ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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End of the ‘Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’ marked in Aichi-Nagoya
Full article
Education and lifelong learning events in Australia celebrate ASPBAE’s 50th
Full article
AFE Mongolia marks its 5th National Education Forum with a strong call for good quality public education
Full article
ASPBAE congratulates Nani Zulimarni of PEKKA for winning the 2014 Global Fairness Award!
Full article
Member of the month Human Rights Education Institute of Burma
The Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) is a non-governmental organisation that facilitates a broad range of human rights training and advocacy programmes for grassroots organisations and community leaders in Burma. HREIB is dedicated to building a peaceful, democratic, and just society where people possess a critical human rights consciousness, enjoy political and social space to take action to promote dignity, and are empowered to initiate rights-based solutions to social problems. To know more, please visit the HREIB website at http://www.hreib.com/.
ASPBAE’s 50-year celebrations culminate in a vibrant Festival of Learning in Yogyakarta ASPBAE’s 50-year celebrations culminated in the Festival of
Learning that took place in Yogyakarta. ASPBAE’s members,
partners, donors, and friends gathered together to celebrate
ASPBAE’s journey and to plan a path ahead for education and
lifelong learning in the Asia Pacific in a post-2015 world.
Read more
Reflections on civil society’s participation and engagement in the conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Nagoya This is a reflection piece by Takafumi Miyaki, of the Japan NGO
Network for Education (JNNE), on civil society’s participation in the
Nagoya conference.
Read more
Supporting the post-2015 education development agenda in the Asia Pacific This article is an assessment of the regional EFA architecture
written by UNESCO-Bangkok’s Min Bista and Malisa Santigul.
Read more
Korean education coalition meets with UNESCO and ASPBAE The meeting was an opportunity for the Korean coalition to get an
update on civil society participation in the World Education Forum
(WEF) to be held in Korea in May 2015 and on interaction
opportunities before and during the WEF.
Read more
Announcement
EFA Global Monitoring Report consultation for the 2016 Report
Read more
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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Photo of the month
ASPBAE’s 50-year celebrations culminate in a vibrant Festival of Learning in Yogyakarta 18-22 November 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ASPBAE’s 50 year celebrations culminated in the Festival of Learning that
took place in Yogyakarta. ASPBAE’s members, partners, donors, and
friends gathered together to celebrate ASPBAE’s journey and to plan a
path ahead for education and lifelong learning in the Asia Pacific in a post-
2015 world. The Festival was hosted by PEKKA, ASPBAE’s member in
Indonesia.
The Festival of Learning, with the theme - Asia Pacific Civil Society,
Defining Education for the Future - saw the participation of 126 people
from 32 countries representing 66 national civil society organisations and
networks, partner and donor organisations, and individual ASPBAE
members. It was held at a time when the global education community
prepares to agree on a new global education agenda and framework of
action during the World Education Forum to be held in Incheon, Korea, in
May 2015.The Festival of Learning was a space to strategise Asia Pacific
civil society coordinated action in this important global policy space -
defining civil policy asks and advocacy strategies on the proposed goals,
targets, indicators, the financing, governance, planning, and monitoring
modalities and the role of civil society organisations. It was a platform to
deliberate on the overall context and policy climate that define education
and lifelong learning work in the region.
An upbeat and lively opening ceremony set the tone for the 4-day event.
Participants were introduced by their sub-regions while they displayed
their colourful flags representing their organisations and coalitions. Nani
Zulminarni, Director of PEKKA, Dina Lumbantobing, ASPBAE Executive
Council Member representing South East Asia, and the ASPBAE
ASPBAE’s Festival of Learning comes to Yogyakarta!
(L-R) ASPBAE President, Robbie Guevara, Chief Guest, Dr. Hermanto, Head of Quality
Assurance of Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of Indonesia, and
Dina Lumbantobing, ASPBAE Executive Council member, officially declare the Festival
of Learning open!
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President, Robbie Guevara, welcomed the participants to the Festival of
Learning. ASPBAE Secretary-General, Maria Khan, gave her opening
remarks where she presented the main messages coming out of the
national consultations on the post-2015 education agenda organised by
ASPBAE’s members throughout the year. The Chief Guest, Dr. Hermanto,
Head of Quality Assurance of Education, Ministry of Education and
Culture, Government of Indonesia, offered inaugural remarks and formally
opened the Festival of Learning through a traditional Indonesian ritual, the
sounding of the gong.
Participants then got a unique Indonesian experience as they collectively
played the traditional Indonesian instrument called the angklung. With
such a wide representation at the Festival of Learning, the sound of the
angklung reverberating through the large conference room truly
represented harmony in diversity.
The Festival of Learning was organised along various modalities of
learning and exchange: in discussions and debates on education policy
advocacies, workshops on contemporary themes of adult education,
conversations to reflect and debate on the contextual regional challenges,
and innovative ways of harnessing the opportunities to advance civil
society and ASPBAE’s work in securing the right to education and lifelong
learning in the Asia Pacific region.
In the session called ‘The Changing Milieu’, discussions focussed on
defining the new context; the trends and complexities faced by education
activists and advocates of the right to learn. The Keynote Speech was
delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Melani Budianta, Faculty of Science and Culture,
University of Indonesia. Prof. Budianta shared her views on the challenges
and opportunities for realising the right to education for all in the Asia
Pacific. She also focused on lifelong learning and highlighted that the
essence of lifelong learning was to acquire the skills, knowledge, and
critical awareness to survive and strategically position oneself in a fast-
changing local and global environment.
