UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the need to tackle the global crisis in education in order to create a more peaceful, sustainable and just world.
Addressing a Special Event on Transforming Education on Thursday, the Secretary-General noted that two years have passed since the Transforming Education Summit in New York.
“Since then, the world has grown more unequal. Climate action has become more urgent. New technologies have become more disruptive.
“War and violence have – sadly – become more widespread. And all the while, the global crisis in education that we came together to address at the Summit has shown little sign of abating,” he regretted.
“Without a dramatic shift in tackling that crisis, we cannot – and will not – shape a more peaceful, sustainable and just world, –” Guterres said.
“Every country should be sparing no effort to create true learning societies, grounded in systems that provide lifelong learning opportunities that extend from childhood throughout adulthood.
“Give
n the stakes, the world cannot afford to short-change education. But by nearly every measure, that is exactly what we are doing. “Some 84 million children are likely to remain out of school by 2030. Secondary school completion rates are rising, but at a snail’s pace. Getting more learners into classrooms isn’t enough.
“We also face a problem of quality. For example, it’s truly shocking that some 70 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read a basic text by age 10, –” he pointed out.
“Last year, UNESCO pegged the investment gap for developing countries to reach SDG4 at a staggering $100 billion per year, as it was just referred. “Meanwhile, four of every 10 people worldwide live in countries where governments spend more on debt servicing than on education or health,–” the Secretary-General noted.
“Today, as we look ahead to September’s Summit of the Future, November’s Global Education Meeting, and next year’s major Summits on Social Development and Financing for Development, I am puttin
g forward a four-point plan to end the global education crisis.
“First, by closing the financing gap. “Leaders must meet, and where possible, exceed the international benchmark of dedicating 15 per cent of domestic revenue and four per cent of GDP to education. “In Africa alone, we estimate that better taxation and more efficient public expenditure could unlock more than USD 115 billion in revenues.
“But developing countries cannot do it alone. Donors must increase their development spending on education, including as part of the World Bank’s International Development Association’s replenishment.
“The International Monetary Fund and other multilateral development banks should protect education spending in countries that are in debt distress.
“International partners must speed-up progress on the SDG Stimulus to get the needed USD 500 billion a year in finance flowing.
“And the global financial architecture must be reformed so developing countries can access adequate financing to achieve their development
goals, including, naturally, education.
“Second, we must close the access gap. “Whether students are in war zones or disaster areas. Whether they are on the move as migrants or refugees, or they live in poor and under-served communities. Whether they are girls, persons with disabilities, or part of other marginalized groups. Or they are victims of self-defeating decrees such as those in Afghanistan banning young women from secondary and tertiary education.
“Every child and young person deserves an education,” Guterres stressed, adding, “We must fully invest in programmes, in safe environments and in educational infrastructure that can reach all children with the learning and skills they need and deserve.” “Third, we must support the women and men on the frontlines of education: teachers.
“We face a dramatic shortage of teachers – an estimated 44 million worldwide. And millions of teachers lack the support, tools and continuous training they need. “Following the Transforming Education Summit, the High-Level
Panel on the Teaching Profession has developed concrete recommendations to ensure that every learner has access to a professionally trained, qualified and well-supported teacher.
“I welcome the efforts of UNESCO and ILO to translate these recommendations into a new global standard on the Status of Teachers.
“Fourth, it’s time for a revolution within education systems themselves.
“To move away from structures that limit education to children and young people alone. To nurture the development and curiosity of every student of all ages. And to end the over-reliance on testing and rote-learning. To do so, we must rethink what students are learning – with a strong focus on critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as skills in green and digital technology.
“We must rethink how students are learning – including harnessing digital technology to improve the learning and teaching experience and to improve access for students in remote or inaccessible areas. “And we must rethink when students are learni
ng – to reconfigure education systems so people can learn and re-skill throughout their lifetimes,” the Secretary-General added.
Source: Kuwait News Agency