No Time to Lose on the Road to Universal Primary and Secondary Education

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
This blog was also published by the GPE

The latest figures on out-of-school-children are disappointing, showing progress that is – at best – painfully slow.

Despite every promise and declaration, and all the genuine efforts made to date, there are still around 262 million – or one out of every five – children, adolescents and youth between the ages of 6-17 out of school. That figure rises to a shocking one in three children out of school in the world’s poorest countries. What’s worse is that new data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) show that progress has stalled, with the rates and the numbers remaining more or less static for years.  Continue reading

DFID Announces Continued Support to the Global Education Monitoring Report and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics

By Sarah Hennell, Department for International Development (DFID), UK

The UK is leading the call for 12 years of quality education for all girls and boys.  But is it possible to measure the quality of education for all children? Is it feasible to track progress? We think so, and I want to explain why and how the UK is supporting this work. Continue reading

We Can Revolutionise Learning by Making Wise Use of Data

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

I am looking forward to this week’s WISE event in New York, which will bring together practitioners and thought-leaders determined to empower learners for future challenges. How? By innovating inside and outside the classroom to help current and future generations reach their full potential. Continue reading

Meet the SDG 4 Data: Indicators on School Conditions, Scholarships and Teachers

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
This blog was also published by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)

Learn more about SDG 4 Indicators 4.a.1, 4.b.1 and 4.c.1

The blogs in this series have examined the indicators that measure progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), from learning outcomes to education that promotes sustainable development. In this final blog, however, we focus on three indicators on some key ingredients to ensure a quality education for all. First, the availability of schools where children can learn in safety. Second, the availability of scholarships for talented students. Third – and very importantly – the availability of trained teachers. Continue reading

Helping Countries Make the Most of their Education Investments with the Global Content Framework of Reference for Reading

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
This blog was also published by Norrag

On Saturday, the world celebrated International Literacy Day. And indeed there was much to celebrate, with literacy rates continuing to rise from one generation to the next, remarkable progress on literacy among youth, in particular, and a steady narrowing of gender gaps. Half a century ago, almost one quarter of youth worldwide lacked the most basic literacy skills, falling to less than 10% in 2016.

But we also need to take a step back and look at just how far we still have to go. Data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) show that 750 million adults – two-thirds of them women – still lack basic reading and writing skills. What’s more, 102 million of those who cannot read or write worldwide are aged 15 to 24. This tells us that something is not working when it comes to equipping youth with these basic skills. Continue reading

What Do You Want from the New Global Education Data Portal?

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Make your voice heard via an online consultation about the new Global Education Data Portal (GEDP), which is being developed by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS). It will be a unique resource centered on the needs of its users, a one-stop shop for the best possible data on education. Continue reading

Meet the SDG 4 Data: Promoting Sustainable Development

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
This blog was also published by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)

SDG 4 indicator 4.7.1 reflects the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development

So far, this series of blogs on the data needed to monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on education has focused predominantly on indicators that explore educational outcomes and achievements for individuals, and the components that must be in place to ensure a quality education for all.  But when we come to Target 7, we see a marked shift in perspective.

Target 7 takes a sweeping look at education and the wider world: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
Continue reading

From Brain Drain to Gain: The Benefits Arising from International Knowledge Networks

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
This blog was also published by Norrag

Thinking about studying abroad next year or know someone who is? You’re not alone. International student mobility is on the rise and data show that everyone benefits. Rather than depriving developing countries of their best talent through ‘brain drain,’ mobile students are offering ‘brain gain’ by creating a global pool of highly-skilled human capital. Continue reading