10 September 2013: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have released the final report of the global consultation on education in the post-2015 development agenda. The report identifies “a stronger commitment to good-quality education, with a focus on learning” as the key priority for a post-2015 education agenda, and proposes equitable access and equitable quality as its main imperatives.

‘Making Education a Priority in the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Report of the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda’ synthesizes the key messages of the Consultation, which included four online discussions, a High-level Meeting (HLM) on Education held in Senegal, Education for All (EFA) regional meetings, and consultations with NGOs, the private sector and donor agencies. It recalls that the HLM identified “equitable, quality education and lifelong learning for all” as an overarching education goal. The report assesses progress on the education-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and EFA goals, identifies priorities and principles for the post-2015 education agenda, and discusses transforming these principles and priorities into goals, targets and indicators.

Despite progress in primary school enrollment, the report concludes, education is “one of the core unfinished businesses of the MDGs” and should be prioritized in the post-2015 agenda. It highlights disparities in progress within countries and among regions. For instance, the global primary completion rate is 90% compared to 70% in sub-Saharan Africa. Identified shortcomings in the MDG education framework include: failing to address education in an integrated manner; focusing on access rather than equality; privileging primary school over other levels; privileging easier to reach goals; failing to address equality; and underserving the poor and marginalized.

The Consultation identified four principles for the post-2015 education agenda: a human rights-based approach; participation of all stakeholders; and accountability, including comprehensive monitoring systems that provide disaggregated data. The Consultation supported unifying the EFA and MDG frameworks with common goals and harmonized reporting, and balancing international commitments with flexible national targets and indicators.

Participants prioritized, inter alia: accelerating efforts to meet EFA and MDG goals; extending the access target to encompass secondary education and lifelong learning; ensuring equality; and focusing on learning. Participants also stressed quality, including equipping people with the attitudes, knowledge and skills to obtain decent work, understand threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation, and live together as active citizens.

To fulfill the post-2015 education agenda, the report recommends: developing an enabling environment; strengthening national education systems; targeting interventions to support marginalized and vulnerable groups; assuring adequate financing; ensuring effective participation in policy formulation; strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems; and facilitating public-private partnerships.

UNESCO and UNICEF co-led the consultation with support from the Governments of Canada, Germany and Senegal. [Publication: Making Education a Priority in the Post-2015 Development Agenda] [IISD RS Coverage of Education HLM] [Consultation Webpage]