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		<title>News Highlights from UNESCO Bangkok</title>
		<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/</link>
		<description>News Highlights from UNESCO Bangkok, Asia Pacific Bureau for Education.</description>
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			<title>News Highlights from UNESCO Bangkok</title>
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			<description>News Highlights from UNESCO Bangkok, Asia Pacific Bureau for Education.</description>
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			<title>13th Asian Bioethics Conference, 27-30 August 2012, Malaysia</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/13th-asian-bioethics-conference-27-30-august-2012-malaysia/</link>
			<description>Bioethics and Life: Security, Science and Society
The annual conference of the Asian Bioethics Association (ABA) will be hosted in Malaysia from 27 to 30 August 2012. This 13th Asian Bioethics Conference brings together scholars and policy makers from many disciplines all around the world to discuss and deliberate on the theme Bioethics and Life: Security, Science and Society. Paper presentation and participation are welcomed from academics, scholars, policy makers, students and enthusiasts in the various disciplines. 
Organizers: Asian Bioethics Association and Asia Pacific Forum on Ethics &amp; Social Justice (Malaysia) in partnership with UNESCO, the Institute of Diplomacy &amp; Foreign Relations (Malaysia), the Faculty of Social Sciences &amp; Humanities (UKM), Institute of Malaysian and International Studies and the Eubios Ethics Institute.


Registration form [Word]. 
Past annual conference proceedings and abstracts (1995 - 2011).
The Conference Flyer (PDF)</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 13pt">Bioethics and Life: Security, Science and Society</span></h4>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 13pt">The annual conference of the Asian Bioethics Association (ABA) will be hosted&nbsp;in Malaysia from 27 to 30 August 2012. This 13th Asian Bioethics Conference brings together scholars and policy makers from many disciplines all around the world to discuss and deliberate on the theme&nbsp;<em>Bioethics and Life: Security, Science and Society</em>. Paper presentation and participation are welcomed from academics, scholars, policy makers, students and enthusiasts in the various disciplines.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 13pt"><strong>Organizers</strong>: Asian Bioethics Association and Asia Pacific Forum on Ethics &amp; Social Justice (Malaysia) in partnership with UNESCO, the Institute of Diplomacy &amp; Foreign Relations (Malaysia), the Faculty of Social Sciences &amp; Humanities (UKM), Institute of Malaysian and International Studies and the Eubios Ethics Institute.</span></p>
<hr style="WIDTH: 166px" />
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.eubios.info/asian_bioethics_assn" title="Opens external link in new window" target="_blank" ><strong><span style="COLOR: #214a87; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none">Registration form&nbsp;</span></strong></a>[Word].&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.eubios.info/asian_bioethics_assn" title="Opens external link in new window" target="_blank" ><strong><span style="COLOR: #214a87; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none">Past annual conference proceedings and abstracts</span></strong></a>&nbsp;(1995 - 2011).</span></p>
<p><a href="fileadmin/user_upload/shs/Energyethics/ABC_Flyer__23_March_2012_PDF.pdf" title="APPLICATION, ABC Flyer 23 March 2012 PDF, ABC_Flyer__23_March_2012_PDF.pdf, 0.9 MB" >The Conference Flyer</a>&nbsp;(PDF)</p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>Event / Activity</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>UNESCO Youth Forum Looking Beyond Disaster, 16-19 August 2012, Sendai, Japan. Call for Participation.</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/call-for-participation-unesco-youth-forum/</link>
			<description>We invite you to participate in an international forum with youth from different countries of the world, especially Asia and the Pacific, to share experiences of disasters and to develop realistic action plans to rebuild communities that meet the needs and aspirations of young people. Call for participation [PDF] to the Second UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking beyond disaster, 16 - 19 August 2012, Sendai, Japan. 
On 11 March 2011 Tohoku area experienced a record magnitude 9.0 earthquake that in its 10 minutes led to the world’s most expensive disaster, and a tsunami (that was 15m high in places). Since then they have experienced several major earthquakes and many thousands of aftershocks. Over 15,000 people died and thousands are still missing. The debris has spread across the Pacific Ocean. Sendai airport was flooded by the tsunami. While Sendai city has rebuilt, many coastal villages still suffer from debris. The first day of the forum, 16th August, will be a full day bus trip with chances to join in some community service as well as see the area.  