Rajesh Tandon, President of PRIA (Society for Participatory Research in
Asia), then led participants in “Regional Conversations” where they were
divided in four sub-regional groups. The groups identified pressing issues
in their contexts and new stakeholders they should be working with to push
the case for education. Some of the key issues presented by the groups
were (1) education for resilience and change (2) education for critical
awareness, thinking skills, and consciousness (3) citizenship education (4)
women’s literacy (5) quality of education (6) financing for quality education.
Some of the new education stakeholders identified by the groups for
greater engagement by education advocates are: (1) BRICKS countries:
universities/higher education institutions (2) ASEAN government
ministries of education (3) parliamentarians (4) inter-faith organisations,
even fundamentalist groups (5) the corporate sector. The aim of this
exercise was to characterise development issues and highlight the varied
contexts and diversity of the region. It also aimed to articulate the
Harmony in diversity – participants play the angklung, a traditional
Indonesian instrument, at the opening ceremony of the Festival of Learning.
Prof. (Dr.) Melani Budianta (Faculty of Science and Culture, University of Indonesia) delivering the Keynote
Speech where she shared her views on the challenges and opportunities
for realising the right to education for all in the Asia Pacific.
Rajesh Tandon, President of PRIA led participants in “Regional
Conversations” where they identified pressing issues in their contexts and
new stakeholders they should be working with to push the case for
education.
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education agenda of the Asia Pacific for the future that is premised on the
right to education and lifelong learning, which can then be translated into
policy.
In a session dedicated to ‘New Ways of Being’ (Town Hall Meeting),
deliberations focussed on the functioning of civil society and possible new
ways of working. It drew lessons from the 50-year experience of ASPBAE
and debated on the new ways of working civil society should consider. The
first session recognised and honoured luminaries who played a part in
shaping ASPBAE over the years. Several past and present ASPBAE
presidents, Secretary-Generals, and Executive Council members took
centre stage to reflect on the roles that ASPBAE as a regional civil society
organisation played through different historical periods for education,
development, and civil society - in advancing the right to education and
lifelong learning. The luminaries were - W.M.K Wijetunga (ASPBAE
Secretary-General, 1985-1995), Heribert Hinzen, Director, DVVI South
and South East Asia Regional Office, Lao PDR, Rajesh Tandon (ASPBAE
President, 1991-2000), Usa Duongsa (ASPBAE President, 2001-2004),
Sandy Morrison (ASPBAE President, 2005-2008), Robbie Guevara
(ASPBAE President, 2009 to date), Maria Khan (ASPBAE Secretary-
General, 1995 to date), Nani Zulminarni, Jerald Joseph, and Shaheen
Attiqur Rehman (ASPBAE Executive Council Members, 2001-2008).
Following a session dedicated to the 37-year partnership of ASPBAE and
DVV International, where Uwe Gartenschaelger of DVV International
addressed the gathering, participants broke in to groups to brainstorm on
civil society’s roles in the future and ASPBAE’s work beyond 50 years. The
discussion topics included Education for Sustainable Development,
Mitigating threats to Civil Society and Democratic Spaces, New
Partnerships for Civil Society and Education Activists, The New ICTs and
Social Networking for Education and Organising, New Literacies, Youth
Education and Governance.
To learn more about education and lifelong learning in the Indonesian
context, participants of the Festival of Learning went on Learning
Exchanges to different local organisations in Yogjakarta where they
interacted with communities in their contexts. Some of the visits were to
organisations working with women, children, and youth, and on issues
such as religious studies for the trans-gender community, community-
based disaster preparedness, and trade.
A policy seminar on the Post-2015 Education Agenda was held in
collaboration with the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, one of the
oldest universities in Indonesia. The Dean of Faculty, Dr. Erwan Agus
Purwanto, opened the seminar with a Welcome Address. The seminar
presented civil society analyses on the post-2015 scenario, highlighting
the debates, gaps, and areas of contention in the current development and
education agenda discourses. Prof. Hubert Gijzen of UNESCO Jakarta
delivered the Keynote Address where he highlighted that education for a
Several ASPBAE luminaries took centre stage to reflect on the roles that
ASPBAE as a regional civil society organisation played through different
historical periods for education, development, and civil society.
Participants at the Festival brainstormed on civil society’s roles in the future and ASPBAE’s work beyond
50 years. Some of the discussion points included discussion topics
included Education for Sustainable Development, Mitigating threats to
Civil Society and Democratic Spaces, New Partnerships for Civil Society and
Education Activists.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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sustainable future encompasses knowledge and awareness, as well as
preparing future generations for their role in the green economy.
Other speakers at the seminar included Ushio Miura of UNESCO Bangkok
who focussed on ‘Updates on the Post- 2015 Education and Development
Processes’; Maria Khan, ASPBAE Secretary-General, who provided a
‘Civil Society Analyses on the Post-2015 Education Agenda and
Processes’; Alan Tuckett, President, International Council for Adult
Education (ICAE), who spoke about ‘A Lifelong Learning Framework
Within the Education and SDG Post-2015 Agenda’; and Robbie Guevara,
ASPBAE President, who presented the ‘Outcomes of the World
Conference on Education for Sustainable Development’ held in Nagoya,
Japan, in November 2014. This panel was chaired by Heribert Hinzen of
DVV International. A session was also dedicated to understanding the
Indonesian education context with a panel comprising Satryo Soemantri
Brodjonegoro, Former Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of
National Education, Indonesia; Abdul Waidl of NEW Indonesia who
addressed ‘Coalition Perspectives on the Indonesian Education Agenda
Post-2015’; and Dina Lumbantobing of PESADA who highlighted ‘CSO
Practice on Lifelong Learning in Indonesia’. Prof. Gabriele Lele, Lecturer,
Department of Social and Political Sciences, UGM, chaired the panel.
