Farhangian University (FU) attended a two-day EFA GMR meeting in Tehran held on 28-29 July 2015

Sub-Regional Launch Event

Education For All Global Monitoring Report (EFA GMR) 

Tehran, 28-29 July 2015

Farhangian University (FU) attended a two-day EFA GMR meeting in Tehran held on 28-29 July 2015. Representatives of FU participated in EFA GMR meeting. During six planetary sessions, FU representatives expressed their views on the running issues. In the first plenary session and as a recommendation to the problems of EFA with respect to the lack of qualified teachers, they emphasized on the contributive part of Teacher Education Institutions with special focus on the role of Farhangian University in scientific development of the country. They also announced the readiness of FU for cooperation in this respect to assist our neighboring countries.

Consequent to the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal (2000), in which 164 governments collectively agreed on the Framework for Action, Education For All (EFA), an aspiring agenda was set to reach six wide-ranging education goals by 2015. These goals were as follows:

Goal 1 – Early childhood care and education

Goal 2 – Universal primary education

Goal 3 – Youth and adult skills

Goal 4 – Adult literacy

Goal 5 – Gender equality

Goal 6 – Quality of education

As a result, UNESCO launched the EFA Global Monitoring Reports (GMR) for surveillance in response, so as to monitor, support, and direct the actions toward the adopted goals. And now in 2015, and after 15 years of successive monitoring, accurate reports, and invaluable recommendations, provided by UNESCO, countries were gathered to review their hard endeavors around the globe.

The Sub-Regional Launch Event, Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2015, was held in Tehran, on 28-29 July, with cooperation of UNICEF, UNESCO Sub-regional Office in Tehran, Ministry of Education of I.R. Iran, UNESCO National Commission in Tehran, I.R. Pakistan, I.R. Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. In the opening session of the meeting, Dr. Ali Asghar Fani, Minister of Education of I.R. Iran, welcomed all participants and gave a full report of the efforts made by Iran with respect to EFA and described the present condition of education in the country. Achievements, challenges, experiences, and recommendations with respect to the goals of EFA were reviewed and discussed in six fascinating planetary sessions by experts and officials of the mentioned countries.

 Ms Esther Kuisch Laroche (the Director of UNESCO - Tehran Cluster Office), Mr Ezio Gianni Murzi (UNICEF Representative in I.R.Iran), Dr. Sadollah Nasiri Ghaydari (Acting Secretary General of Iranian National Commission for UNESCO), Ms. Yayoi Segi-Vitchek (UNESCO Education Advisor), were the people who spoke before the planetary sessions started.

Other Officials, Experts, and Members

of the planetary sessions Were:

Ms. Urmila Sarkar (UNICEF Regional Education Advisor for South Asia,

Mr. Fazal Hakeem (Representative of the Ministry of Education of I.R. Pakistan) ,

Mr. Abdul Wassay Arian Representative of the Ministry of Education of I.R. Afghanistan),

Mr. Jabar Bashimov ( Education specialist, UNICEF Turkmenistan),

Mr. Dimehvar ( Deputy Director for Primary Education – Ministry of Education of I.R. Iran),

Hoda Jaberian (UNESCO  Tehran Cluster Office, Education Officer),

Mr. Zarafshan ( Deputy Head for Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education of I.R. Iran),

Mr. Bagherzadeh (head of Literacy Movement Organization, I.R. Iran) ,

H.E. Muhammed Azim Karbalai ( Afghanistan Deputy Minister of Education),

Dr. ( Mrs. ) Kamali ( Representative from Strategic Affairs, Center for Women and Family , Affairs of the Presidency , I.R. Iran),

Mr. Hafiz Sher Ali, ( SG of Pakistan Natcom for UNESCO).

The Following is the introduction part of the summary report of UNESCO with respect to 

EFA GMR 2015  

By: Irina Bokova

(Director-General of UNESCO)

(Source: Education For All 2000-2015 – Achievements and challenges/ Summary Report - UNESCO Publication)

In 2000, at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, 164 governments agreed on the Dakar Framework for Action, Education for All: Meeting our Collective Commitments, launching an ambitious agenda to reach six wide-ranging education goals by 2015. UNESCO initiated the EFA Global Monitoring Reports in response, to monitor progress, highlight remaining gaps and provide recommendations for the global sustainable development agenda to follow in 2015.

There has been tremendous progress across the world since 2000 – but we are not there yet. Despite all efforts by governments, civil society and the international community, the world has not achieved Education for All.

On the positive side, the number of children and adolescents who were out of school has fallen by almost half since 2000. An estimated 34 million more children will have attended school as a result of faster progress since Dakar. The greatest progress has been achieved in gender parity, particularly in primary education, although gender disparity remains in almost a third of the countries with data. Governments have also increased efforts to measure learning outcomes through national and international assessments, using these to ensure that all children receive the quality of education they were promised.

And yet, for all this progress, 15 years of monitoring shows sobering results.

There are still 58 million children out of school globally and around 100 million children who do not complete primary education. Inequality in education has increased, with the poorest and most disadvantaged shouldering the heaviest burden. The world’s poorest children are four times more likely not to go to school than the world’s richest children, and five times more likely not to complete primary school. Conflict remains a steep barrier, with a high and growing proportion of out-of-school children living in conflict zones. Overall, the poor quality of learning at primary level still has millions of children leaving school without basic skills.

What is more, education remains under-financed. Many governments have increased spending, but few have prioritized education in national budgets, and most fall short of allocating the recommended 20% needed to bridge funding gaps. The picture is similar with donors, who, after an initial boost in aid budgets, have reduced aid to education since 2010 and not sufficiently prioritized those countries most in need.

This Report draws on all of this experience, to make sharp recommendations for the place of education in the future global sustainable development agenda. The lessons are clear. New education targets must be specific, relevant and measurable.

Marginalized and disadvantaged groups, hardest to reach and still not enjoying their right to education, must be a priority. There must be stronger action on financing across the board. While the bulk of costs will be borne by governments, the international community must step up, to sustain and increase aid to education – especially in lower and lower middle income countries where needs are greatest.

The future agenda will also need ever-stronger monitoring efforts, including data collection, analysis and dissemination, to hold all stakeholders to account.

In the run-up to 2015, EFA Global Monitoring Reports have played a leading role in supporting countries, providing solid assessment and analysis to facilitate policymaking, along with a powerful advocacy tool for governments and civil society.

This will continue as we turn to implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals. After 2015, the Reports will continue to provide a trusted and independent voice on the state of global education, producing useful recommendations to all countries and partners.

So much has been achieved since 2000 – we need to do far more, to ensure quality education and lifelong learning for all. There is simply no more powerful or longer lasting investment in human rights and dignity, in social inclusion and sustainable development. Experience since 2000 shows what can be done – we need to draw on this to do more.

                                                                                     Irina Bokova

Director-General of UNESCO