World Education Forum 2015: Final Report
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EDUCATI ON 2030 World Education Forum 2015 World Education Forum 2015 FINAL REPORT World Education Forum 2015 – FINAL REPORT World World Education Forum 2015 FINAL REPORT Published in 2015 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2015 This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Cover photo: © ITU/R.Farrell Designed by UNESCO Printed by UNESCO Printed in France ED-2015/ws/34 Contents Foreword . 5 Acknowledgements . 7 Introduction . 9 Conveners and participants..................................................9 Format ...............................................................9 Opening session .........................................................9 2015 NGO Forum ......................................................9 Organization of the report ..................................................9 1 Reframing the global education agenda for 2030 . 11 Background ...........................................................11 Sustainable development starts with education ....................................11 The Incheon Declaration ...................................................11 Foundational Principles....................................................12 2 Trends shaping Education 2030 . 13 Spectacular expansion of formal education at all levels ..............................13 Addressing the unfinished EFA agenda and the persistent global ‘learning crisis’ . .13 Growing concern for competencies for work, life and citizenship . .14 Growing recognition of the need for flexible lifelong learning systems .....................15 Increasing pressures on public financing ........................................16 The diversification of non-state engagement in education .............................16 3 Thematic issues and recommendations . 18 Improving the quality of education ............................................18 The centrality of curriculum for improved quality and enhanced relevance of education..........19 Teachers for the future we want ..............................................19 Transforming learning and teaching through technology ..............................19 Professional and vocational skills development ....................................20 Early childhood care and education as a critical foundation for lifelong learning .............20 Youth and adult literacy ...................................................20 Higher Education .......................................................21 Ensuring equity and gender equality . .21 Education for peace and sustainable societies ....................................22 Education and health .....................................................22 Comprehensive sexuality education ...........................................22 Gender-based violence in and around schools ....................................23 Inclusive quality education for children with disabilities ...............................23 Protecting education, schools and universities from attacks and military use .................24 Strengthening educational responses in times of crisis................................24 Evidence-based education policy and practice . .25 4 Beyond Incheon: rising up to the challenges of implementation . 26 The challenge of strengthening the financing of education .............................26 The challenge of effective governance and accountability for shared responsibility.............27 The challenge of monitoring and coordinating the future agenda for global education ..........28 Appendices List of Participants . .30 WEF 2015 Detailed programme .............................................56 Incheon Declaration......................................................67 2015 NGO Forum Declaration ..............................................71 Foreword The World Education Forum that took place in Incheon, Republic of Korea, in May 2015 will remain a historic milestone on more than one count. Held four months before the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the United Nations, the Forum, co-organized by UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, UNFPA, UNDP and UN Women, affirmed that education is the most transformative force for building a better future for all children, young people and adults across the world. This conviction brought together some 1,600 participants from 160 countries, including 120 Ministers of Education, the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the Republic of Korea, heads of UN agencies, global education leaders and influential advocates from civil society, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies and the private sector. Together, this dynamic and diverse international community rallied around a single and shared vision of inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. Building on the legacy of Jomtien (Thailand) and Dakar (Senegal) and reasserting that education is a fundamental human right and a public good, the Forum charted a new course that is tailored to our times of rapid change and that commits to ensuring all children, young people and adults are empowered with the knowledge and skills they need to live in dignity and contribute to their societies as responsible global citizens. This report reflects the spirit of Incheon -- one of rich debate, experience-sharing, innovation and partnership, expressed through a wide range of sessions, encompassing key themes that must be addressed to drive progress. By adopting the Incheon Declaration, ‘Education 2030: Towards Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all’, Member States and the global community demonstrated their commitment to a single, renewed education agenda that is holistic, ambitious and inspirational, leaving no one behind. The goal is to realise everyone’s right to education as a fundamental dimension of human, social and economic development. Evidence shows there is no stronger, no more lasting, investment a country can make than educating its citizens. Education is the path to sustainability – to poverty alleviation, better health, environmental protection and gender equality. Every effort must be made to guarantee that the goal and targets are reached. The Education 2030 Framework for Action shows the way to implement, coordinate, finance and monitor the goal, in order to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. We must all act upon it now, and together. Irina Bokova Director-General of UNESCO Acknowledgements I would like to thank all our Member States whose strong participation, with some 120 ministers among 1,600 participants attending to share views and ideas during three days, made the World Education Forum 2015 a milestone moment for global education in the last fifteen years. The level of support that the World Education Forum received clearly demonstrated the governments’ resolve in taking forward the new education agenda. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Government of the Republic of Korea in particular, for its generous support in hosting the event. The scope and influence of the World Education Forum 2015 has been all-encompassing thanks to the co- convenors’ joint efforts in organizing the event and committing to support the implementation of the Education 2030 agenda. UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, UN Women, UNHCR and the World Bank all came together to provide strategic and technical contributions over the past two years and during the Forum itself. UNESCO’s Education Sector, including colleagues from Headquarters, Regional Bureaux, Institutes and Field Offices, was fully mobilized for this remarkable event. Their deep commitment and hard work contributed to making the World Education Forum 2015 a success. Finally, I would like to thank civil society, numerous intergovernmental organisations, the private sector, academia and all other World Education Forum 2015 participants whose active involvement was instrumental in making it a decisive, historic and far-reaching event. Qian Tang, Ph.D. Assistant Director-General for Education Introduction This summary report is based on the proceedings of the World Education Forum organized at Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 19 to 22 May 2015 . Conveners and participants Convened by UNESCO, jointly with UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR and the World Bank and hosted by the Government of Korea, the World Education Forum (WEF) 2015 brought together some 1,600 participants including 120 Ministers of Education from 160 countries, UN agencies, international donor agencies, and Non-Governmental Organizations (see List of participants in Appendix 1). Format The forum was a unique and historic opportunity to debate, share