While hazards are natural, disasters are not.  Young people need to not only be aware of the risks and impacts of hazards, but also have take action to prepare for and respond to disasters. Young people have shown already their potential to create a world that takes a proactive stance against tragedies caused by disaster.  Disasters can destroy communities but also rebuild them. As key agents of promoting change UNESCO has gathered young community leaders in the Youth Looking Beyond Disaster programme. The first UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking Beyond Disaster, was held in December 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand, with 100 participants from around the world. Youth developed 25 action plans to rebuild communities from disasters. Some of these will be presenting the implementation of their action plans.  Many new participants with experiences from rebuilding communities will join the network in the Sendai meeting from other communities around the world.
The expected outcomes include: • Strengthening a new global network of young people across Asia and the Pacific empowered to share experiences and exchange ideas on disaster and community;• Saving lives and reducing the suffering from disasters;• Giving hope in concrete ways for self-recovery of communities from disasters;• Support for youth-led projects to be implemented in different countries; • Development of evaluation skills to assess efforts already made;• Learning lessons from the rapid recovery in this region;• Examining the psychosocial issues and challenges of community rebuilding, and stigmatization of communities faced with fears of low level radiochemical exposure;• Getting communities and the policy structures ready for rapid response to disasters;• Following up on recommendations on information flow in disasters; youth resilience, rebuilding communities and disaster response.• Considerations of academic and community infrastructures that can assist youth;
Who can come?The conference is especially for youth who have experienced natural disasters, and the challenges that means for their communities. There will also be some students specializing in disaster recovery, and a few experts to assist in mentoring. We seek participants in their late teens through their twenties. There will also be some older persons who are setting up structures to enhance youth community service, and youth involvement in recovering from communities. If you have any inquiries you can write to the organizers.
How to apply?There is no application fee. Applications to participate should take the form of an expression of interest email composed by you that outlines (in less than 500 words) why you would like to participate in this forum, post-disaster activities you have been involved in, and/or suggestions for an action plan to develop with other participants. 
Please also explain what you have learnt from facing a disaster in your community.
Send your email to d.macer@unesco.org Dr. Darryl Macer, RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND Updated programmes are available on the website:
http://www.unescobkk.org/rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster/

OrganisersThe organisers include the Regional Unit in Social and Human Sciences for Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP) at UNESCO Bangkok, Miyagi International Association (MIA), and Eubios Ethics Institute, in collaboration with Sendai International Relations Association (SIRA), Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO (ACCU), National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan and Education Center for Disaster Reduction of Hyogo University, Japan.
General informationThe conference will be informal, and meals, lunches and tea breaks will be provided in the conference package which is approx. USD50 per day including shared accommodation and food. English is the working language, but some interpretation into Japanese will be available. It is possible to develop action plans in other languages, but an English translation should be provided. It is intended to make the conference a memorable time together in sharing lessons and friendships, in various ways across cultures.
Financial issuesWe are seeking financial support for assistance but we do not expect to be able to cover the travel of participants, therefore registrants should be prepared to gather their own expenses to travel to Sendai, and pay the meal and accommodation package at JPY25,000 for university students, and JPY22,000 for high school students for the meals and accommodation from 15th afternoon checkin to 20th morning checkout. Accommodation will be booked in either Western or Japanese style rooms at a central venue, Espol Sendai (www.seinenkaikan.or.jp), where the forum will also occur.  
No safety concerns Sendai is 94km from the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant where there were 3 meltdowns. The forum will not be going near this area, and we consider Sendai, a bustling and exciting city of over a million persons, safe for visitors to participate in the short period in the area.  Although one of the topics of some participants will be recovery from Fukushima disaster (and some are part of existing action plans), we do not encourage youth to go near the exclusion zone which is about 20km from the reactor site. Travel from Tokyo to Sendai is not near the site also, by the highway bus, shinkansen, or air flight.  
You may wish to take the opportunity to travel in Japan to experience the beauty of the country and hospitality of its people before or after the Forum. Ideas can be exchanged on the facebook group “Looking Beyond Disaster: UNESCO Youth Forum”. 
