COVID-19's unprecedented global learning disruption has shown the weaknesses and gaps of education systems around the world. But it has also shown the strength and vital necessity of multilateralism, partnership and cooperation at the global level to find sustainable solutions that can lift the education sector out of this challenging crisis. And for that to happen, the world must rethink and reinforce its global cooperation mechanism for education.
That is why a new Global Cooperation Mechanism for education is being established, aiming to bring countries and international partners together around shared priorities in a more agile, efficient and aligned ways to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).
Why are we working on an improved cooperation for education today?
UNESCO was mandated in 2015 to coordinate the Sustainable Development Goal pertaining to education (SDG4). In 2016, with UNESCO as its Secretariat, the SDG-Education 2030 Steering Committee was launched and its Framework endorsed.
Reversals in SDG 4 progress caused by COVID-19 have heightened the urgency for scaled-up action and have increased the necessity to work across sectors, from health and nutrition to skills for work and climate action, to respond to the interconnected nature of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Education in emergency settings presents urgent and distinctive demands, but also has close interactions with other SDG priorities.
Many have called for clearer policy leadership, stronger synergies, greater efficiency, and better delivery in the Global Cooperation Mechanism for education as a response to these goals and challenges.
What has been process for reaching the proposal of a new Global Cooperation Mechanism for education?
The 2020 Global Education Meeting triggered a dialogue about improving the Global Education Cooperation Mechanism as a means to support countries to accelerate their progress toward SDG4, recovering from the COVID-19-affected context. UNESCO was mandated to design and lead this process.
An extensive series of consultative meetings with countries and education actors took place. An in-depth and evidence-based review of the current state of the global education architecture, including comparison with the global health and climate sectors, was prepared by an independent expert. A survey of Member States was carried out to explore coordination challenges and good practices at the global, regional, and country levels. A consultation on the emerging proposals, across all regions and key constituencies was conducted in May 2021.
The proposal, to be endorsed at the 2021 Global Education Meeting's Ministerial segment of 13 July, is a remodelled SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee that will serve as the global education body, in place of the current Steering Committee.
What's new in the SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee?
The SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee will consist of a "Leadership Group" at Ministerial or Head of Agency level and a "Sherpa Group" that will have the responsibility to consult actively with their relevant constituencies ahead of SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee meetings and to provide feedback following those meetings.
The three core functions of the SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee are:
- Promote evidence-based policy formulation and implementation - Provide policy leadership to recommend priority actions for accelerating progress towards SDG 4 based on evidence, knowledge, and lessons on overcoming bottlenecks in achieving the SDG 4 targets. Promote the effective use of evidence for making appropriate policies and implementation strategies at the country level.
- Monitor progress and improve the availability/use of data - Pursue the monitoring, follow-up and review arrangements for the SDG 4-Education 2030 agenda while helping hold all relevant partners to account for their commitments. Develop and pursue advocacy strategies based on reported national and regional benchmarks, and create a Global Education Observatory.
- Drive financing mobilisation and improve alignment - Advocate for mobilisation and better use of domestic and international education financing in support of agreed priorities, by galvanising renewed commitments, pushing for greater harmonisation and alignment, championing innovative sources of finance, and promoting efficiency and equity in education spending.
The Global Education Forum and the Multilateral Education Platform will each work under the auspices of the SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee, and will provide updates on progress at the annual meetings.
How will the new coordination mechanism support countries in achieving SDG4?
Country-level education outcomes are the driving concern for the Global Cooperation Mechanism on education. It is essential that development partners, including bilateral donors and multilateral agencies, coordinate and harmonize their support to governments, aligned with the country-owned education plans, thus reinforcing the aid effectiveness principles.
Working at global level the improved cooperation will:
- Promote the effective use of evidence for making appropriate policies and implementation strategies at the country level
- Monitor progress and improve the availability/use of data
- Advocate for and better use of domestic and international education financing
The Ministerial Segment of UNESCO's 2021 Global Education Meeting will take place on 13 July, at the margins of the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development.
