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Friends for Education call for modernized education systems

On 10 February 2022, the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning participated in the first consultation on “Our Common Agenda” convened by the President of the 76th session of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid. 

Focusing on the first thematic cluster "Accelerating and scaling up the SDGs, leaving no-one behind", the consultation provided an opportunity for an exchange between the Secretary-General and Member states on the concrete proposals, options and potential means of implementation of the “Our Common Agenda”. 

Elaborating on the way forward, the Secretary-General reiterated his plan to convene a summit on Transforming Education in September 2022. Proposed in ‘Our Common Agenda’ as part of the focus on better representing young people and future generations, the Summit will aim to avert a generational catastrophe and rethink education systems worldwide.

In her capacity as chair of the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning, H.E. Ms. Njambi Kinyungu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations, participated at the meeting and delivered a message of Group’s support and engagement with the preparation of the Transforming Education Summit. 

Underscoring that education is a key sector contributing to individuals’ empowerment, nations’ economic growth, social cohesion and improved protection of the planet, she recalled lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need to keep learning amidst major global challenges, such as environmental damage and climate change, widening inequalities, as well as rapid scientific and technological change. Innovation and cross-border movement have also driven the demand for certain skills such as language, mathematic reasoning, scientific knowledge – all of which are associated with higher levels of education, and would require further modernization of our education systems to ensure their improved quality and relevance.  

The Group called for greater mobilization of the political will and action to modernize and improve the relevance of education for all globally, including through the Transforming Education Summit. She reminded of the importance to step up “international collaboration to place education and lifelong learning at the center of the recovery and the transformation towards more inclusive, safe, and sustainable societies. 

Finally, the Group reiterated the call that the process should be guided by the need to secure political will and national ownership of member states as it builds on existing global structures, such as the renewed Global Coordination Mechanism for Education supported by UNESCO.