UNESCO launches new ‘Report on Education for All’ in Abuja: Calls for more global action

As the world prepares to adopt the new sustainable development goals, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report has called for more action to ensure education for all.

‘Despite all efforts by governments, civil society and the international community, the world has not achieved Education for All,’ said Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, while unveiling the latest Global Monitoring Report on Education for All.

The Report features achievements and challenges in the period 2000 to 2015 when the world was focusing on implementing targets towards the Millennium Development Goals.

According to the Report, there are 58 million children out of school and an estimated 100 million children who do not complete primary education. ‘Overall, the poor quality of learning at primary level still has millions of children leaving school without basic skills,’ Ms. Bokova notes.

The Report will be launched in Abuja, Nigeria, at the Ritz Continental Hotel on 22 September 2015. Distinguished educationists will present and discuss the Report and provide the Nigeria context. The launch comes few days ahead of the historic adoption of a new post-2015 development agenda by Member States of the United Nations in New York. The new sustainable development goals also prioritise education, among other important aspects of development, as a major factor in the eradication of poverty and achieving sustainable development.

‘Nigeria has made progress in education for all in many of the States of the Federation,’ says Mr. Benoit Sossou, Director UNESCO Regional Office Abuja. ‘However, there are still so many challenges, especially with high levels of illiteracy more prevalent in the 19 States of the north, and more than 40 million adult illiterates nationwide.’

The Education for All Global Monitoring Report has provided a global analysis of progress being made in achieving the millennium development goals on education since 2000. Supported by UNESCO, the report will continue to provide the much-needed monitoring on progress in education achievements under the new sustainable development goals.