Rene Raya, ASPBAE’s Lead Policy Analyst, then led a plenary session on
‘Privatisation Trends in Education in the Asia Pacific Region’.
Three parallel workshops on education financing – Official Development
Assistance (ODA) in Education, Country Case Studies on Privatisation of
Education, and Domestic Resource Mobilisation - were also organised
within the seminar. The aim of the workshops was to review key trends,
issues, and challenges in these areas that should inform CSO lobbying on
education financing during the World Education Forum 2015 in Korea.
The fourth and final day of the Festival of Learning was devoted to
planning advocacy strategies for the post-2015 processes. Sabine Detzel,
of the EFA Global Partnerships Team, UNESCO Paris, began the day with
an introduction to the Framework for Action for education post-2015. The
participants then formed groups to debate targets and indicators for - Basic
Education, Adult Literacy and Skills for Life and Work, Teachers and
Quality, Governance and Financing, and ESD and Citizenship Education.
Rasheda Choudhury, Board Member, Global Campaign for Education
(GCE), chaired a session on ‘Framing the Architecture of the New
Education Agenda’ where Valerie Liechti, Education Policy Advisor, Swiss
Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), reflected on the ‘EFA
Global Architecture’, ASPBAE’s Cecilia Soriano presented the reflections
on the ‘Regional EFA Architecture’, and David Archer, Action Aid
International, and Civil Society Representative in the Global Partnership
for Education (GPE), reviewed the ‘Existing Financing Mechanisms for
Education’.
Prof. Hubert Gijzen, of UNESCO Jakarta, delivered the Keynote
Address at the Policy Seminar on Education Post-2015 held at the University of Gadjah Mada. He
highlighted that education for a sustainable future encompasses
knowledge and awareness, as well as preparing future generations for their
role in the green economy.
Participants took part in parallel workshops at the Policy Seminar focusing on Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Education,
Country Case Studies on Privatisation of Education, and Domestic Resource
Mobilisation.
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Dominic D’Souza, ASPBAE Executive Council Representative from South
Asia, moderated the session on ‘Key Civil Society Moments from Now to
Incheon and New York 2015’.
Katarina Popovich, ICAE Secretary General, Maria Khan, ASPBAE
Secretary-General, and Anjela Taneja, Head of Policy, GCE, presented
the plans different civil society formations, notably the Global Campaign
for Education, the UNESCO Collective Consultation of NGOs on
Education for All (CCNGO/EFA), and the International Council for Adult
Education.
The Festival of Learning concluded with agreement on a ‘Statement of
Commitments’ and closing remarks by ASPBAE President, Robbie
Guevara, where he stressed the importance of harmonising engagements
in education with a holistic approach and strengthening collaboration
amongst each other.
The Festival was also a space for cultural exchange as participants
displayed their traditional costumes, songs, and dances representing the
richness of each of their diverse backgrounds and contexts. PEKKA, who
hosted the Festival of Learning, was an outstanding host. Their
commitment and dedication to bringing the event together was unmatched
in the lead up to and throughout the Festival, and mirrored their hard work
and devotion to their own campaign for women’s empowerment.
The Festival of Learning was truly a memorable occasion for ASPBAE as
participants were excited and enthusiastic throughout the event and
contributed to the sessions and deliberations with high energy and
passion. The gathering was a unique opportunity for ASPBAE’s diverse
membership and larger family to come together and celebrate the lively,
dynamic, and vibrant culture of the education movement in the Asia
Pacific. [BACK]
The 2014 UNESCO World
Conference on Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD) in
Nagoya, Japan, marked the end of
the UN Decade of ESD (2005-2014)
and launched the Global Action
Programme (GAP) on ESD.
End of the ‘Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’ marked in Aichi-Nagoya 10-12 November 2014, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
“We cannot wait to be invited, we need to create the spaces for civil society
organisations to participate.” This was how ASPBAE President, Robbie
Guevara, summarised the mood of the civil society participants from
ASPBAE, International Council of Adult Education (ICAE), Global
Campaign for Education (GCE), and members of CONCORD, who
attended the debriefing conducted after the World Conference on
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) on 12 November 2014 in
Aichi-Nagoya.
While the civil society organisations present at the debriefing
acknowledged that there were major wins in terms of significant inclusion
of proposals from civil society in the Aichi-Nagoya Declaration on
ASPBAE Secretary-General, Maria Khan, presenting plans of different
civil society formations and responses of civil society from the region on the
post-2015 processes.
Participants give feedback on their discussions on targets and indicators for Basic Education, Adult Literacy & Skills for Life and Work, Teachers &
Quality, Governance & Financing, and ESD & Citizenship Education.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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ASPBAE is one of the Centres of
Excellence for ESD that was
awarded at the start of the Decade
of Education for Sustainable
Development in 2005. ASPBAE
received the recognition as part of
its commitment to build capacities
of its member organisations to
advocate for stronger links
between the Education for All
(EFA) goals and ESD.