The Draft Programme of the Foum [PDF] 
Call for participation [PDF]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We invite you to participate in an international forum with youth from different countries of the world, especially Asia and the Pacific, to share experiences of disasters and to develop realistic action plans to rebuild communities that meet the needs and aspirations of young people.&nbsp;<a href="fileadmin/user_upload/shs/Energyethics/UNESCOSendaiLBD2participantcall.pdf" title="APPLICATION, UNESCOSendai LBD2participantcall, UNESCOSendaiLBD2participantcall.pdf, 508 KB" >Call for participation</a>&nbsp;[PDF]&nbsp;to the<em>&nbsp;</em>Second UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking beyond disaster, 16 - 19 August 2012, Sendai, Japan.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br />On 11 March 2011 Tohoku area experienced a record magnitude 9.0 earthquake that in its 10 minutes led to the world’s most expensive disaster, and a tsunami (that was 15m high in places). Since then they have experienced several major earthquakes and many thousands of aftershocks.&nbsp;Over 15,000 people died and thousands are still missing. The debris has spread across the Pacific Ocean. Sendai airport was flooded by the tsunami. While Sendai city has rebuilt, many coastal villages still suffer from debris. The first day of the forum, 16th August, will be a full day bus trip with chances to join in some community service as well as see the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><br />While hazards are natural, disasters are not.&nbsp; Young people need to not only be aware of the risks and impacts of hazards, but also have take action to prepare for and respond to disasters. Young people have shown already their potential to create a world that takes a proactive stance against tragedies caused by disaster.&nbsp; Disasters can destroy communities but also rebuild them. As key agents of promoting change UNESCO has gathered young community leaders in the Youth Looking Beyond Disaster programme.&nbsp;<a href="rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster/" title="Opens internal link in current window" class="internal-link" >The first UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking Beyond Disaster</a>, was held in December 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand, with 100 participants from around the world.&nbsp;<a href="rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster/action-plans-lbd-1/" title="Opens internal link in current window" class="internal-link" >Youth developed 25 action plans to rebuild communities from disasters</a>.&nbsp;Some of these will be presenting the implementation of their action plans.&nbsp; Many new participants with experiences from rebuilding communities will join the network in the Sendai meeting from other communities around the world.</p>
<p><strong>The expected outcomes include:&nbsp;<br /></strong>•&nbsp;Strengthening a new global network of young people across Asia and the Pacific empowered to share experiences and exchange ideas on disaster and community;<br />•&nbsp;Saving lives and reducing the suffering from disasters;<br />•&nbsp;Giving hope in concrete ways for self-recovery of communities from disasters;<br />•&nbsp;Support for youth-led projects to be implemented in different countries;&nbsp;<br />•&nbsp;Development of evaluation skills to assess efforts already made;<br />•&nbsp;Learning lessons from the rapid recovery in this region;<br />•&nbsp;Examining the psychosocial issues and challenges of community rebuilding, and stigmatization of communities faced with fears of low level radiochemical exposure;<br />•&nbsp;Getting communities and the policy structures ready for rapid response to disasters;<br />•&nbsp;Following up on recommendations on information flow in disasters; youth resilience, rebuilding communities and disaster response.<br />•&nbsp;Considerations of academic and community infrastructures that can assist youth;</p>
<p><strong>Who can come?<br /></strong>The conference is especially for youth who have experienced natural disasters, and the challenges that means for their communities. There will also be some students specializing in disaster recovery, and a few experts to assist in mentoring. We seek participants in their late teens through their twenties. There will also be some older persons who are setting up structures to enhance youth community service, and youth involvement in recovering from communities.&nbsp;If you have any inquiries you can write to the organizers.</p>
<p><strong>How to apply?<br /></strong>There is no application fee. Applications to participate should take the form of an expression of interest email composed by you that outlines (in less than 500 words) why you would like to participate in this forum, post-disaster activities you have been involved in, and/or suggestions for an action plan to develop with other participants.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Please also explain what you have learnt from facing a disaster in your community.</p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Send your email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:d.macer@unesco.org" >d.macer@unesco.org</a>&nbsp;Dr. Darryl Macer, RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND Updated programmes are available on the website:</p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><a href="http://www.unescobkk.org/rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster/" target="_blank" >http://www.unescobkk.org/rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster/</a></p>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Organisers<br /></strong>The organisers include the Regional Unit in Social and Human Sciences for Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP) at UNESCO Bangkok, Miyagi International Association (MIA), and Eubios Ethics Institute, in collaboration with Sendai International Relations Association (SIRA), Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO (ACCU), National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan and Education Center for Disaster Reduction of Hyogo University, Japan.</p>
