The Task Force is a multi-stakeholder partnership of a voluntary nature working towards UPE and quality education EFA and MDGs goals by focusing on teachers. In this regard, it seeks to support and complement existing global, regional and national initiatives through advocacy, consultation, and knowledge mobilization and sharing. The underlying principle of the Task Force is one of self-help, namely that all those who seek to participate in the Task Force, wish also to improve education in their own countries and are willing to participate in discussions that may benefit other countries.
Structure of the Task Force
To fulfill its mission, the Task Force is structured as follows:
The Task Force relies largely on its network of focal points in member countries and organisations. The Task Force has more than eighty members that range from national governments representing different parts of the world to intergovernmental organizations at global, regional or sub-regional levels; international non-governmental organizations, global civil society organizations and global teacher/school leaders representative organizations; bilateral and multilateral international development agencies and global private sector organizations and foundations.
The Task Force normally meets once a year to review progress made and to discuss future direction.
New members may join the Task Force partnership upon acceptance in writing by decision of the Steering Committee. Countries and organizations can first submit their request to the Secretariat.
The Steering Committee is accountable to the Task Force. It provides strategic guidance to the Secretariat and reviews its work. It is composed of representatives of the major constituencies of the Task Force.
Two Co-Chairs are elected from amongst members of the Steering Committee, each for a period of two years. One represents a member country and the other a funding member.
The Task Force Secretariat consists of an operational team, hosted by and established within UNESCO in Paris. The Secretariat is responsible for developing annual work plans and objectives based on the Task Force strategic objectives. These work plans will define targets associated with the objectives; specify activities to achieve these targets and annual performance indicators designed to measure progress.
Partnerships
The Task Force seeks to cooperate substantively with other relevant organisations and networks working on teachers issues such as the Global EFA Meeting (GEM), the UN Secretary-General's Global Initiative on Education, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), OECD, ILO, etc. Please see the page on partners' activities for more information. Furthermore, it relies strongly on expertise from academic and research institutions specialized on teachers and teaching.
Funding of the Task Force
Members and partners may make voluntary contributions to the Teacher Task Force through accounts set up at UNESCO for this purpose. These may include financial and in-kind contributions, such as secondments. Direct contribution for activities facilitated by the Task Force could also be made (willing partners can contact the Secretariat for funding modalities).
For more information on the way the Task Force operates, please refer to the revised Terms of reference.