Socially responsible citizens: promoting gifts and talents that support social and humanitarian advancement

Abstract

This paper proposes the development of an enhanced sense of social responsibility in the use of talents and the creation of programmes and services that focus on the promotion of these traits among a wider student population. Selection of students for these offerings should not mirror the rigid identification of academically or intellectually gifted individuals and the focus should be on the ‘creation’ of socially responsible high performers as opposed to ‘finding’ the gifted.

Keywords:

• gifted education
• social responsibility
• equity
• equality
• globalization
• political struggle