Education for Sustainable Development (click here for the Declaration),
there were serious concerns raised with the conference accreditation
process. Two Japanese non-governmental organisations, Development
Education Association and Resource Center (DEAR) and the Japan NGO
Network for Education (JNNE), both active members of ASPBAE, were
not officially accredited to attend the main conference events. However,
this did not stop them from organising parallel meetings alongside the
conference.
Some of the ASPBAE members who were accredited included - Kazi
Rafikul, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM), Bangladesh; Timote Vaioleti,
ASPBAE Executive Council member representing the South Pacific;
Robbie Guevara, President, ASPBAE; and Sandy Morrison, former
ASPBAE President, Waikato University, New Zealand.
Robbie Guevara facilitated a workshop on Local communities in action:
lifelong learning for sustainable development that was organised by the
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and the City of Okayama, Japan,
based on the outcome of the Kominkan-CLC International Conference on
ESD. On the final day, Robbie spoke at a seminar organised by the New
Vision Education project/World Economic Forum and the Global
Partnership for Education (GPE) on Catalysing support for ESD.
ASPBAE is one of the Centres of Excellence for ESD that was awarded at
the start of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development in 2005.
ASPBAE received the recognition as part of its commitment to build the
capacity of its member organisations to advocate for stronger links
between the Education for All (EFA) goals and ESD. It was observed that
while the link between ESD and the post-2015 development agenda has
become stronger and evident in the Nagoya Declaration, the link to EFA
continued to be weak. This was one of the key reminders that was
emphasised at the conclusion of the debriefing, to ensure that ESD is more
prominent in the on-going EFA processes, as other regions conduct
regional consultations in the lead up to the World Education Forum in
Korea in May 2015.
The World Conference was attended by more than 1000 participants,
which included representatives of UNESCO Member States, civil society
organisations, university academics, the private sector, and UN agencies.
It was acknowledged to be the largest gathering of education ministers
which included 75 Ministers and 28 Vice Ministers.
Aside from the Aichi-Nagoya Declaration on Education for Sustainable
Development, the World Conference launched the Global Action
Programme (GAP) on ESD (click here for more information on GAP),
which aims to “generate and scale up action in all levels and areas of
education and learning to accelerate progress towards sustainable
development”. Click here to access the full report on the UN Decade of
ESD, entitled Shaping the Future We Want. [BACK]
ASPBAE members with Susan Hopgood, President of Education International, during the Welcome
Reception at the Nagoya conference. (L-R) Eno Nakamura, Development
Education Association and Resource Centre (DEAR), Japan; Takafumi Miyake, Japan NGO Network for
Education (JNNE); Timote Vaioleti, ASPBAE EC member representing the
South Pacific; Susan Hopgood, President, EI; Robbie Guevara,
President, ASPBAE; Sandy Morrison, former ASPBAE President, Waikato
University, New Zealand.
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Civil society organisations could
not apply for accreditation of the
conference on Education for
Sustainable Development in
Nagoya. Only NGOs and
academics who were invited by
UNESCO, the Government of
Japan, and local hosts could be
accredited, apart from national
delegations and UN agencies.
Reflections on civil society’s participation and engagement in the conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Nagoya 7-8 October 2014, Paris, France
By Takafumi Miyake of the Japan NGO Network for Education (JNNE) and
former ASPBAE Executive Council Member
Civil society organisations could not apply for accreditation of the
conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Nagoya. Only
NGOs and academics who were invited by UNESCO, the Government of
Japan, and local hosts (Nagoya city and Aichi Prefecture) could be
accredited, apart from national delegations and UN agencies. Some
teachers and students of UNESCO Associated Schools in Japan were
also invited.
Furthermore, only accredited participants could apply for side events. Due
to pressure from Japanese civil society organisations, they are allowed to
apply for side events only one month before the due date of the
application. Nevertheless, applications from the Development Education
Association and Resource Center (DEAR), Japan, ASPBAE and the
International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and the Global Campaign
for Education (GCE) were not selected. Only ESD-Japan and civil society
organisations of hosting cities of Nagoya and Okayama were selected
among Japanese applications. As a result, Japanese civil society
organisations were excluded and segregated. DEAR and the Japan NGO
Network for Education (JNNE) could not pursue lobby efforts directly since
they could not access the conference rooms. Even copies of the final
report of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD)
were not distributed to non-participants. International civil society
organisations were invited and visible, but the selection process of civil
society representatives was not clear.
In spite of rumors that a draft declaration was not negotiable, partly due to
pressure from civil society organisations, a drafting committee was set up.
It included six member states, one member of civil society represented by
Education International, and one private sector representative from
Microsoft. The first draft of the declaration was distributed at the opening
session. ASPBAE President, Robbie Guevara, provided DEAR and JNNE
a copy of the draft for them to give their comments which were submitted
by ASPBAE members and other civil society organisations who were
participating in the conference.
There are lessons learnt from this. First, it is important to formulate a civil
society forum from the host county, preferably one year before the
conference. Japanese civil society organisations did not form a civil
society forum for this conference, which resulted in – (1) no consultation
with the Japanese government on the participation process of Japanese
civil society organisations, and (2) no influence on the draft outcome
R-L - Takafumi Miyake of the Japan NGO Network for Education (JNNE), ASPBAE President Robbie Guevara,
Eno Nakamura of DEAR Japan, at Nagoya.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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document before the conference in spite of the fact that Japan was a part
of formulating the draft as the host country.
