Education Leaders Examine Regional Initiatives
PRESS STATEMENT
60/06
26 Sep 2006
Exploring ways of complementing national development strategies on education with regional initiatives took precedence at the 5th Forum Education Ministers' Meeting (FEdMM) held in Nadi, Fiji.
The FEdMM was officially launched by Vice President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, His Excellency, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi.
"A regional approach should be taken only if it adds value to national efforts," said Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary General, Mr Greg Urwin.
"There is vast potential for sharing resources, particularly for inputs into basic education systems across the region."
Mr Urwin was speaking on the first day of FEdMM to Ministers and Officials of Education from Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Tokelau, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Explains Dr Helen Tavola, Forum Secretariat Social Policy Adviser: "The main outcome of the first FEdMM in 2001 was the Forum Basic Education Action Plan (FBEAP), the blueprint for educational development in the region."
She says the FEdMM will, among other things, critically review the implementation of FBEAP, as well as the Pacific Regional Initiatives for Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE) Project.
PRIDE is the major mechanism for achieving the FBEAP, and is being implemented by the University of the South Pacific.
When FBEAP was adopted, Education Ministers acknowledged that while basic education was a priority in the region, this had not resulted in economic development.
"While recognising that some countries made significant progress, and that the severity of problems with basic education varies significantly between countries, it appeared that significant gains could be made through Forum members sharing their experiences, success and failures in basic education," says Dr Tavola.
As such, the FBEAP was developed within the context of the Education for All initiative, with the goal of achieving universal and equitable participation and achievement and to ensure access and equity and improve quality and outcomes.
Ministers requested that the Forum Secretariat be mandated to facilitate the arrangements to bring about the implementation of the FBEAP.
This is now being operationalised and addressed within the context of the Pacific Plan, endorsed by Forum leaders at in October 2005 as the blueprint for regional development to enhance and stimulate economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security.
"The Pacific Plan is based on the concept of regionalism," said Mr Urwin. "That is, countries working together for their joint and individual benefit.
"Regionalism under the Pacific Plan does not imply any limitations on national sovereignty. It is not intended to replace national programmes, only to support and complement them."
The two-day meeting concludes today with the endorsement of an outcomes document by Education Ministers which will further shape regional, sub-regional and national education initiatives within the FBEAP.
FEdMM observers included representatives from the University of the South Pacific (USP), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Pacific Resources for Education & Learning (PREL), the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), University of Fiji, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.
(Ends)
60/06
26 Sep 2006
Exploring ways of complementing national development strategies on education with regional initiatives took precedence at the 5th Forum Education Ministers' Meeting (FEdMM) held in Nadi, Fiji.
The FEdMM was officially launched by Vice President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, His Excellency, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi.
"A regional approach should be taken only if it adds value to national efforts," said Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary General, Mr Greg Urwin.
"There is vast potential for sharing resources, particularly for inputs into basic education systems across the region."
Mr Urwin was speaking on the first day of FEdMM to Ministers and Officials of Education from Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Tokelau, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Explains Dr Helen Tavola, Forum Secretariat Social Policy Adviser: "The main outcome of the first FEdMM in 2001 was the Forum Basic Education Action Plan (FBEAP), the blueprint for educational development in the region."
She says the FEdMM will, among other things, critically review the implementation of FBEAP, as well as the Pacific Regional Initiatives for Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE) Project.
PRIDE is the major mechanism for achieving the FBEAP, and is being implemented by the University of the South Pacific.
When FBEAP was adopted, Education Ministers acknowledged that while basic education was a priority in the region, this had not resulted in economic development.
"While recognising that some countries made significant progress, and that the severity of problems with basic education varies significantly between countries, it appeared that significant gains could be made through Forum members sharing their experiences, success and failures in basic education," says Dr Tavola.
As such, the FBEAP was developed within the context of the Education for All initiative, with the goal of achieving universal and equitable participation and achievement and to ensure access and equity and improve quality and outcomes.
Ministers requested that the Forum Secretariat be mandated to facilitate the arrangements to bring about the implementation of the FBEAP.
This is now being operationalised and addressed within the context of the Pacific Plan, endorsed by Forum leaders at in October 2005 as the blueprint for regional development to enhance and stimulate economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security.
"The Pacific Plan is based on the concept of regionalism," said Mr Urwin. "That is, countries working together for their joint and individual benefit.
"Regionalism under the Pacific Plan does not imply any limitations on national sovereignty. It is not intended to replace national programmes, only to support and complement them."
The two-day meeting concludes today with the endorsement of an outcomes document by Education Ministers which will further shape regional, sub-regional and national education initiatives within the FBEAP.
FEdMM observers included representatives from the University of the South Pacific (USP), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Pacific Resources for Education & Learning (PREL), the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), University of Fiji, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.
(Ends)
