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Specifically,
we believe that
(1) In
developing a shared vision and relevant education programmes
for inclusion in the EFA plans of action, developing countries
need space to re think what type of education will go beyond
providing immediate basic and essential needs to equipping
them sufficiently to survive globalization. All the various
projects being piloted by national governments with individual
bilateral partners, and the flagship inter-agency programmes
should fit into the national broader and clearly defined education
programme priorities. This will translate into the desired
country ownership and direction of the EFA project.
(2) The
flight for education for all should be seen through equal
attention paid, in terms of financing to education for those
out side the formal system and whose care may be placed outside
the Education portfolio.
(3) National
Governments' own commitments to raising Education budgets
should be supported by commitments from northern Governments
and multilateral funders to genuinely and speedily deal with
debt relief and cancellation issues. Experience has shown
us over the years that when national economies decline seriously,
the first budget cuts are in social sectors including Education.
(4) Raising
and mobilisation of international financing of the Dakar Framework
for Action commitments need not wait for national action plans.
A Finance Pool can and should be established - managed by
some consortium of Stakeholders - ready to support countries
with viable action plans. In this way, the world will stand
in partnership, tackling, from different angles, using different
tools, the onslaught of illiteracy and poverty on humanity.
(5) If
UNESCO as the mandated lead agency in the Education for All
movement is to accomplish tasks outlined in the Paper "OUTLINE
OF THE ACTION PLAN - THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE DAKAR FORUM" - it
needs to consider (in addition).
(a)
its own time - bound plan of action to implement what it
has set itself out to do, and to prod all actors / stakeholders
for concrete action
(b)
a stronger (in terms of staff establishment) and clear leadership
at national and regional levels where action is. In this
way, its coordinating and leadership roles in terms of innovation,
technical advice, implementation assurance and coherence,
in the spirit of the Dakar Declaration, will be more real
and present. Local experts in given countries from Governments
or NGOs and Civil Society can quite easily be seconded to
UNESCO Offices.
` (c)
practical ways of keeping the EFA movement alive globally
- in terms of publicity to permeate the entire spectrum
of society
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