Call to ensure edn for all by 2030

E-9 nations adopt ‘Dhaka Declaration’

Leaders of E-9 countries under UNESCO have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring education for all, gender parity in education and quality education before 2030. Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid said this while presenting the "Dhaka Declaration" at a press conference at the Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday. Bangladesh has got the E-9 chairman's post for the next two years, taking over from Pakistan. The minister said the E-9 countries pointed out the challenges and opportunities in education, and pledged to ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030.
The E-9 is an international platform of nine counties that are working together to attain the goals of UNESCO’s Education for All (EFA) initiative. E stands for "education" and "9" represents the countries—Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Nahid said the E-9 countries are home to over half of the world’s population, over half of the world’s out-of-school children, and two-thirds of the world’s non-literate youths and adults.
“We have pointed out the education-related problems in these counties. Now we need to work collectively to address the challenges. It does not need additional budget, rather the respective countries would work from their respective positions to reach the goal,” he added.
He also said that 70 per cent of the adult population of these countries is illiterate, which is a big challenge for all, but this challenge can also be addressed by a collective effort.
“If the members of the E-9 countries sit regularly and take effective initiatives with shared experience, the challenges of education can be addressed. The UNESCO has assured to assist us,” he added. Nahid said: “We have got the chair of E-9 for the next two years. It presents a bigger opportunity for us. We will try our best to get the best out of the situation.”
Replying to a query on quality education, the minister said: “Quality education is a challenging matter for all. It is hard to define. No indicator has been defined at this meeting,. But I think it is what students will achieve after going through the books to get the best.”
The "Dhaka Declaration" has recommended increasing government funding for education, enhancing its efficient use and facilitating mobilisation of domestic resources from both public and private sources.
The declaration has recommended reaching the internationally recognised benchmarks of at least 4–6 per cent of the gross domestic product, or at least 15–20 per cent of the total public expenditure allocated for education.
UNESCO's assistant director-general of education, Qian Tang, said: “If the nine countries work
together, it will be possible to reach the SDG goals.”
“Bangladesh is hosting this year ,and they have good opportunities to achieve the goals. Even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh will achieve the goals in time. I wish you success,” he added.
Primary and mass education minister Mostafizur Rahman, India’s minister of state for HRD Upendra Kushwaha and other high-ups of the E-9 countries were present on the occasion. The E-9 came into being at the EFA Summit of the nine highly populated
developing countries in the Indian capital of New Delhi in 1993. The three-day ministerial meeting will end today (Tuesday).

Call to ensure edn for all by 2030

E-9 nations adopt Dhaka Declaration

Leaders of E-9 countries under UNESCO have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring education for all, gender parity in education and quality education before 2030. Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid said this while presenting the Dhaka Declaration at a press conference at the Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday. Bangladesh has got the E-9 chairmans post for the next two years, taking over from Pakistan. The minister said the E-9 countries pointed out the challenges and opportunities in education, and pledged to ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030. The E-9 is an international platform of nine counties that are working together to attain the goals of UNESCOs Education for All (EFA) initiative. E stands for education and 9 represents the countriesBangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan. Nahid said the E-9 countries are home to over half of the worlds population, over half of the worlds out-of-school children, and two-thirds of the worlds non-literate youths and adults. We have pointed out the education-related problems in these counties. Now we need to work collectively to address the challenges. It does not need additional budget, rather the respective countries would work from their respective positions to reach the goal, he added. He also said that 70 per cent of the adult population of these countries is illiterate, which is a big challenge for all, but this challenge can also be addressed by a collective effort. If the members of the E-9 countries sit regularly and take effective initiatives with shared experience, the challenges of education can be addressed. The UNESCO has assured to assist us, he added. Nahid said: We have got the chair of E-9 for the next two years. It presents a bigger opportunity for us. We will try our best to get the best out of the situation. Replying to a query on quality education, the minister said: Quality education is a challenging matter for all. It is hard to define. No indicator has been defined at this meeting,. But I think it is what students will achieve after going through the books to get the best. The Dhaka Declaration has recommended increasing government funding for education, enhancing its efficient use and facilitating mobilisation of domestic resources from both public and private sources. The declaration has recommended reaching the internationally recognised benchmarks of at least 46 per cent of the gross domestic product, or at least 1520 per cent of the total public expenditure allocated for education. UNESCOs assistant director-general of education, Qian Tang, said: If the nine countries work together, it will be possible to reach the SDG goals. Bangladesh is hosting this year ,and they have good opportunities to achieve the goals. Even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh will achieve the goals in time. I wish you success, he added. Primary and mass education minister Mostafizur Rahman, Indias minister of state for HRD Upendra Kushwaha and other high-ups of the E-9 countries were present on the occasion. The E-9 came into being at the EFA Summit of the nine highly populated developing countries in the Indian capital of New Delhi in 1993. The three-day ministerial meeting will end today (Tuesday).