Second, the meeting venue helps communication and cooperation among
different civil society organisations. Since I could not attend the
conference, I was able to be present at a space where Japanese tea and
sweets are provided to non-accredited participants. It is there that we as
civil society met and exchanged information.
Third, a one-page paper with policy asks was prepared by DEAR before
the conference and was very helpful towards our lobbying efforts. DEAR
widely distributed the paper to both accredited and non-accredited
participants. This turned out to be the basis for ASPBAE and JNNE’s
comments on the draft declaration, and could influence participants’
remarks.
The following are some inputs from ASPBAE, DEAR, and JNNE on the
first draft of the outcome document –
Clarify the process of ESD policy formulation based on ESD
principles.
Ensure citizen’s participation in ESD policy formulation.
Acknowledge the different education sectors, including both
formal and non-formal education.
Strengthen the current statement to make sure ESD is an integral
part of the education goal in the post-2015 development agenda.
[BACK]
Supporting the post-2015 education development agenda in the Asia Pacific An assessment of the regional Education for All (EFA) architecture
By Min Bista, Education Advisor and Coordinator a.i., UNESCO-
Bangkok, and Malisa Santigul, Programme Officer (Education for All),
UNESCO-Bangkok
Any global agenda is ultimately implemented at the regional, sub-regional,
and national levels. How effectively and efficiently these global
development agendas are implemented depend on the extent of the
national commitment, coordination, and funding of countries. In this
regard, regional coordination mechanisms have a role and play this role in
numerous ways. Regional coordination mechanisms help countries
internalise and understand global development agendas, provide
technical support, mobilise financial resources, provide support in
monitoring and evaluation, and bring agencies together, all in support of
Member States. UNESCO in particular, as a neutral entity, creates a
platform for governments, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), and
civil society organisations (CSOs) to come together.
Civil society representatives in Nagoya. DEAR Japan circulated a one-page paper with policy asks that was
the basis for ASPBAE and JNNE’s comments on the draft declaration.
Regional coordination mechanisms help countries internalise and
understand global development agendas. UNESCO in particular, as a neutral entity, creates a platform for
governments, NGOs, and civil society organisations to come together.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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ASPBAE has been an active
member of the EFA Thematic
Working Group and has played a
key role in mobilising partners and
governments in pursuit of the EFA
goals and for policy change in
education.
Likewise, any regional work requires institutional frameworks. UNESCO’s
Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) was established in
1987 to promote basic education for all in the region. However, for the
larger coordination and within the framework of the United Nations and the
Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) for the coordination
of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which is chaired by the UN
Deputy Secretary-General and convened by the Executive Secretary of
the UN Economic and Social Commission in Asia-Pacific (ESCAP), the
Thematic Working Group (TWG) on EFA was created. The TWG on EFA
consists of voluntary members from UN agencies, civil society
organisations, international NGOs, and academia. TWG on EFA members
meet to share and exchange information on EFA-related activities and
have been effective in working together on major EFA activities in support
of Member States in their EFA work at the regional, sub-regional and
national levels, including the mid-decade assessment of EFA and the
recent national EFA 2015 reviews in the Asia Pacific.
With 2015 approaching, UNESCO has mobilised partners in the region,
convening governments, and key stakeholders to discuss the progress
made towards the achievement of the EFA goals, to examine remaining
challenges and gaps, and to reflect on future priorities and strategies for
the region at consultative meetings and conferences, including the Asia
Pacific Regional Education Conference (APREC) in August 2014;
UNESCO’s first regional preparatory conference before the 2015 World
Education Forum (WEF) in Incheon, Republic of Korea, next May. The
APREC produced the Asia Pacific Statement on Education Beyond 2015,
or the Bangkok Statement.
In view of the Muscat Agreement and the Open Working Group’s
Recommendations, the new post-2015 education agenda will assume a
broader stance on education, and thus, larger, institutional responses are
needed. A more inclusive and robust regional body to support countries is
needed to implement the new agenda. At the recent TWG on EFA meeting
on 28 November 2014 at UNESCO Bangkok, members discussed the role
of the group in supporting countries in their implementation of the new
education agenda and how to improve and increase the effectiveness of
the working group. The TWG on EFA will revisit its terms of reference and
where needed, will aim to refocus its objectives and efforts to better align
with the post-2015 education agenda and future priorities of countries.
ASPBAE has been an active member of the TWG and has played a key
role in mobilising partners and governments in pursuit of the EFA goals
and for policy change in education. Not only were ASPBAE members part
of the pool of experts that reviewed the national EFA 2015 review reports,
but its members were also present at the APREC. ASPBAE was also part
of the Drafting Group of the Bangkok Statement, representing the voice
and role of civil society organisations in education development in the Asia
Pacific. [BACK]
UNESCO has mobilised partners in the region, convening governments, and
key stakeholders to discuss the progress made towards the
achievement of the EFA goals, such as during APREC, UNESCO’s first
regional preparatory conference before the 2015 World Education
Forum in Incheon, Korea.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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Education and lifelong learning events in Australia celebrate ASPBAE’s 50th There are reasons to celebrate as the end of significant global education
commitments are being reached, namely, Education for All (EFA), the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (DESD). However, there are many more
reasons to maintain commitment to access to quality education as a right
for all. These messages were acknowledged by the speakers and the
conversations that occurred as part of events hosted by ASPBAE
members in Australia, together with the European Union Centre at RMIT
University, as their contribution to the celebration of ASPBAE’s 50th
Anniversary.
