UNESCO head highlights education keys to success
Speaking at an international gathering in London of ministers of education, UNESCO’s Director General underscored the role that information and communications technologies can play in ensuring quality education and equal opportunities to learning, even in countries with limited resources.
In her 10 January keynote address to the 2012 Education World Forum, the Director General presented UNESCO’s ICT Competency Framework for Teachers and stressed the need for ‘fit to size’ solutions:
Progress is more than a question of money. We need to match capacity with needs (…), skills with the world of work (…). We must make the most of innovation.”
Close to sixty education ministers were in attendance, as well as representatives of the UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC).
Ms Bokova highlighted that UNESCO is working to improve the skills of teachers and to promote competency standards through its ‘Information and Communication Technology Competency Framework for Teachers’ project, which sets guidelines to help educators develop skills to make the best use of technology for improved learning.
Speaking at the opening reception of the Forum, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague MP commended the ICT Competency Framework. “Unless we continue to have a global outlook in our education system and constantly refresh our thinking from examples of success around the world, we put that cutting-edge status at risk. (…) UNESCO’s Information and Communication Technology Competency Framework for Teachers demonstrates this forward thinking approach to education.”
The annual global summit, hosted by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), with support from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for Education (DfE), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and several industry partners, examines where rapid progress is taking place in education and showcases effective education policies and strategies that are driving success.
During her visit Ms Bokova also met with industry partners to discuss the launch of a Global Alliance of Corporate Partners for Education, as well as with UK government representatives and the UK National Commission for UNESCO.
Written: 20/01/2012 , last modified: 20/01/2012
© UNESCO/Cynthia GuttmanUNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova addressing Education World Forum in London on 10 January 2012