<p><strong>General information<br /></strong>The conference will be informal, and meals, lunches and tea breaks will be provided in the conference package which is approx. USD50 per day including shared accommodation and food. English is the working language, but some interpretation into Japanese will be available. It is possible to develop action plans in other languages, but an English translation should be provided. It is intended to make the conference a memorable time together in sharing lessons and friendships, in various ways across cultures.</p>
<p><strong>Financial issues<br /></strong>We are seeking financial support for assistance but we do not expect to be able to cover the travel of participants, therefore registrants should be prepared to gather their own expenses to travel to Sendai, and pay the meal and accommodation package at JPY25,000 for university students, and JPY22,000 for high school students for the meals and accommodation from 15th afternoon checkin to 20th morning checkout. Accommodation will be booked in either Western or Japanese style rooms at a central venue, Espol Sendai (<a href="http://www.seinenkaikan.or.jp/" target="_blank" >www.seinenkaikan.or.jp</a>), where the forum will also occur.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>No safety concerns&nbsp;<br /></strong>Sendai is 94km from the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant where there were 3 meltdowns. The forum will not be going near this area, and we consider Sendai, a bustling and exciting city of over a million persons, safe for visitors to participate in the short period in the area.&nbsp; Although one of the topics of some participants will be recovery from Fukushima disaster (and some are part of existing action plans), we do not encourage youth to go near the exclusion zone which is about 20km from the reactor site. Travel from Tokyo to Sendai is not near the site also, by the highway bus, shinkansen, or air flight.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><br />You may wish to take the opportunity to travel in Japan to experience the beauty of the country and hospitality of its people before or after the Forum. Ideas can be exchanged on the facebook group “Looking Beyond Disaster: UNESCO Youth Forum”.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="fileadmin/user_upload/shs/Energyethics/UNESCO_programmeLBD2draft2.pdf" title="APPLICATION, UNESCO programme LBD2draft2, UNESCO_programmeLBD2draft2.pdf, 274 KB" >The Draft Programme of the Foum</a>&nbsp;[PDF]&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="fileadmin/user_upload/shs/Energyethics/UNESCOSendaiLBD2participantcall.pdf" title="APPLICATION, UNESCOSendai LBD2participantcall, UNESCOSendaiLBD2participantcall.pdf, 508 KB" >Call for participation</a>&nbsp;[PDF]</p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>Event / Activity</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>Events (Main Page)</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>Aid effectiveness in education: what is really needed?</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/aid-effectiveness-in-education-what-is-really-needed/</link>
			<description>Sufficient funding
Country representatives at the seminar expressed a general concern that financial commitment, as suggested by the benchmark of 6% of GNP in the Delors report (1996),[1] has not been met by many countries to sufficiently implement set education policies. Despite the efforts of many countries to raise public expenditure for education, very few countries have achieved this benchmark, notably in West and South Asia.  In addition, many countries depend on external funding to meet expenditure for education, including Cambodia, Lao PDR and Nepal. This dependency on foreign aid is risky: it is both potentially unstable and unsustainable in efforts to improve quality of education.
The 2010 Global Monitoring Report (GMR) estimates that $US 16 billion in aid is needed to fill the financial gap required to achieve the Education for All (EFA) goals by 2015. Some countries in the Asia-Pacific may face a serious challenge of insufficient financial resources for education. This may then be compounded by lack of technical capacity to quantify resources actually needed to achieve both the EFA goals and their own national priorities in education. 
Targeted ODA spending for education
Country representations at the seminar acknowledged the positive contributions that international aid has brought. The funding conditions and guidelines of donors, especially in high priority areas, have helped countries to shift their education financing approach from input based to outcome based. Mr Tran Dai Hai from the Ministry of Education and Training, Viet Nam, illustrated how the practices in aid can be applied at the country level to improve quality of education. Foreign assistance to education in Vietnam has gradually moved away from a mix of large-scale projects to specific-targets for decentralized implementation of the EFA plan. This has encouraged a better medium-term policy and resources framework within which budget support can be delivered.  In Viet Nam, targeted funding has been of great benefit to improving education. In particular, it has led to increased innovation in policy and institutional reform, enabling a change in the quality of policies and efforts by government and donors to improve the efficiency and impact of these policies. One example is the implementation of programmes to ensure minimum quality standards are met in primary schools by targeting donor resources. 
