Education
in the Post-2015 Agenda
Reviewing the synthesis report
with an education lens
Africa Regional Policy Forum on education
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
9-11 December, 2014
Anne Sørensen, IBIS in collaboration with
Anjela Taneja,GCE
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1. Overview of the report
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Brief overview of the report:
• Highlights Rio+20 Conference outcomes as
cornerstone for the post-2015 process
• Brings together inputs from Member States, the
UN system, experts, civil society, business and
people from around the world.
• Commits to a universal approach, and with
solutions that address all countries and all groups;
• Seeks a future free from poverty, built on human
rights, equality and sustainability [para 18].
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Brief overview of report:
• Commitment to Human Rights, reinforcing
principle of non-regression of agreed standards &
objectives in other forums, & human rights as
universal principles
• Urges to political expediency
• Demands a high level of ambition and a truly
participatory, responsive and transformational
course of action [para 20].
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Four components
• Spells out the necessary four components for a
realistic yet ambitious outcome from the UN
Summit on Sustainable Development
1. An inspirational vision made plain in a declaration;
2. A practical plan for that declaration, laid out in an
integrated set of goals, targets and indicators;
3. Adequate means to implement the plan and a
renewed global partnership for development;
4. A framework to monitor & review implementation to
ensure promises made become promises delivered.
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Six essential elements
• The report identifies the following core elements for
framing and reinforcing sustainable development:
1. Dignity - to end poverty and fight inequalities; [para 67]
2. People - to ensure healthy lives, knowledge, and the
inclusion of women and children; [para 69]
3. Prosperity - to grow a strong, inclusive, and
transformative economy; [para 72]
4. Planet - to protect our ecosystems for all societies and
our children; [para 75]
5. Justice - to promote safe and peaceful societies, and
strong institutions; [para 77]
6. Partnership - to catalyze global solidarity for
sustainable development. [para 80]
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Hearing process
Good overview by UN Non-Gov Liaison Service at
UN-NGLS and CS invited to submit their
responses to the report on:
http://bit.ly/Submit-CSO-Response-SG-Synthesis
Links to all submissions will be published live as
they are received here:
http://bit.ly/CSO-Responses-Received-SGSynthesis
Prep. forum for stakeholders on 16 Jan at UN
Headquarters. More info about this forum will be
provided soon.
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2. Report from Education Lens
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Reviewed through an education lens
General comments:
• Education is given little attention in the report.
Quick search on ‘education’ gives 5 hits
• When ‘education’ appears it refers to specific
target groups (children women and youth) and/or
specific aspects of education.
• The report leaves the impression of education as
being a service among others
• Repeats the importance of youth in new framework
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17 goals within a framework of 6 elements - or?
• The report for the time being repeats the OWG
goals, including that of education, but may
imply ‘clustering’ or rearranging them into
elements
• Unclear at this time whether the six elements
are applied to improve communication, or to
indicate simplifying of the goal framework in
terms of reducing their number?
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Education as an enabler for other goals?
• The report loses out on the transformative
potential of education and education as an
enabler of other goals.
• For example, para 10 is stating that we have never
had so many displacements due to crises, conflicts
since 2nd World War as we have today.
• But, the report makes no reference to the role and
importance of education in peace-building, to
achieving sustainability and democracy
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Critical Concern: Targets and Indicators
• Tech. experts of UN to review targets, incl. on
MOI, and compare, align level of ambition
represented by each to that of existing int. targets,
commitments, standards, and agreements thus
strengthening the framework of the goals.
• This will contribute to discussion on financing for
development.
• Member States may seek input of UN, in
consultation with its partners in academia &
scientific community, on evidence for attaching
specific global target levels.
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Critical Concern: Targets and Indicators
• Recommends Member States task UN, in consultation with
other experts & through multi-stakeholder dialogue, to
develop draft set of indicators.
• Big plans for data generation, use: Global Partnership for
Sustainable Development Data
Comments:
• Awaiting changes in proposed targets from OWG text
• With the goals receiving higher degree of sanction,
cutbacks become more likely in the number of SDG targets.
Fewer targets and indicators than currently proposed likely
• Tech. Advisory Grp consultation on indicators important in
determining education indicators-processes/timelines
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Means Of Implementation (MOIs) and Financing
• Restates MOIs are critical for ensuring education
targets are met- appear to link this with
availability of financing
• Calls for regulation of the private sector. But
concerns around excessive role of the private
sector especially without sectoral nuances
Comments:
• MOIs are not secure in negotiations. Teacher,
learning environment targets are MOIs!
• Addis- 13-16 July, 3rd Int.Conf. on Financing for
Development key for deciding scale of ambition.
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Equity
• Specific targets set for disadvantaged groups.
Indicators will need to be broadly
disaggregated across all goals and targets.
• Address inequalities in all areas, agreeing
that no goal or target be considered met
unless met for all social and economic groups
Comment:
• Need to unite with Muscat’s principle of equity
as the cross-cutting concern
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71, reports key paragraph on education
“It is essential that young people receive relevant
skills and high-quality education and life-long
learning, from early childhood development to postprimary schooling, including life skills and vocational
education and training, as well as science, sports
and culture.”
Comments:
• Positive highlighting of quality of education from
early childhood to “post primary” education.
• Vocational education and training, and life-long
learning are highlighted, but only for youth.
• Silent on universal adult literacy
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Paragraph 71 cont.
• Para 71 (continued)
“…teachers must be given the means to
deliver learning and knowledge in response to
a safe global workplace, driven by
technology.”
Comments:
• Positive that report highlights teachers, but
means to deliver learning and knowledge
are narrowly linked to technology and
employment/work
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Means to deliver learning…
• Report is silent on pedagogy as a ‘means’ that
enable teachers to deliver the learning,
knowledge, skills, values & attitudes required to
develop sustainable and peaceful societies,
including through global citizenship education
and education for sustainable development.
• There is need to fight for the inclusion of a
stronger teacher target (in line with the Muscat
agreement, stating that “by 2030, all
governments ensure that all learners are taught
by qualified, professionally-trained, motivated
and well-supported teachers” (target 6).
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End of Presentation
Beginning of the
political
negotiations!
Thank you!
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