At the third International Conference on Equitable Education, UNESCO, the Equitable Education Fund ( Thailand ), and partners work together to create more affordable and sustainable educational systems.
PUBLISHED: 21 Oct 2024 at 04: 10
NEWSPAPER SECTION: News
Bangkok, October 21, 2018- The third International Conference on Equitable Education, held by UNESCO, the Equitable Education Fund ( EEF), Thailand, and colleagues from 18 to 19 October in Nonthaburi, Thailand, was at the forefront of an immediate call for a creative reimagining of educational methods for all and the development of longtime learning.
Held under the style” Reimagining Education, Co-Creating Lifelong Learning for Youth and Adults”, the meeting drew about 260 on-site attendees – among them training experts, policymakers and children leaders – with over 3, 000 nevertheless joining online, to focus on versatile learning opportunities, skills development for all, and international collaboration.
A whole-of-society approach is essential to creating more equitable teaching methods and making longtime learning available to everyone, according to Marina Patrier, Deputy Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok. ” In a world where technology and business evolve so fast, lifelong learning is essential”, she stressed, while citing the vital importance of teacher’s tones to modern policy growth.
Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Education, Surasak Phancharoenworakul, underscored the importance of regional collaboration to ensure that all children have access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. ” It requires our joint efforts to reach our shared goals”, he stated, while underscoring Thailand’s commitment to the region’s educational equity agenda.
The conference also gave the inclusion of youth as a crucial issue a top priority. The Rohingya Mayafunor Collaborative Network’s co-founder of Youth Empowerment and Digital Literacy, Nurhayati Sultan, described how refugees are denied access to education and called for their education. Nada Binroheem, president of the Children and Youth Council of Thailand, spoke about the unique challenges faced by youth from migrant and poor Muslim communities in Pattani Province, Thailand, suggesting that they be welcomed to work with education policymakers.
Embracing the perspective of youth informed the remarks of Severine Leonardi, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Thailand, who outlined five key policy priorities: student-centered learning, inclusive digital learning, investment in early years, skills-based education, and strengthened teacher training.
Other key themes included the need for innovative and adaptable learning, the potential of technology as a tool for creating a more inclusive learning environment, and the need to collaborate with local communities to advance local solutions and sustainable development.
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization ( SEAMEO ) Secretariat’s Deputy Director for Programme and Development, John Arnold Siena, argued that “using technology can significantly improve access to education for marginalized children” should be the main focus of investments in education. He remarked that “empowering communities with targeted support is essential to ensure that solutions are inclusive and effective for all.”
Cahyo Prihadi, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Programme Management Office of Kartu Prakerja, Republic of Indonesia, observed that technology plays a vital role in enhancing program outcomes, saying,” Reducing inequality in lifelong learning requires a comprehensive, customer-centric approach that addresses access, relevance, and inclusivity”.
Dr Kraiyos Patrawart, Managing Director of EEF, called the event” a significant milestone in promoting equitable education”. The Equitable Education Alliance could serve as a forum for a collective practice for equitable education, despite the” All for Education” movement’s emphasis on engagement for impact. ” We will continue to work toward equitable education.”
The series ‘ third conference came after it was launched in 2021, making it the third one. A full version of the conference’s outcome document will be available on the conference website at https ://afe2024.eef.or.th/ at a later date.