Mechanisms for Leveraging the Cultural and Social Roles of Education to Reduce Illegal Migration

Abstract

The material dimension of human existence is reflected in the fundamental needs essential for sustaining life, which motivate individuals to pursue movement and productive activity. Need is a law of nature, while its satisfaction constitutes the mechanism of survival. This explains the differences among individuals, whose needs and aspirations are diverse rather than uniform. Therefore, people strive to assert themselves and fulfill self-realization by contributing positively to the dynamics of society and its economic development. Such aspirations often lead to mobility, relocation, and migration, whether within the same country or across national borders, particularly in the pursuit of greater prosperity and well-being.Nevertheless, mounting material and psychological pressures have driven some individuals to circumvent legal frameworks throughillegal migration. This phenomenon has become particularly alarming in migration flows from the countries of the Global South, especially those bordering the Mediterranean, toward the countries of the Global North, notably Europe. In response, many Southern countries have sought to curb illegal migration by launchingeconomic reforms aimed at promoting development and economic growth. However, these efforts have largely proved ineffective because they were not founded on a sound educational framework that respects both the needs of individuals and the values and philosophy of society.