UNESCO to host the Transform Education Pre-summit to bring changes around teaching, and learning.

Written by:- Sharanya Gawde

28 June 2022.

UNESCO to host the Transform Education Pre-summit to bring changes around teaching, and learning. 

From the 28th to the 30th of June, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) will be hosting the Transform Education Pre-Summit. Ministers of Education of various UN countries, policy and business leaders and youth activists will be attending the event to help draw a roadmap which will change and transform the future of education around the world completely. 

UNESCO says the summit will be focusing on five main areas of transformation. These topics will include schools,  life-long quality learning, teachers, connectivity, and financing education.  Prioritising high-quality education is the main objective of this pre-summit. 

We find that the summit takes place during a crucial time when global government investment in education has been reduced. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2020, 40% of lower-income nations have been seen to have reduced their spending on education. 

UNESCO in its release said that, “This is the moment to reverse the historical slide resulting from pandemic, climate and conflict disruptions, and to seek transformational changes around schooling, learning, teaching, technology, and financing of education.” 

Some of the participants who will be attending the Pre-Summit are heads of State of Ethiopia and Sierra Leone, 140 Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Education. The UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine M. Russell along with UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Salif Traore will also be participating in this summit.  With growing polarization, gaping inequalities and the devastating impact of Covid-19, there is a huge need to transform education to build a better future.