Partnerships for greater accountability and capacity
Many governments have made great effort to optimize ODA in education. The Cook Islands, for example, is working to guide projects towards holistic and sector-wide priorities of the Ministry of Education away from segregated projects. Lao PDR has adopted policy-driven planning by linking planning and budgeting at both central and provincial levels using budget allocation. This approach requires working in partnership with donors, where governments actively participate in financial management process or procurement systems with minimal support from external advisors. This also enables enhanced capacity development across the sector. Challenges remain however, as many countries still lack a comprehensive capacity development plan that links to their long term Education Sector Development Plan. 
Strengthened partnerships between donors and recipient countries is needed to promote results based management and accountability rather than monitoring aid flow and usage, and to allow countries to take a more active role in defining and implementing initiatives aimed at improving education quality. It is important that these partnerships pave the way for an improving public financial management system, building confidence and developing long term capacity in line with the country’s strategic objectives. According to Mr. Tran, flexibility in accepting diverse approaches to working with the various partners appears to be a successful strategy for Viet Nam in establishing effective co-operation and dialogue. It seems that demanding high levels of transparency from partners in linking performance with the disbursement of funds may have served to encourage mutual ownership and to build a stronger consensus over technical issues to meet the objectives of both donors and recipients of ODA.  
The seminar highlights the needs for and challenges that many countries in the region face in terms of sufficient funding, dependency on short term funding and public financial management reforms to build long term funding modalities and strategies that are in line with national objectives, and develop capacity and accountability in improving learning outcomes. Clearly, a combination of sufficient funding and good policies lies at the heart of improved aid effectiveness in education. 
For full report on the 2011 KEDI-UNESCO regional report please click 

By Lien Pham


[1] Learning: the Treasure Within, the report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sufficient funding</em></strong></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">Country representatives at the seminar expressed a general concern that financial commitment, as suggested by the benchmark of 6% of GNP in the Delors report (1996),<span style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1"><a href="typo3/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Calibri&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">[1]</span></span></a></span>&nbsp;has not been met by many countries to sufficiently implement set education policies. Despite the efforts of many countries to raise public expenditure for education, very few countries have achieved this benchmark, notably in West and South Asia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>In addition, many countries depend on external funding to meet expenditure for education, including Cambodia, Lao PDR and Nepal. This dependency on foreign aid is risky: it is both potentially unstable and unsustainable in efforts to improve quality of education.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">The 2010 Global Monitoring Report (GMR) estimates that $US 16 billion in aid is needed to fill the financial gap required to achieve the Education for All (EFA) goals by 2015. Some countries in the Asia-Pacific may face a serious challenge of insufficient financial resources for education. This may then be compounded by lack of technical capacity to quantify resources actually needed to achieve both the EFA goals and their own national priorities in education.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Targeted ODA spending for education</em></strong></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">Country representations at the seminar acknowledged the positive contributions that international aid has brought. The funding conditions and guidelines of donors, especially in high priority areas, have helped countries to shift their education financing approach from input based to outcome based. Mr Tran Dai Hai from the Ministry of Education and Training, Viet Nam, illustrated how the practices in aid can be applied at the country level to improve quality of education. Foreign assistance to education in Vietnam has gradually moved away from a mix of large-scale projects to specific-targets for decentralized implementation of the EFA plan. This has encouraged a better medium-term policy and resources framework within which budget support can be delivered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>In Viet Nam, targeted funding has been of great benefit to improving education. In particular, it has led to increased innovation in policy and institutional reform, enabling a change in the quality of policies and efforts by government and donors to improve the efficiency and impact of these policies. One example is the implementation of programmes to ensure minimum quality standards are met in primary schools by targeting donor resources.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Partnerships for greater accountability</em></strong>&nbsp;<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">and capacity</em></strong></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">Many governments have made great effort to optimize ODA in education. The Cook Islands, for example, is working to guide projects towards holistic and sector-wide priorities of the Ministry of Education away from segregated projects. Lao PDR has adopted policy-driven planning by linking planning and budgeting at both central and provincial levels using budget allocation. This approach requires working in partnership with donors, where governments actively participate in financial management process or procurement systems with minimal support from external advisors. This also enables enhanced capacity development across the sector. Challenges remain however, as many countries still lack a comprehensive capacity development plan that links to their long term Education Sector Development Plan.