Commonwealth members pledge hundreds of thousands, technical support

Mon, Jun 29th 2015, 11:13 PM

Malaysia has pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars toward the Commonwealth of Learning, and India has pledged resources to the initiative as well. The pledges are contained in The Nassau Declaration, issued yesterday in the aftermath of the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (19CCEM), held in The Bahamas last week.
The declaration outlines the major topics and issues discussed at 19CCEM as well as the major remedial initiatives proposed, among which was Malaysia's pledge, given to support the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) initiative.

Nassau Declaration highlights

Malaysia has committed US$200,000 to help the COL achieve its strategic plan, plus just over US$53,000 toward the establishment, and US$132,647 a year from 2014 through 2018 toward the administration of the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF).

Meanwhile, India has offered to provide its e-learning platform, SWAYAM, to host e-courseware developed by the Commonwealth of Learning, and has also volunteered to post digitized learning material of Commonwealth countries on its anticipated national e-library, with links to the Commonwealth education hub.

Ministers also recommitted themselves to what the declaration termed "appropriate domestic financing of education, to the level of four to six percent of GDP, or 15 to 20 percent of total public expenditure, as well as the wider targets established for official development assistance (ODA), including targets of 0.7 percent of gross national product (GNP) for ODA to developing countries".

And another highlight of the declaration is the agreement to establish a Commonwealth Accelerated Development Mechanism for Education (CADME) to assist with the implementation of the SDGs in Commonwealth countries.

A deeper look
The 19CCEM was held at Atlantis, Paradise Island, from June 22-26, 2015. Among the highlights of the conference was the official inclusion of a specific forum for small states. In the declaration, ministers celebrated this as a significant and positive step in ensuring that the voice of small states continues to be heard on the world stage, given that 31 of the 53 Commonwealth nations are small states.

Likewise, the role of education for building resilience is championed by ministers as a key factor in combating issues of vulnerability, particularly those faced by small states, such as climate change, migration, mobility and financing.
Citing the need for "evidence-based interventions and policy", the declaration commits to a definition of the "core purpose" of education that includes serving the needs of diverse populations, furthering international drives for sustainable development, and equitable, high quality provision, while recognizing the continued role of education in supporting efforts for economic growth and poverty eradication, as well as acting as a tool for socialization.

On "gender", the education ministers of the Commonwealth committed to continue to build on good practice in promoting sensitive gender mainstreaming for gender equity, including reducing barriers to girls education, and addressing specific concerns over the under-achievement of either boys or girls in Commonwealth contexts in which either faces specific challenges.

The role of technology was also a focus of the declaration, with ministers committing to making effective use of technology and innovation in ICT (information and communication technology) to ensure that education systems continue to meet the needs of quality, equity and access.

"The significance of online learning as a universal tool for lifelong learning is recognized by ministers, and the key role of the Commonwealth of Learning in driving innovation in this field is recognized," the declaration noted.

On the role of teachers, the declaration contained a commitment to raising the status of teaching as a profession, saying: "This will be achieved by enhancing pre-service and continuing professional development, and conditions of service, ensuring that teachers are motivated and supported in the classroom. Ministers reaffirm the importance of effective governance of teaching to promote accountability and transparency."

The declaration noted that India had offered to set up a Malaviya Commonwealth Chair For Teacher Education, which would focus on issues pertaining to curriculum development, pedagogy, students' assessment, pre-service and continuing professional training and capacity development.

In the section on "youth," ministers reaffirm the key role that entrepreneurship education plays in promoting unique and valuable life skills, as well as career pathways.

"Ministers are committed to the enhancement of curricula at all levels of education to strengthen entrepreneurship programs and skills development", it says.

Among the other areas of focus in the declaration, ministers pronounced on scholarships, research collaborations and the Commonwealth Action Group on Education.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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