Education for Sustainability Forum at Melbourne Knowledge Week
28 October 2014, Melbourne, Australia
The EU Centre at RMIT University hosted a public forum entitled Lifelong
Learning and Education for Sustainable Development as part of a larger
celebration called Melbourne Knowledge Week. Heribert Hinzen, Director,
DVV International, Regional Office South and Southeast Asia, argued that
EFA remains an unfinished agenda, in particular around issues of access,
equity, and quality. He identified emerging global trends around the shift
from a focus on teaching to learning; no more boundaries between
learning, working and living; greater emphasis on foundational skills; less
distinction in the transition from school to work, and a continued emphasis
on employability. These trends have a significant impact on what will
become relevant education and skills development in the future. He
concluded that the current education goals proposed in the Muscat
Agreement and that of the Open Working Group, though slightly different,
do recognise and address these trends.
Susan Hopgood, President of Education International (EI), identified
reasons to celebrate in terms of significant reduction in youth who are out
of school, less child labour and more girls in schools, to name only a few.
But she also called attention to very worrying statistics about issues of
access, quality, and equity and emphasised that while the current
formulation of both the Muscat Agreement and the Open Working Group
were very positive, we need to continue to be vigilant and press our
respective governments to prevent the slide of these proposed goals.
Sally Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Adult Learning Australia (ALA),
emphasised that educational achievements, particularly in the area of
adult education, were mainly in spite of, rather than by, the current
government. She translated the global trends to an Australian context
where there is equally a greater focus on the formal at the expense of the
non-formal and informal learning settings; an emphasis on learning for
work, rather than learning for life; where learning is only valued if
recognised or accredited. She effectively argued that all these are false
L-R – Sally Thompson, Adult Learning Australia; Susan
Hopgood, Education International; Heribert Hinzen,
DVV International; Robbie Guevara, ASPBAE – at RMIT
University.
RMIT University hosted an invitational conversation - Speak Up, Speak Out - that focused on situating Australian education within the context of the
global education policy discussions around lifelong learning and
sustainable development.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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Three conversations at the Speak Up Speak Out event on Equitable
Quality Education, Inclusive
Quality Education, and
Partnerships for Lifelong Learning
were facilitated by educators from
different contexts in Australia.
binaries, perpetuated by a policy approach that is based on human capital
theory and neo-liberal economics.
ASPBAE President, Robbie Guevara, participated in the event and
provided a synthesis of the deliberations by the speakers. ASPBAE
Executive Council Member for the South Pacific, Timote Vaioleti also
attended the event.
Speak Up, Speak Out: Australian Voices for Global Education Advocacy
30 October 2014, Melbourne Australia
RMIT University hosted an invitational conversation - Speak Up, Speak
Out - that focused on situating Australian education within the context of
the global education policy discussions around lifelong learning and
sustainable development. The conversation, preceded by an online
discussion hosted by Adult Learning Australia (ALA), was opened by
Heribert Hinzen, Director, DVV International, Regional Office South and
Southeast Asia, who reiterated the message he delivered at Melbourne
Knowledge Week with a greater emphasis on the argument that there can
be no development without learning.
Three conversations were then conducted based on the current
formulation of the Muscat Agreement education goal – Ensure equitable
and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030. Each
conversation was led and facilitated by educators from different contexts
in Australia. Elena Sheldon, from Springvale Community House, led a
conversation on Equitable Quality Education, which was facilitated by
Sally Thompson from Adult Learning Australia. David Rothstadt, School
Principal at North School, led a conversation on Inclusive Quality
Education, which was facilitated by Allie Clemans from Monash University.
And Jan Simmons, from the Australian Community Learning Network
(ACLN), led a conversation on Partnerships for Lifelong Learning, which
was facilitated by Dorothy Lucardi from Adult Learning Australia.
Outcomes of each of the conversations were then shared and key themes
identified.
Firstly, quality education and lifelong learning needs to be defined “to
context’. A number of characteristics were identified, namely that the
starting point for learning is not always the same, that education addresses
unmet needs, that it has flexible outcomes decided by the community, and
at times could itself be challenging the dominant vision and therefore
aspirational.
Equitable education and lifelong learning is not only about access in a one-
off sense, but how access is sustained throughout one’s life. It has equity
as both elements of participation and representation not just in education
but within the broader society.
In the Speak Up Speak Out event, participants highlighted that an important factor for Equitable
education and lifelong learning was how access is sustained
throughout life and how it should encompass broader society as
well.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
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ASPBAE Australia’s Bernie
Lovegrove described the series of
activities in the lead-up to the
Incheon, Korea World Education
Forum in May 2015, and the
importance of further advocacy for
an all-encompassing education
goal.
Inclusive education and lifelong learning acknowledges that education is
for all people, and also acknowledges the continuum across learning,
living and working as opposed to the current ‘siloed’ policy and the lack of
trust between the formal education as represented by the school and the
non-formal as represented by the community.
Partnership implied a level of mutual engagement; reciprocity that involved
mutual learning and trust that is the foundation of relationship building. It
involves a level of hospitality, where everyone is invited into learning,
recognising that maybe we often make decisions about who are our
natural partners and that some are just waiting to be asked to partner.
Finally, there were observations around the broader identify of educators
that included dimensions of being a social worker and an advocate.
A panel of speakers from the different member organisations spoke about
how to operationalise these themes into actions.
