Dakar Education Summit (Hansard, 29 March 2000)

§ Clare Short

The World Education Forum in Dakar from 26-28 April provides an important opportunity for governments, development agencies and non-governmental organisations—from North and South—to recommit themselves to Education for All (including the achievement of universal primary education by 2015, and gender equality in primary and secondary education by 2005). We have seven major priorities for this Forum.

First, we believe there must be collective re-affirmation of the Education for All (EFA) goals, allied to focused strategies for their achievement, and particularly the attainment of the international development targets for education. We know that where there is strong political commitment allied to well-defined and well-managed education strategies, dramatic progress can be made, even in some of the poorest countries.

Second, developing country governments need to give priority to basic education. In many countries, this will require greater efficiency of spending within the education sector and greater focus on basic education; it may also require an increased share of national income to education. But even with the improved mobilisation of resources within country there will be the need for additional funding from development agencies. The Dakar Framework for Action should also make clear the willingness of funding agencies to allocate significant additional resources to support the achievement of Education for All, where governments have developed well-focused education strategies. No government seriously committed to basic education within a sustainable development framework should be thwarted in the achievement of this goal by lack of resources.

Third, basic education should be firmly set within an overall, sustainable education sector framework. Funding agencies should shift from individual projects to broader support for a government-led education sector strategy which is coherent and able to exploit linkages with wider poverty elimination and development efforts.

Fourth, on gender, we must move beyond the language of awareness to the language of action. We have learned that where gender is mainstreamed through government development policy there is progress. Where it is 182W "projectised" the gains are local and slow. The Framework for Action should set out these lessons and their implications for effective gender equity strategies.

Fifth, sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia should be accorded international priority. These regions are where the challenge to meet Education for All goals is greatest; they are also where efforts are greatly impeded by poverty, HIV/AIDS and by conflict.

Sixth, we need better monitoring of progress towards goals and targets. This requires investment in the development of national capacity allied to efficient international monitoring systems. The potential of UNESCO's Institute of Statistics will be important in this field.

Seventh, Dakar should look seriously at whether the existing inter-agency EFA structure will be adequate to its purpose in the future. Dakar should agree on principles for follow-up and monitoring which better engage national governments, civil society, bilateral and multilateral agencies and highlight Education for All as a development priority in all relevant international and regional fora, including the G8 and relevant high level meetings of the United Nations.

These are the priorities which the Government will be pursuing at Dakar.