Unesco principles on education for development beyond 2015

UNESCO Principles on

Education for Development

Beyond 2015

Perspectives on the Post-2015 International Development Agenda 1. Sustainable and inclusive development is central to the post-2015 agenda Concern for peace and sustainable development should be at the centre of our efforts to promote inclusive and equitable societal development beyond 2015.

Patterns of development and economic growth over the past several decades are now seriously being questioned. Demographic growth, the expansion of middle-class lifestyles and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption are all contributing to environmental degradation, water scarcity, climate change and the growing incidence of natural disasters. As such disasters are increasingly linked to rising levels of violent conflict, peace is an important requirement for sustainability.

Furthermore, poverty and growing inequalities between and within countries remain a major challenge for sustainable development, which must necessarily associate economic development with social inclusion and environmental stability.1 2. Any post-2015 development framework must be of universal relevance If sustainability is to be a central concern of any international development agenda beyond 2015, then such a framework must be relevant to all countries. Indeed, sustainable models of societal development can only be effective if all countries of the world cooperate on key global issues and challenges. A global development framework beyond 2015 must thus mobilize all countries, regardless of their specific development status, around a common framework of goals aimed at inclusive and peaceful sustainable development. Such a framework of global goals relevant to all countries must allow for target-setting at regional/national level in order to respond to the diversity of social, economic and cultural contexts.

3. Strengthening the link between education and other development sectors Education contributes to economic growth, improved health, women’s empowerment, gender equality and strengthened social cohesion, as well as to mitigating inequity and the reduction of poverty. As an enabling factor for the multiple dimensions of societal development, education is an essential component of peaceful sustainable development in its multiple social, cultural, environmental and economic dimensions. Beyond a sector-wide approach to education, it is 1

See RIO+20 follow-up.

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becoming increasingly clear that holistic educational policy and planning can contribute effectively to societal development. This is particularly true when educational planning and delivery is coordinated with that of other sectors, whether in the context of humanitarian or development efforts.

Reaffirming Fundamental Principles 4. The right to quality education “As a fundamental human right enshrined in a number of international normative frameworks2, and built into most national legislation3, the right to education is to be seen as an enabling right for the realization of other economic, social and cultural rights, as well as a catalyst for positive societal change4, social justice and peace.”5 Realizing the right to equitable access to effective and relevant basic learning for all children, youth and adults (including those affected by disasters and conflict)6 should be pursued beyond 2015 as the necessary foundation for lifelong learning.

Beyond this principle, there is a need to strengthen the implementation of national legislation on the right to education and ensure that education policy and planning are crisis-sensitive and actively contribute to the global public good. Beyond basic education or schooling, the right to education at post-compulsory levels (secondary and or higher education) needs to be pursued in a progressive manner.

5. Education as a public good UNESCO reaffirms the principle that knowledge is an integral part of world heritage 7, and that education is a public good that should be made available to all.8 Once this principle is accepted, diverse funding sources and delivery mechanisms may be combined, “according to different formulae that take into account each country's traditions, stage of development, ways of life and income distribution”.9 The State must be a custodian of the principles of education as a public good and of equal opportunity, regulating standards and norms, in a context of increased privatization of education. While the State has a custodial role, it is important to recall that the delivery of education is a collective responsibility that involves families, communities, civil society organizations, private business and other stakeholders.

Foremost among these international normative frameworks are the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 26), the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 13) and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 28).

3 An estimated 90 percent of all countries have legally-binding regulations requiring children to attend school for various durations from 8-12 years (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2009).

4 See, for example, Drèze and Sen (1995).

5 UNESCO (2012). Education and Skills for Inclusive and Sustainable Development Beyond 2015. Thematic think piece prepared for the UN Task Team on the UN Post 2015 Development Agenda.

6 It is important to recall that the initial EFA movement initiated in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990 was a collective commitment “to meet the basic learning needs of all children, youth and adults”.

7 See Haddad (2009). Interview in: La Lettre de l’Etudiant, No. 959: p. 2.

8 See Delors et al. (1996). Learning: The Treasure Within. Paris: UNESCO, pp. 31-32.

9 Adapted from Delors et al.

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Reaffirming a Humanistic Vision of Education 6. A humanistic and integrated vision of education Beyond narrower utilitarian economic approaches, it is important to reaffirm a humanistic and integrated vision of education, with this latter playing a fundamental role in personal, social and cultural development. In addition to the acquisition of effective basic learning skills, we must ensure the relevance of the content of learning, both in terms of the ethical principles being promoted (such as respect for life, human dignity, and cultural diversity) and in terms of the way in which education leads to positive contributions to citizenship at both the local and global levels. The purpose of learning must be envisaged in a broad perspective, moving beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge and traditional cognitive skills to include an emphasis on such ‘soft skills’ as communication, critical thinking, social and emotional skills, creative problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

Framework for Learning in the 21st Century 7. Towards inclusive lifelong learning systems Recent developments are reinvigorating the relevance of lifelong learning. These developments include an increasingly globalized and rapidly-changing world, the introduction of new technologies, the exponential growth and changing nature of information, demographic shifts, social transformations, climate change, and the constant need to upgrade skills and competencies to meet labour market demands.

To respond to these changes, learning must take place throughout life and empower learners to learn to be, to learn, to do, and to live together. There is an emerging recognition that “[l]ifelong learning is the philosophy, conceptual framework, and organizing principle for education in the 21st century”, placing the concept of learning for empowerment at its centre.10 It is thus crucial to promote lifelong learning frameworks that provide comprehensive and flexible pathways combining formal, non-formal and informal opportunities, in order to cater to the diversity of learning needs.

Adapted from UNESCO Education Sector contribution to the Quadrennial Programme Priorities for 2014-2017 (37C/5) – unpublished.

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Priorities for Education 8. The central and evolving role of teachers for quality learning Teachers and facilitators are central to quality learning at all levels of formal and non-formal education throughout life required for all sectors of development. As the role of teachers evolves from ‘transmitters of knowledge’ to ‘enablers of learning’, the role, status and conditions of teachers must remain a central concern.

Furthermore, the selection, training and recruitment of teachers must be ensured among the best graduates at every qualifying level of teacher education, in order to improve the quality of the teaching force and improve their status, remuneration and working conditions.

9. Promoting basic skills and competencies as a foundation for life and work Basic skills and competencies11 are the foundation for lifelong learning, meaningful participation and inclusive development. Such foundational skills go beyond literacy as an essential component of instrumental learning skills, to include other transferable skills such as communication, critical thinking and problem-solving. While some 800 million youth and adults still have inadequate basic literacy skills, the threshold of minimal literacy skills required for meaningful engagement in the twenty-first century is rising and becoming more complex. Minimal levels of digital and media literacy are now an essential component of the foundation skills required for further learning, participation in the world of work and socially-responsible citizen engagement in a lifelong perspective. Ensuring that young people and adults have the means to participate actively in society is key to developing peaceful societies.

10. Meeting the diversity of learning needs of young people Young people demand and have a right to a good quality education based on a sound foundation of relevant knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that equips them to adapt to the rapidly-changing world in which we live, to confront the challenges of the 21st century and to contribute to a peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable future. There is a need to focus on the learning needs of young people and their engagement in planning for relevant education systems. This applies particularly to secondary education which represents the crossroads between basic education and further education, skills development, the world of work.

The notion of ‘basic education’ has been at the heart of the Education for All Framework since the 1990 World Conference on Education for All held in Jomtien, Thailand.

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