Education Ministers Meeting “critical” for better education systems
Deodat Maharaj has described the upcoming 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (19CCEM) as “critical” for the realisation of ambitious post-2015 goals for education in the Commonwealth.
Mr Maharaj, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary General (Economic and Social Development), was speaking to a group of over 70 diplomats and experts on 25 February at a briefing for High Commissioners.
19CCEM will take place in June 2015 in The Bahamas at the prestigious Atlantis resort. It is expected to attract nearly 800 delegates, including students, teachers, academics, civil society organisations and government ministers, to negotiate and agree Commonwealth education strategies and policies.
The theme of the conference is Quality Education for Equitable Development: Performance, Paths and Productivity. It will address a range of issues, including financing for education, ICT-based learning, curriculums, teacher training, and programmes that lead to gainful employment and social and economic development.
Mr Maharaj stressed the importance of establishing a concrete and impactful package of measures to address education challenges in the Commonwealth - where 23 million primary age children are out of education and 460 million adults are unable to read and write.
He said: “This conference will focus on identifying the factors that create world-class education systems. Ministers will be urged to seriously consider what it is going to take for individual states to meet both national and international goals, and to compete in a global market.”
He added: “There is extensive knowledge, expertise and experience within the Commonwealth, so there will be an opportunity for ministers and senior officials to explore issues such as quality in education, pathways through education, the financing of education and how we can make the most out of ICT.”
Following closely on the heels of the World Education Forum in May, the 19CCEM will build on the work of the 18CCEM Ministerial Working Group on the Post-2015 Agenda. The group has proposed education goals for the Commonwealth covering primary, secondary and higher education.
A new working group, to be formed at the 19CCEM, will be tasked with developing the pioneering Commonwealth Accelerated Development Mechanism for Education, which will support countries to harmonise national education goals with the internationally agreed post-2015 agenda.
The meeting will also see the launch of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s cutting edge Education Hub - a virtual ‘one-stop-shop’ where professionals can connect with their peers and tap into a vast array of information and services.
The Bahamas High Commissioner, HE Eldred Bethel, emphasised the need for “robust and free dialogue” between ministers, students and those who work in education.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to the Commonwealth Secretariat for kindly permitting The Bahamas to host this meeting and for its leadership in the process. Because of the splendid co-operation of the Secretariat, the outlook for the 19th CCEM in Nassau is most favourable.”
Mr Maharaj added: “Education is the single most powerful instrument in addressing poverty and stimulating growth and development. With over one billion people in the Commonwealth below the age of 25 years, giving priority to education is vital for sustained development in our member countries.”
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