Paulo Freire and the debate on lifelong learning

Abstract

In current educational discourse, one would be hard pressed to find a more prevalent term than lifelong learning (henceforth LL). It constitutes a key concept for policy guidelines in several countries and regions. The European Union adopted LL as its key concept in policy guidelines for its member states especially when issuing its memorandum on lifelong learning (CEC, 2000). In the memorandum’s consultation process with different stakeholders and across different “epistemic communities” in the EU’s fold (Borg & Mayo, 2005), such as “working groups,” the names of several key education thinkers were bandied about. Included are those who lend their name to EU projects, such as Jan Amos Komensky (John Amos Comenius), Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, and noblesse oblige, as far as adult education goes, Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig—indeed, all European figures and Central or Northern European ones at that. It would however come as no surprise to identify one Southern and non‐European thinker whose name would feature in these discussions—Paulo Freire. The question that arises is: should Paulo Freire’s name and concepts be dragged into the current discourse on LL in Europe as promoted by the EU? As I argue in this chapter, my answer would be “No” if the version of LL is the hegemonic one reflecting the reductionist, economy‐oriented discourse focused exclusively on “employability” on neoliberal lines, anathema to a Freirean conception of education and learning. The answer would, on the other hand, be an unequivocal “Yes” if the notion adopted is associated with an alternative discourse eschewing strictly corporate business interpretations and that conceives of LL as an all‐embracing mobilizing force for change and revitalization of the public sphere and Planet Earth.