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">Strengthened partnerships between donors and recipient countries is needed to promote results based management and accountability rather than monitoring aid flow and usage, and to allow countries to take a more active role in defining and implementing initiatives aimed at improving education quality. It is important that these partnerships pave the way for an improving public financial management system, building confidence and developing long term capacity in line with the country’s strategic objectives. According to Mr. Tran, flexibility in accepting diverse approaches to working with the various partners appears to be a successful strategy for Viet Nam in establishing effective co-operation and dialogue. It seems that demanding high levels of transparency from partners in linking performance with the disbursement of funds may have served to encourage mutual ownership and to build a stronger consensus over technical issues to meet the objectives of both donors and recipients of ODA.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">The seminar highlights the needs for and challenges that many countries in the region face in terms of sufficient funding, dependency on short term funding and public financial management reforms to build long term funding modalities and strategies that are in line with national objectives, and develop capacity and accountability in improving learning outcomes. Clearly, a combination of sufficient funding and good policies lies at the heart of improved aid effectiveness in education.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="COLOR: red"><a href="fileadmin/user_upload/epr/TVET/Seminar_report_-_final_25_April_2012_01.doc" title="Seminar_report_-_final_25_April_2012_01.doc (1.0 MB)" >For full report on the 2011 KEDI-UNESCO regional report please click&nbsp;</a></span></em></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">By Lien Pham</p><div style="mso-element: footnote-list"><p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr /><div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1"><a href="typo3/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Calibri&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">[1]</span></span></a></span>&nbsp;<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Learning: the Treasure Within</em><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">, the report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century</span></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>Education Policy and Reform</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			
			<author>m.manuson@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 17:41:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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		<item>
			<title>The Future of (Open) Education with Sir John Daniel</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/the-future-of-open-education-with-sir-john-daniel/</link>
			<description>Open education or open learning involves the policies and practices that permit entry to learning without barriers connected to age, gender, time constraints or prior learning. Arguably, the demand for open education has never been greater, particularly given the rapid development of ICTs and the ubiquitous spread of information through internet technologies. 
The benefits of open education are clear; not only can it enhance the cost-effectiveness of education and training systems, it helps to reach target groups with limited access to conventional education and training, it promotes innovation and allows greater opportunity for lifelong learning. As institutions including the Open University (Britain) and Athabasca University (Canada) throw away entry requirements and engage in distance learning programs, one might consider the critical role of open education in achieving Education for All, and beyond this, in shaping the very future of education.  
At the same time, many challenges need to be overcome, including persistent negative attitudes to e-learning and technological shortfalls which undermine the great potential of open education. 
Eight years after he left his position as Assistant Director General of UNESCO, Sir John Daniel visited UNESCO Bangkok to present on the concept of open education, the persistent challenges, achievements made and implications for the future of education, particularly in the context of discussion on the post-2015 international development agenda and post EFA. 
Sir John Daniel has been at the forefront of open education since its early days. He was studying in Paris during the 1968 student riots, which can be seen as a precursor to the ideals which initiated the development of open education. Later on, he aspired to become part of the new trend towards open education and joined the Quebec Open University. In 1990, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Open University in the United Kingdom. In his current career, as President of the Commonwealth of Learning, he has been promoting learning for development, particularly through technology. 
Throughout his career in education, he has been instrumental in the development of paradigms regarding open education, including his signature ‘iron triangle’ which explains the balance between costs, access and quality in the education system, and how when one increases, the other two factors are compromised. As Sir John explains, “Pack more students into the class and quality will be perceived to suffer. Improve quality by providing more learning materials or better teachers and the cost will go up. Cost cutting may endanger both access and quality.”
