APMED2030 Outcome Document
Next Steps: Actions for 2016
The global Education for All movement was born in Asia-Pacific (Jomtien, Thailand) and the Education 2030 agenda was also launched in this region (Incheon, Republic of Korea). Having fully endorsed and embraced the vision, principles and targets of Education 2030, Asia-Pacific governments, development partners and civil society organisations have the unique responsibility to carry the torch for this new global education agenda towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all.
Having examined SDG 4, “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” its targets and the Framework for Action, and discussed the implications, opportunities and challenges of SDG 4 within country contexts, the participants of the first APMED2030 reflected upon the necessary steps, coordination and monitoring mechanisms at the country, sub-regional and regional levels and discussed the capacity development needs for the integration of SDG 4 into national education and other sector plans.
There is a general consensus that SDG 4’s focus on lifelong learning and its contribution towards sustainable development and global citizenship requires the engagement of and coordination among various sectors and ministries, civil society, and a wide range of actors and stakeholders at all levels. While the overall coordination mechanisms for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development have yet to be finalized, APMED2030 participants recognized that SDG 4’s targets reflect the aspirations of this dynamic and diverse region and thus agreed to embark on the following immediate follow-up actions during the course of 2016.
Immediate actions by Member States
- Establish or strengthen a national coordination mechanism for SDG 4—linking to the overall SDG coordination mechanism—with a high-level national body supported by technical committees; broaden its membership to include diverse sectors and civil society; and identify an appropriate SDG 4 coordination focal point.
- Map existing policies and programmes that contribute to SDG 4 targets in preparation for national consultations.
- Organize national and sub-national consultations to analyse the Education 2030 targets and Framework for Action in light of existing plans, policies and programmes to identify gaps and opportunities and to plan actions to implement and monitor SDG 4.
- Build or strengthen inter-governmental cooperation to foster synergies and mutual learning for SDG 4.
Immediate actions by development partners and civil society organizations
- Review and redefine the composition and terms of reference of the regional/sub-regional coordination mechanisms and develop a roadmap and a strategic plan in consultation with relevant stakeholders in order to provide effective support to national efforts toward SDG 4 (TWG-EFA).
- Prepare advocacy/communication materials that provide key messages on SDG 4 in consultation with Member States, (TWG-EFA).
- Prepare guidelines on the processes and milestones for planning, implementing and monitoring SDG 4 based on capacity assessments, and support the alignment of national plans with SDG 4 targets (TWG-EFA and lead DP at national level).
- Map available data and data sources for SDG 4 indicators, including administrative data, household surveys, learning assessments and data collected by civil society, as well as capacity needs in data management, reporting and use (UIS).
- In consultation with Member States and regional partners, develop and disseminate technical guidelines for monitoring SDG 4, including definitions of the indicators, data sources, and methods of data collection and analysis (UIS).
APMED2030 Outcome Document Drafting Committee:
Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia); Thailand (Southeast Asia - Mekong); Philippines (Southeast Asia - Insular); Mongolia (East Asia); Maldives (South and West Asia); Solomon Islands (Pacific); UNESCO HQ; UNESCO Bangkok; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS); UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO); UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA); and Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) (CSO)
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