoughts. We all have a collection of thoughts and some are more certain than others. Education helps us sort our thoughts by adding new input. We change our attitudes and ideas over time as we learn more. Rich thinks a student should seek the challenge but are these students also a challenge to teachers and are such challenges even welcome? I have thought about instructors for a while and how and even if they are open to new ideas coming from their students.
The sort of education that Rich advocates places obligations not just upon to student but also upon the instructor (for example to be open to questions and challenges from students, to recognize that there is much to be learned from and with students). I was skeptical at first of how welcome such challenging students might be to the teachers but have learned that the student who takes himself seriously will also be taken seriously by his teacher.
But why is education so important to us? And is the only way one gets educated through a formal schooling system?

Education has undoubtedly a formative effect on the mind, character, physical ability and maybe even social skills of an individual. Society uses education to pass on its knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another. Teachers are usually the ones who direct the education of students, but one receives much of one’s education outside of the formal classroom as well. Knowledge can be acquired through self-study at libraries, museums, interpersonal relationships and most importantly life itself and the experiences it brings along seems to be one of the greatest teachers. Being an active student within the formal classroom, however, helps to develop the skills and qualities of mind that will help one learn even more from experiences outside of the classroom.

“To claim an education” suggests that there must be a fundamental right to education which can be claimed by all human beings. A right for every individual, regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion or political preference, age or disability which is stated in the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Article 26:

1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Education is widely recognized as a fundamental building block for human development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, improving healthy, gender equality, peace and stability.

Unfortunately there is no guarantee for every world citizen to actually get the education they want. In some countries it is a privilege to get a higher education, in other countries even the most basic education is not guaranteed. So speaking of education from a global perspective, if there is a lack of educational facilities the claim for education will often be unheard.
Even in the more developed world it is incredibly hard to claim a higher education if one doesn’t have the financial, moral and emotional support it takes. When I read point 3 of the declaration of the human rights I got painfully reminded that parents do have in fact a major part on the decision making of what kind of education their kids will receive. I claimed my college education when I was at “normal college age" but my parents thought it was totally unnecessary for a girl who will probably end up getting married and stay at home raising children, to receive an expensive and time consuming education. Sometimes it is unfortunately not enough to just "claim" your education.

Miss Teen South Carolina giving her infamous speech should be the best example of how important it is to claim and actively receive an education. I am claiming my education now and think everyone else should too.