Having been part of the movement for so long, he has been witness to the development of the ideals which sustain open education. The ‘original’ Open University in the UK was founded on four key principles: being Open to People, Open to Places, Open to Methods and Open to Ideas. As the movement has grown, so have the ideals behind it. Empire State College even has an ‘open curriculum’ allowing students to design their own degree course. Open admissions and distance learning have been widely adopted by universities around the globe. This successful formula has lead to the growth of ‘mega universities’ with other 100,000 students, particularly dominant in the Asia-Pacific region.
Technology has had an undeniable impact on open education, revolutionising the way in which it is implemented. It has, for instance, distorted the ‘Iron Triangle’; enter technology and there is no longer the same cost, access and quality constraints that may have existed previously. High quality education can be more easily accessed at lower costs. Open universities have been exploiting the benefits of technology for some time, including, for example, using technology to diffuse Open Education Resources to a wider audience. 
Initially, there were concerns about the economic viability and thus sustainability of such an approach. Surprisingly, however, universities have found economic benefit since the resources do attract students to paid courses. Indeed, the UK Open University’s OpenLearn website now has 28 million users, and is the largest global player on iTunesU with 450,000 downloads per week. The scope of open learning now goes far beyond traditional degree courses. The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, for example, has offered a programme for tuk-tuk drivers. Technology has also allowed open education to spread to secondary schooling. This development has not been without its problems, but as the demand for secondary education surges, open education at this level can dramatically increase access. For Sir John Daniel, “Expanding access to secondary education is now education’s biggest challenge.” Technology could well aid the response to this.
As Open Education becomes continues to spread, a number of issues need to be addressed, including perennial copy-right concerns. Publishers, who have had something of a monopoly in the production of educational materials, are increasingly up-in-arms, as governments cut costs through Open Educational Resources. Simultaneously, as Open Educational Resources spread, it is increasingly difficult to monitor quality, particularly if adapted when delivered. With regard to secondary education, younger people may require more contact hours than open education may provide for. 
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has been supporting the ‘opening’ up of open education in many dimensions. It supports integrative open schools placed at the heart of school systems, so that the open schools can improve the quality and reach of the overall system and act as a source of innovation and a catalyst for reform. COL and UNESCO have already collaborated on several projects; for example UNESCO’s highly respected competency framework for ICT for teachers, reinforced by the Commonwealth certificate for ICT and teachers. 
As institutions increasingly embrace the concept of opening education or open learning, it is very likely open education will be critical in achieving Education for All, and beyond this, in shaping the very future of education.  </description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Open education</span></strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">&nbsp;or open learning involves the policies and practices that permit entry to learning without barriers connected to age, gender, time constraints or prior learning. Arguably, the demand for open education has never been greater, particularly given the rapid development of ICTs and the ubiquitous spread of information through internet technologies. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">The benefits of open education are </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">clear; not only can it enhance <span style="COLOR: black">the cost-effectiveness of education and training systems, it helps to reach target groups with limited access to conventional education and training, it promotes innovation and allows greater opportunity for lifelong learning. As institutions including the Open University (Britain) and Athabasca University (Canada) throw away entry requirements and engage in distance learning programs, one might consider the critical role of open education in achieving Education for All, and beyond this, in shaping the very future of education. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">At the same time, many challenges need to be overcome, including persistent negative attitudes to e-learning and technological shortfalls which undermine the great potential of open education. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Eight years after he left his position as Assistant Director General of UNESCO, Sir John Daniel visited UNESCO Bangkok to present on the concept of open education, the persistent challenges, achievements made and implications for the future of education, particularly in the context of discussion on the post-2015 international development agenda and post EFA. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 6pt; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Sir John Daniel has been at the forefront of open education since its early days. He was studying in Paris during the 1968 student riots, which can be seen as a precursor to the ideals which initiated the development of open education. Later on, he aspired to become part of the new trend towards open education and joined the Quebec Open University. In 1990, he was appointed </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA">Vice-Chancellor</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB"> of the Open University in the United Kingdom. In his current career, as President of the Commonwealth of Learning, he has been promoting learning for development, particularly through technology. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 6pt; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Throughout his career in education, he has been instrumental in the development of paradigms regarding open education, including his signature ‘iron triangle’ which explains the balance between costs, access and quality in the education system, and how when one increases, the other two factors are compromised. As Sir John explains, “</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA">Pack more students into the class and quality will be perceived to suffer. Improve quality by providing more learning materials or better teachers and the cost will go up. Cost cutting may endanger both access and quality.”