Bernie Lovegrove from ASPBAE Australia described the series of activities
in the lead-up to the Incheon, Korea World Education Forum in May 2015,
and the importance of not only vigilance in keeping what we have obtained
via the current education goal in the Muscat Agreement secure, but further
advocacy. Linda Simon from Women in Vocational Education (WAVE)
spoke about how the discussions have allowed them to see a stronger link
between their current national level issues and advocacies with the global
education advocacies. Susan Hopgood, Education International,
reminded the participants of the danger of a slide in the education goal
and therefore the importance of finding out the key contacts within the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as they will be the ones making
the final recommendations for their representatives at the UN in New York.
Sally Thompson, Adult Learning Australia, concluded with a sobering note
on how it is necessary to be realistic about what is possible within the
current political context in Australia and strongly supported the earlier
observation about our roles as not just teacher, educators, or facilitators,
but also as advocates.
The day concluded with a celebration of ASPBAE’s 50th birthday with
cupcakes that participants designed themselves during the lunch break.
The conversation was organised by ASPBAE members - ALA, WAVE, and
RMIT University (with the support of the EU Centre at RMIT) - and
attended by members of the Australian Coalition of Education
Development (ACED), including Save the Children, and RESULTS.
[BACK]
AFE Mongolia marks its 5th National Education Forum with a strong call for good quality public education 4-5 November 2014, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
With the participation of approximately 300 people, the “All for Education!”
National Civil Society Coalition in Mongolia (AFE Mongolia) held its 5th
The event concluded with the celebration of ASPBAE’s 50th
anniversary with cupcakes designed by the participants.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
Page 14 of 17
National Education Forum in Ulaanbaatar where there was a particular
focus and urgent call to improve the quality of public education in the
country.
The main topics discussed at the Forum were -
General overview and framework for education quality
Situation of Mongolian teachers and the need to ensure their
labour rights
The state of school dormitories and related child protection issues
in schools
Determining education quality indicators in the context of
Mongolia
Advocating for greater financing for good quality public education
Updates on the ongoing coalition research on the ‘Voucher
system and its impact on public education and the right to
education’
The coalition shadow report on EFA (Education for All), with
particular focus on equity
Findings and recommendations of the ‘Good School’ assessment
with focus on school governance conducted by the coalition
Civil society participation in the review of the EFA goals and post-
2015 education agenda processes and discussions
There was eager participation throughout the event, especially on the
importance of pressuring the government to commit to good quality public
education as a public service rather than a commodity in light of the
privatisation trends in Mongolia. Participants also stressed the need to
protect the labor rights of teachers to support them in delivering good
quality education as a way to developing active citizenship and
strengthening critical thinking skills.
ASPBAE’s Helen Dabu presented efforts of civil society organisations from
the national, regional, and global levels in the EFA review process and the
development of the post-2015 education agenda. In particular, the active
involvement was highlighted of those in the Asia Pacific such as ASPBAE,
AFE Mongolia, and other education campaign coalitions to influence the
outcomes of the Global EFA Meeting (GEM) held in Muscat in May 2014,
and the Asia Pacific Regional Education Conference (APREC) held in
Bangkok in August 2014.
The AFE Mongolia Education Forum was the biggest platform for local civil
society organisations to engage and discuss with different education
stakeholders in the country. Participants and speakers included advisors
to the Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament, Members of Parliament,
officials from the National Education Evaluation Centre, National Centre
for Lifelong Learning, Teachers Professional Development Institute, and
Ulaanbaatar City Education Department, researchers and students from
universities, local civil society organisations from 21 provinces, political
parties, INGOs, UNESCO, teachers and principals from public and private
The “All for Education!” National Civil Society Coalition in Mongolia, AFE
Mongolia, held its 5th National Education Forum with a focus and
urgent call to improve the quality of public education in the country.
The AFE Mongolia Education Forum was the biggest platform for local
civil society organisations to engage and discuss with different education
stakeholders in the country.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
Page 15 of 17
schools, Teachers Union leaders, Parents-Teachers Associations,
organisations of people with disabilities, and representatives from the
private sector. [BACK]
ASPBAE, with funding from the
Foundation Open Society
Institutes (FOSI), is providing a
support role as the Korean
coalition develops its capacities
and builds its coalition. This has
included meetings to strategise on
effective and inclusive member
participation to ensure there is a
vibrant and informed Korean
education civil society presence at
the May events in Incheon.
Korean education coalition meets with UNESCO and ASPBAE 7 November 2014, Seoul, Korea
The fledgling Korean civil society education coalition held a meeting in
Seoul with Sabine Detzel, Programme Specialist, EFA Global
Partnerships Team, UNESCO Paris, and Bernie Lovegrove, ASPBAE Civil
Society Education Fund (CSEF) Regional Coordinator.
The meeting was an opportunity for the Korean coalition to be updated on
the plans of the UNESCO Collective Consultation of NGOs (CCNGO)
regarding civil society participation in the World Education Forum to be
held in Incheon, Korea, in May 2015, and the preceding civil society event
that will be organised by the CCNGO. The meeting was also an
opportunity for the Korean coalition to update on developments in
establishing the coalition, raising awareness of Korean civil society
organisations, and to discuss plans for interaction opportunities with
Korean education civil society organisations before and during the World
Education Forum and civil society pre-meeting.
