Ninth High Level Group Meeting on Education For All Ends with Partners Committing themselves to Strengthen the Process
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 25, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The tenth meeting of the High-Level Group on Education for All will be held in Thailand in 2011. The announcement was made by the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mrs. Irina Bokova, while chairing the official closing ceremony of the Ninth High Level Group (HLG) meeting on Education for All (EFA), on 24 February 2010 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The closing ceremony took place in the presence of Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mr. Demeke Mekonnen, Minister of Education of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Mr Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, Minister of Education, Thailand.
Mr. Ping lauded UNESCO’s initiative for jointly organizing the High Level Group meeting on EFA and for bringing together AU Member countries to share their experience on the central role education plays in their respective governments, with respect to improving the living conditions of citizens. He said, the meeting was an opportunity to brainstorm on the whole education systems so as to take stock of the positive achievements and reflect on how to rectify what has not been successful during the implementation process of education programs.
Citing the case of Haiti, Mr. Ping underlined the need for better coordination especially in situations of natural disasters. According to the Chairperson, education for all is one of the major drivers for development. “Investing in education is investing in sustainability”. He further highlighted the need for education to be inclusive of all classes of people and to be gender sensitive.
The AUC Chairperson expressed the wish of the African Union to see all actors and stakeholders in the domain of education play their role to ensure that education is promoted at every level to enable Africa attain the MDGs in education by 2015. He finally congratulated Mrs. Bokova, for her commitment and leadership to champion the cause of education. “With your determined leadership, Education for All will be reinvigorated”, he noted.
The Director General of UNESCO expressed satisfaction at the successful deliberations of the High Level Group meeting on EFA, saying that, the outcome of the meeting will help reinforce the education system in the world. She recalled that Education for All means quality education for all. “We must help developing countries to adapt their education systems to the contemporary world and better manage existing funds”, she said.
Ms Bokova further highlighted that more efforts should be made to increase the enrollment of girls in education. This, she said, is a key factor in improving the living conditions and development of the society. “Our legacy will be measured by our collective commitment to guarantee the right to quality education. When we act against discrimination in any form through education, it is the whole society that benefits”, she noted.
The Thailand Minister of Education, Mr Boonyakiat on his part, extended the invitation of his government to all the stakeholders of the HLG on EFA to attend the tenth High-Level Group meeting on Education for All, in Thailand in 2011. He presented an overview of the educational system in his country. “Education in Thailand takes into account the needs of industries, working tools and all that is achieved through the objectives of EFA”, he indicated. The Minister also reiterated that Thailand is focusing on educating children in the rural areas, providing life- long learning for all citizens; quality education for teachers and self reliance skills.
SOURCE
African Union Commission (AUC)
