2 November - The General Conference of UNESCO today approved the Organization's new education strategy and its programme and budget for 2002-2003. Delegates unanimously agreed that the Education for All initiative is the lynchpin of UNESCO's action, as highlighted earlier this week during the first meeting of the High-Level Group on EFA.

The delegates also reiterated the need for placing education at the core of an agenda for peace and stressed that learning is above all a means for enabling people to live together in a world community based on tolerance, democracy, non-violence and inter-cultural dialogue.

"This has always been at the heart of UNESCO's agenda, but the renewed urgency created by dramatic world events, and the dangers and fears that these in turn generated made our reflections on the educational challenge ever more topical, ever more relevant, " said Professor Michael Omolewa, Chairman of the Education Commission, in his oral report to plenary on the results of the Commission.

The General Conference endorsed UNESCO's three main strategic objectives in education: to promote education as a fundamental right, to work to improve the quality of education, and to stimulate innovation and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

Regretting the zero nominal growth of UNESCO's budget, the delegates encouraged the strengthening of inclusive approaches to education, the diversification of delivery systems and the building of knowledge society through quality education and a renewal of education systems. The role of the teachers was also highlighted and delegates requested UNESCO to place greater emphasis on teacher training and re-training, in particular in the use of new information and communication technologies. Higher education was also signaled out as requiring more attention, in particular by a large number of delegates from developing countries and many Member States requested support from UNESCO to the reform their Secondary Education systems.

UNESCO was also asked to further strengthen technical, professional and vocational education, which was considered an important tool in the development of knowledge societies and in creating a qualified workforce. Broad support was given to the updated version of the Revised Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational (link to this doc on the web).

The Nine High-Population Countries initiative (E-9) -- comprising Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan) -- received strong support and UNESCO was requested to secure extra-budgetary resources for E-9 activities.

Finally, delegates expressed support to the two cross cutting themes in UNESCO's new strategy: the eradication of poverty, and the contribution of information and communication technologies. They also congratulated UNESCO for the new tone of openness and dialogue with other United Nations, governments and civil society.

The increasing importance of extra-budgetary funding was highlighted throughout the debate and UNESCO agreed to assist Member States in seeking external funding for projects such as the African Academy for Languages in Mali and the Centre for the Education of Girls and Women in Africa in Burkina Faso.

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Related Links

The Oral Report

Draft report of Com II

Draft C4

Draft C5