Organisations present included Better World, KoFID, KCOC, World Vision,
Hope is Education, REDI, Korean Human Rights Foundation, Seoul
National University Global Education, Good Neighbours, Music for One
Foundation, and Education for Better Development.
ASPBAE, with funding from the Foundation Open Society Institutes
(FOSI), is providing a support role as the Korean coalition develops its
capacities and builds its coalition. This has included meetings to strategise
on effective and inclusive member participation to ensure there is a vibrant
and informed Korean education civil society presence at the May events
in Incheon.
As a follow-up support initiative, ASPBAE invited three members of the
Korean coalition to participate in the Festival of Learning and the Regional
Meeting of national coalitions in Yogjakarta two weeks later.
The Korean coalition is now in the process of choosing its Steering
Committee and appointing a Programme Coordinator. [BACK]
The meeting of Korean education coalitions with UNESCO and
ASPBAE was an opportunity for the coalition to be updated on the plans
of the UNESCO Collective Consultation of NGOs (CCNGO)
regarding civil society participation in the World Education Forum to be
held in Incheon, Korea.
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
Page 16 of 17
ASPBAE extends its warmest
congratulations to Nani for
winning the Fairness Award and
for her outstanding work for
women’s empowerment in
Indonesia.
ASPBAE congratulates Nani Zulminarni of PEKKA for winning 2014 Global Fairness Award! 24 November 2014, Washington D.C., U.S.A
Nani Zulminarni, founder of PEKKA (Indonesia) and former ASPBAE
Executive Council Member (2000-2008), has won the 2014 Global
Fairness Award in Washington D.C., USA!
The Fairness Award was created in 2010 to recognise the role of
collaborative leadership in removing the barriers to economic and social
opportunity for poor and marginalised communities around the world. It
also "honours exceptional leaders whose work and life have opened
opportunity and access for the working poor throughout the world". Click
here for more information on the Fairness Award.
Nani has been working on women’s empowerment at the grassroots level
since 1987, when her career began as a field worker and community
organizer at The Centre for Women’s Resources Development (PPSW).
In 1995, she was appointed as the director of PPSW and currently sits on
their advisory board. In 2001, with the support of PPSW and as part of the
National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan),
Nani formed PEKKA, which organises poor women heads of households
in post-conflict areas with the goal of economic empowerment and
leadership development of the grassroots women. PEKKA currently works
in 19 provinces of Indonesia, facilitating the growth of more than 1,200
organisations. PEKKA delivers a wide set of services such as village-level
capacity building trainings, savings and loan schemes, and education, but
economic empowerment is the pillar of the organisation.
Each year the Global Fairness Initiative selects honourees from the
“grasstops” who have enabled and supported marginalised communities
and from the grassroots who have led communities in building a stronger
voice and finding a place in the global community. Apart from Nani, the
Fairness Award also honoured Robert B. Zoellick, former President of the
World Bank Group (2007-2012), and Karl-Johan Persson, President and
CEO of H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB.
By honouring these outstanding individuals, the Global Fairness Initiative
hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders to dedicate themselves to
economic justice, fairness, and equality. ASPBAE extends its warmest
congratulations to Nani for winning the Fairness Award and for her
outstanding work for women’s empowerment in Indonesia. [BACK]
ANNOUNCEMENT EFA Global Monitoring Report consultation for the 2016 Report The Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report (GMR) team is in
the process of completing the last EFA report (2015), a stock-take of
Nani Zulminarni of PEKKA has won the 2014 Global Fairness Award that
“honours exceptional leaders whose work and life have opened opportunity
and access for the working poor throughout the world.”
ASPBAE THIS MONTH November 2014 www.aspbae.org
Page 17 of 17
Starting in 2016, a new series of
Global Monitoring Reports (GMR)
will monitor the state of education
in the framework of the
anticipated Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to be
finalised by the UN in September
2015. The GMR team has initiated
a public consultation process on
the Concept Note of the 2016
Report, which will continue until
28 January 2015.
achievements and remaining challenges, which will be launched in early
April 2015.
Starting in 2016, a new series of reports will monitor the state of education
in the framework of the anticipated Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) to be finalised by the UN in September 2015. The first report in
this series, the 2016 Report, will focus on ‘Education, sustainability and
the post-2015 development agenda’, as decided with the strong support
of the GMR Advisory Board. The 2016 report will carefully consider how
education and major development sectors are inter-related, and determine
which education strategies, policies, and programmes are most effectively
linked to the economic, social, environmental, and political priorities of the
new sustainable development agenda. The report will also establish a new
monitoring framework for education, and examine key financing and
governance challenges for the post-2015 era.
As for each EFA GMR, the team has initiated a public consultation process
on the Concept Note of the 2016 Report, which will continue until 28
January 2015. Click here for more information.
The GMR team is keen to hear your views on the themes and specific
issues outlined. Your comments will contribute to thinking on education’s
role in advancing the sustainable development agenda, and will help
shape the contents of the 2016 report. The team is particularly interested
in hearing from experts in non-education development sectors. They invite
comments from researchers, policy analysts, practitioners, teachers, non-
governmental organisations, and aid donors who focus on education. If
you have a strong interest in education and development, please consider
sharing your views. Should you need any further information, please
contact the GMR Team at [email protected]. [BACK]
Photo credits: Some photos used in this Bulletin have been sourced from the internet and belong to international NGOs, networks, and individual photographers.
For more information on the ASPBAE Bulletin, please write to Medha Soni, ASPBAE’s Information and Communications Coordinator, at [email protected]