UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks at the event. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) New York (VNA) – VietnameseMinister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son has highlighted a need toensure fairness in access to quality education, integration and equality at allschool levels in the next period.
Addressing the TransformationEducation Summit in New York on September 19, the first day of the High-Level Week of the77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Son saidfollowing two years of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the education sector needs to equiptoday and future generations with knowledge and skills to overcome challengesfacing the world, thus contributing to fulfilling all UN Sustainable DevelopmentGoals.
Teaching methods and curriculamay change, but the key is to help students with personal orientations, thus buildinga solid foundation with fundamental values throughout their lives, he said.
At the event, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stressed the need to protect the rightto quality education for everyone, especially girls, everywhere; and to give a newfocus on teachers’ roles and skillsets. Schools must become safe,healthy spaces, with no place for violence, stigma or intimidation.
The digital revolution must benefit alllearners, he said, adding that none of the above will be possible without asurge in education financing and global solidarity.
He said development partners shouldreverse cuts and dedicate at least 15% of official development assistance toeducation. International financial institutions should make resources andfiscal space available for developing countries to invest, he said.
Guterres urgedinternational financial institutions to draw on the newly-launchedInternational Finance Facility for Education, a new tool that aims to mobilise10 billion USD to help 700 million children in lower-middle-income countries toaccess quality education.
According to the UN data, some 70% of10-year-olds in poor countries are unable to read a basic text. Either they areout of school, or in school but barely learning.
The summit was chaired by the UNSecretary General on September 16, 17 and 19./.
