he 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit (TES) heralded a bold vision for reimagining education systems. It galvanized political commitment at the highest level, resulting in 143 national statements of commitment to transforming education. Key stakeholders collectively envisioned a new paradigm for education that prioritizes inclusion, equity, and future–readiness.
Over the past two years since TES, progress has been a bit like a student's report card—some subjects have seen straight A's, while others need a bit more work.
So what progress has been made?
‘A+’ for public engagement for the Global Youth Initiative. Youth Declaration consultations engaged nearly half a million young people from over 170 countries.
‘B’ for implementing a dashboard to monitor progress on these country commitments. Seventy–three countries (51.1%) submitted both national statements of commitment and survey responses.
Dashboard shows that almost all countries committed to and undertook actions towards ‘inclusion, equity and gender equality,’ ‘digital learning,’ and ‘curricular renewal.’ While early ‘childhood care and education’ and ‘youth engagement’ were not high on the commitment list, 94% and 75% of countries, respectively, reported action.
One key victory was how countries have accelerated their efforts to integrate technology into teaching and learning processes, driven by the experiences and lessons learned during the Covid pandemic. These successes highlight the importance of strong public–private partnerships, adequate infrastructure investment, and comprehensive teacher training programs in driving digital transformation in education.
What more needs to be done?
TES highlighted the urgent need to address the global teacher shortage, estimated at 44 million. Though only 6 out of 10 countries reported actions to improve teachers improving working conditions and professional autonomy. France improved teacher working conditions with salary raises and career development opportunities.
‘C’ for progress on the proposal to establish a Global Commission on the Teaching Profession. Addressing teacher shortage and digital skills development require bold, collaborative and innovative approaches. One potential solution is public–private partnerships, where tech companies invest in teacher training initiatives, providing both funding and expertise. Another approach is policy reform that incentivizes STEM education careers, potentially through loan forgiveness or other financial incentives for those entering the teaching profession.
The progress made since UNESCO's 2022 summit is promising. Involving teachers in the governance of education technology is imperative in order to ensure that these new tools truly benefit all students. I believe shared dialogue on teaching and teachers is an essential part of the renewal of education.
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Address teacher shortages to progress on transforming education
Photo by Tra Nguyen on Unsplash.
June 26, 2024
Involving teachers in the governance of education technology is imperative in order to ensure that these new tools truly benefit all students, writes Joysy John.
T
he 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit (TES) heralded a bold vision for reimagining education systems. It galvanized political commitment at the highest level, resulting in 143 national statements of commitment to transforming education. Key stakeholders collectively envisioned a new paradigm for education that prioritizes inclusion, equity, and future–readiness.
Over the past two years since TES, progress has been a bit like a student's report card—some subjects have seen straight A's, while others need a bit more work.
So what progress has been made?
‘A+’ for public engagement for the Global Youth Initiative. Youth Declaration consultations engaged nearly half a million young people from over 170 countries.
‘B’ for implementing a dashboard to monitor progress on these country commitments. Seventy–three countries (51.1%) submitted both national statements of commitment and survey responses.
Dashboard shows that almost all countries committed to and undertook actions towards ‘inclusion, equity and gender equality,’ ‘digital learning,’ and ‘curricular renewal.’ While early ‘childhood care and education’ and ‘youth engagement’ were not high on the commitment list, 94% and 75% of countries, respectively, reported action.
One key victory was how countries have accelerated their efforts to integrate technology into teaching and learning processes, driven by the experiences and lessons learned during the Covid pandemic. These successes highlight the importance of strong public–private partnerships, adequate infrastructure investment, and comprehensive teacher training programs in driving digital transformation in education.
What more needs to be done?
TES highlighted the urgent need to address the global teacher shortage, estimated at 44 million. Though only 6 out of 10 countries reported actions to improve teachers improving working conditions and professional autonomy. France improved teacher working conditions with salary raises and career development opportunities.
‘C’ for progress on the proposal to establish a Global Commission on the Teaching Profession. Addressing teacher shortage and digital skills development require bold, collaborative and innovative approaches. One potential solution is public–private partnerships, where tech companies invest in teacher training initiatives, providing both funding and expertise. Another approach is policy reform that incentivizes STEM education careers, potentially through loan forgiveness or other financial incentives for those entering the teaching profession.
The progress made since UNESCO's 2022 summit is promising. Involving teachers in the governance of education technology is imperative in order to ensure that these new tools truly benefit all students. I believe shared dialogue on teaching and teachers is an essential part of the renewal of education.
