This was one of the first things I tried to wrap my head around when I began delving into the issues concerning global education for women and girls. I found it interesting that concern for global education issues follows a similar timeline as the evolution of modern market globalization. So we don’t need to go back too far to understand how we got to where we are to today.
No one will be surprised if I say there are countless organizations doing very important work in the field of global education. There are those who are doing the research to gather data so we know where we’ve come from, where things stand today and where things are trending for the future. This information is vital for the organizations which set policy, implement education systems and fund education.
This issue of Let’s Get Schooled, will feature Part I of a two-part series.
The first part will focus on who and how global policy goals for education have been set.
In Part II, we’ll shift gears to explore the research on global education. We will look at the impact of the past global education policies, how the data has informed their evolution and we will spotlight gender disparities in global education.
It will be a bit of a history lesson, so grab a cup of coffee or tea and your reading glasses. 15 minutes will give a good historical context of where we stand today. If you have more time, click through the links and you’ll gain some insights and start your journey to become an expert on global education policy.
1990
World Conference on Education - Jomtien, Thailand
Convenors: UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF and the World Bank
This was the start of the Education For All (EFA) movement, by affirming the notion that education is a fundamental human right and urging countries to take action.
The Framework for Action to Meet the Basic Learning Needs was established, defining targets and strategies to meet the basic learning needs of all by the year 2000. The goals included:
- universal access to learning;
- a focus on equity;
- emphasis on learning outcomes;
- broadening the means and the scope of basic education;
- enhancing the environment for learning; and
- strengthening partnerships by 2000.
Learn more here:
The Jomtien Conference in 1990 was a game changer for education: A blog series that takes a retrospective view of the Education for All agenda and its subsequent implementation. - World Education Blog.
2000
World Education Forum - Dakar, Senegal
Convenors: UNESCO*, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and the World Bank
*UNESCO is mandated to lead the Education For All movement.
The Dakar Framework for Action evolved the goals set 10 years earlier and renewed the commit to Education For All with the following six goals:
- expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children;
- ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality;
- ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes;
- achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults;
- eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality;
- improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills
The United Nations Millennium Summit 2000
The United Nations set forth a new agenda with the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with the intent to eradicate extreme poverty from the globe by 2015.
- Education was the focus of MDG #2: Universal Primary Education: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
It is worth noting that MDG #3 Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women did address gender equity in education with Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015
Examining the comprehensive goals set in Dakar by the Education For All agenda, the MDG goals for education are found to be greatly diminished in scope. The goals set in Dakar remained, but they did not receive the same attention given to the MDGs.
Learn more here:
Lessons From Dakar A blog series that takes a retrospective view of the Education for All agenda and its subsequent implementation. - World Education Blog
This is a fascinating look behind the scene, written by the persons intimately involved in the process. It offers insight and understanding with the benefit of hindsight.
2015
World Education Forum - Incheon, Republic of Korea
Co-Conveners: UNESCO*, UNICEF, World Bank, UNDP, UNFPA, UNWomen, UNHCR
*UNESCO is mandated to lead the Education 2030 agenda
The Report, Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action establishes a powerful commitment to move education goals forward with renewed vigor. Learning from the experience of Dakar, where the EFA agenda was not fully adopted as part of the MDGs, the Co-Conveners in Korea worked to ensure that this would not happen again. Their Education For All agenda is reflected point for point in the UN Sustainable Development Goal for education which was adopted later that year. These are outlined below.
United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015
With the MDGs closing out, the UN adopted 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a transformative agenda for the next 15 years envisioning a world at peace, human prosperity and a healthy environment. Education is not only the focus of the fourth SDG, it is also a central theme throughout the 2030 Agenda (interchangeable term referring to the SDGs) recognized as an essential element for any single one of the 17 goals to be achieved.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all.
What to achieve, by 2030:
4.1 ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes - 4.2 ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
- 4.3 ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
- 4.4 substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations- 4.6 ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
- 4.7 ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
How to do it:
- 4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
- 4.b By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
- 4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
With UNESCO entrusted to lead SDG # 4 through the Education 2030 Framework for Action, we see a shift to a comprehensive and holistic view and action plan in global education.
Learn more here:
Read the first few sections of Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to learn about the UN’s inspirational and lofty aims. It begins with “This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.” I particularly love the Vision statement!
The Muscat Agreement was a foundational report from the 2014 EFA meeting laying the groundwork for the 2030 Education Agenda and the 4th SDG.
In a snapshot, that brings us up to date on global education policy.
Watch this space for Part Two; we’ll shift gears to explore the research on global education. We’ll look at the impact of the above policies, how the data has informed their evolution and we will spotlight gender disparities in global education.
