Bringing together in Brussels from 3 to 5 December Ministers and representatives of more than 60 countries, multilateral organizations, civil society, the teaching profession, youth and the private sector, UNESCO as the UN leading specialized Agency for education in the 2030 Agenda, sought consensus on building an education partnership platform based on the urgent need to convene a global commitment to education.
The Brussels Declaration, as the final outcome statement of the Ministerial and the Steering Committee meeting, was adopted on 5 December 2018 at the UNESCO convened Global Education Meeting, setting the course for education for the next four years through 8 priority areas:
1. Making education and training systems more equitable and inclusive “leaving no one behind”
2. Eradicating illiteracy
3. Including migrants, displaced persons and refugees in our education and training systems
4. Providing quality gender-responsive education and training
5. Strengthening education for global citizenship and for sustainable development
6. Providing open, flexible and responsive education and training systems to meet new skill needs
7. Improving teachers, educators, trainers and school leaders
8. Increasing investment in education
President of ECOSOC, HE Ambassador Inga Rhonda King said, “whether in an advanced economy, or in a less developed one, learners must be equipped with the necessary skills to navigate unexpected challenges ahead. The skills mismatch is a global one, calling for more inclusive and future focused quality education and training systems”.
Stefania Giannini, Assistant-Director General for Education at UNESCO said, “it is time to recall the big challenges that remain, and what we really need is to tackle them more effectively. First, a strong political will, second a collective action, third a huge increase of resources. This is the only way to keep the promises we have made: leaving no one behind”.
