National Consultation on SDG 4 – Education 2030 Agenda held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia with call to prioritize education to reach the targets of SDG 4 – Education 2030

©Zhao Tianzhou, UNESCO BEJ

The National Consultation on the localization of the SDG 4 – Education 2030 Agenda was held in Ulaanbaatar today (14 April 2017) as an initiating step in Mongolia to integrate the SDG 4 targets into national plans and to form a national coordination mechanism. The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM) and its Mongolian version of the Summary Report were also launched today.

©Zhao Tianzhou, UNESCO BEJ

Meeting opening ceremony. From left to right: Ms. Uyanga Sukhbaatar, Secretary-General, Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO; Mr Roberto Benes, Representative, UNICEF Mongolia; Mr Batsuuri Jamiyansuren, Minister for Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia; Ms. Beate Trankmann, UN Resident Coordinator; Ms. Marielza Oliveira, Director and Representative, UNESCO Beijing Office

©Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO

The National Consultation on SDG 4 – Education 2030 Agenda & launch of the Mongolian version of the 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR) is co-organized by UNESCO Beijing Office, UNICEF Mongolia, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports and the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO.

In May 2015, the global education community launched the Education 2030 Agenda at the World Education Forum in Incheon. This new framework for action is captured within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) urging all heads of Government to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. In second quarter of 2016, the Global Education 2030 Steering Committee was established with its secretariat based in UNESCO Headquarters. The Mongolian Delegation participated actively in 2015 and 2016 the first and second Asia-Pacific Meetings on Education 2030 in Bangkok, Thailand. They were well aware of the regional coordination and discussions on the implementation of SDG 4 at country levels. Following the global and regional drive of implementing and achieving in countries the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Education 2030 Agenda, national level consultations on the localization of the SDG 4 – ED 2030 was initiated in Mongolia to help the country to integrate the SDG 4 targets into national plans and to form a coordination committee for Mongolia.

©UNESCO Beijing/Zhao Tianzhou

The National Consultation today focused on deepening the process of SDG4-Education priorities alignment and integration in Mongolia within the framework of the Mongolian Governments National SDG plan and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework for Mongolia. The workshop also discussed the establishment of an effective National Coordination Mechanism for Mongolia to ensure effective monitoring of the implementation of the SDG4-Education 2030 targets are achieved.

Today’s meeting was attended among others by Mr. Batsuuri Jamiyansuren, Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia, Ms. Beate Trankmann, UN Resident Coordinator to Mongolia, Ms. Marielza Oliveira, Director and Representative of UNESCO Beijing Office, and Mr. Roberto Benes, Representative of UNICEF Mongolia. The national consultation, being part of an on-going effort by UNESCO in collaboration with UNICEF to monitor the localization of the SDG 4 targets in all Member State, is critical that Mongolia ensure effective implementation and coordination mechanism are in place to give the country the best chance of reaching the 2030 Targets.

The presentation by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports highlighted the progress made under EFA and the achievements and challenges. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports is strongly committed to establishing the SDG 4 coordination mechanism for strengthened localization and implementation of SDG 4 – Education 2030.

Mr. Robert Parua, Programme Specialist for Education of UNESCO Beijing Office made keynote presentation on unpacking SDG 4 – Education 2030 at global and country levels (©Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO)

A total of 43 experts from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, government and civil society organizations, national and international NGOs, education research institutes, universities and UN Agencies participated in the Consultation. It was agreed that establishing the National Steering Mechanism is a key priority to effectively engage with relevant stakeholders including line ministries, research institutes, CSOs and international organizations and development partners.

Summary of 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report, version in Mongolian language   (©UNESCO Beijing/Zhao Tianzhou)

The 2016 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report and the Mongolian version of the summary report were also officially launched today. This important global report on Education aims to help facilitate dialogue among education stakeholders at the local, regional and global level to align SD4 Education 2030 priorities with national plans, policies and strategies urging member states of the United Nations to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. The launch reaffirmed Mongolia’s commitment in the implementation and localization of SDG4 and the Education 2030 Agenda at a country level.

Director of UNESCO Beijing Office handed the 2016 GEMR to the Advisor to the Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia, receiving the report on behalf of the Minister (©UNESCO Beijing/Zhao Tianzhou)