Ei-iE

President Susan Hopgood has brought Education International's message to the heart of the World Education Forum: a successful education agenda needs the inclusion and consultation of teachers and civil society.

Addressing delegates during the closing ceremony of the World Education Forum 2015 in Incheon, South Korea, Education International (EI) President Susan Hopgood made clear the path to education for all in 2030: teachers and civil society must be a key player of the process.

Closing remarks by Education International President Susan Hopgood

Let me start by thanking our hosts, the Government of the Republic of Korea for their generous hospitality. Let me also thank and recognize  UNESCO for its role and leadership to ensure free inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all.

Education International stands ready to work with UNESCO and the greater education community to ensure the provision of 12 years of free publicly-funded, equitable,  quality primary and secondary education, of which at least nine years are compulsory and at least one year of free and compulsory quality pre-primary education. We also commit to working together for the achievement of lifelong learning, and education and training opportunities for the large population of out-of-school children and adolescents, who require targeted and sustained action ensuring that all children are in school and are learning.

The last two days have reminded us of our unfinished agenda underscoring the urgency required to achieve quality education for all and the cost of inaction. As each year passes we fail another generation of children.

Where the political will exists we can achieve our goals.  This can happen. We call on governments to fulfill their obligations to properly and adequately fund free, quality public education. This obligation cannot be outsourced. We will continue to advocate for the allocation of at least 6 percent of GDP and 20 percent of national budgets to education.

EI, the voice of over thirty million teachers and education workers in more than 170 countries, affirms our commitment to fulfil our professional responsibilities to students and the communities we serve. Teachers and education workers are central to achieving our shared goals.

We all agree that every student has the right to quality free public education, however in order to realise any educational goals, students in every classroom around the world must be guaranteed a well trained, professionally qualified, motivated and supported teacher.

Providing quality education for all will require changes to education systems. To implement the Incheon Framework for Action and improve the quality of education, it is fundamental that our education systems are transformed into ones that foster an open and  collaborative culture.  They must promote well being and continuous improvement instead of high stakes competition that creates winners and losers. Quality is rendered meaningless when the permanent stress of failure and rankings extinguishes the spark of curiosity and the joy of learning.

It is fundamental that we institutionalize inclusive, meaningful, social dialogue with all actors and stakeholders, including civil society. By fostering a shared vision with students, parents and educators we can achieve  a shared ownership of education reform.  If mutually agreed reforms succeed, societies transform.

And finally, it is critical that governments both significantly increase investment in education and better target funding.  This is essential  to close the disparities and inequities between and within countries and between  all students regardless of their background and/or circumstances.

As we close the World Education Forum let us take our collective commitments forward to ensure the adoption and implementation of this bold plan to achieve quality education for all.