</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 6pt; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Having been part of the movement for so long, he has been witness to the development of the ideals which sustain open education. The ‘original’ Open University in the UK was founded on four key principles: being <em>Open to People,</em> </span><em><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA">Open to Places, Open to Methods</span></em><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA"> and<em> Open to Ideas. </em>As the movement has grown, so have the ideals behind it. </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Empire State College even has an ‘open curriculum’ allowing students to design their own degree course.</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Open admissions and distance learning have been widely adopted by universities around the globe. This successful formula has lead to the growth of ‘mega universities’ with other 100,000 students, particularly dominant in the Asia-Pacific region.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Technology has had an undeniable impact on open education, revolutionising the way in which it is implemented. It has, for instance, distorted the ‘Iron Triangle’; enter technology and there is no longer the same cost, access and quality constraints that may have existed previously. High quality education can be more easily accessed at lower costs. Open universities have been exploiting the benefits of technology for some time, including, for example, using technology to diffuse Open Education Resources to a wider audience. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Initially, there were concerns about the economic viability and thus sustainability of such an approach. Surprisingly, however, universities have found economic benefit since the resources do attract students to paid courses. Indeed, the</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB"> UK Open University’s OpenLearn website now has 28 million users, and is the largest global player on iTunesU with 450,000 downloads per week. T<span style="BACKGROUND: white">he scope of open learning now goes far beyond traditional degree courses. </span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA">The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, for example, has offered a programme for tuk-tuk drivers. Technology has also allowed open education to spread to secondary schooling. This development has not been without its problems, but as the demand for secondary education surges, open education at this level can dramatically increase access. For Sir John Daniel, “Expanding access to secondary education is now education’s biggest challenge.” Technology could well aid the response to this.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">As Open Education becomes continues to spread, a number of issues need to be addressed, including perennial copy-right concerns. Publishers, who have had something of a monopoly in the production of educational materials, are increasingly up-in-arms, as governments cut costs through Open Educational Resources. Simultaneously, as Open Educational Resources spread, it is increasingly difficult to monitor quality, particularly if adapted when delivered. With regard to secondary education, younger people may require more contact hours than open education may provide for. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has been supporting the ‘opening’ up of open education in many dimensions. It supports </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-CA">integrative open schools placed at the heart of school systems, so that the open schools can improve the quality and reach of the overall system and act as a source of innovation and a catalyst for reform. COL and UNESCO have already collaborated on several projects; for example UNESCO’s</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> highly respected competency framework for ICT for teachers, reinforced by the Commonwealth certificate for ICT and teachers. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">As institutions increasingly embrace the concept of opening education or open learning, it is very likely open education will be critical in achieving Education for All, and beyond this, in shaping the very future of education. &nbsp;</span><a name="_GoBack"></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>ICT in Education</category>
			<category>Education Policy and Reform</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			
			<author>m.manuson@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 17:38:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>A milestone for UNESCO: Malaysia Education Policy Review </title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/a-milestone-for-unesco-malaysia-education-policy-review/</link>
			<description>UNESCO meets with Ministry of Education officials as part of the Malaysia Education Policy Review, April 2012The review identified the key strengths and challenges facing the Malaysian education system and provided recommendations to the Government for further consideration in its reform design. 
Overall, report findings indicate remarkable progress in improving access, equity and quality in its education services in Malaysia. 
Since gaining independence in 1957, the Federation of Malaysia has made significant commitment to achieving education for all and to improving its national education system. This is clearly reflected in a significant financial investment in education, comprehensive educational plans, and numerous policy reforms to meet evolving national aspirations and global demands. 
“Malaysia is not only on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of Universal Primary Education but will also be close to universal schooling in lower secondary education by 2015. This commendable achievement would not have been possible without the commitment of the Government and all stakeholders in education,” said UNESCO Bangkok Director, Mr Gwang-Jo Kim. 
But given Malaysia’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2020, the country is challenged to improve further still and in particular, boost the quality of the education it provides.
For this purpose, the M-EPR provides recommendations for system-wide improvement in five educational areas of national priority: teacher development, curriculum development, learning assessment, ICT in education and technical and vocational education and training, as well as overarching systemic issues.    
The UNESCO review involved a team of UNESCO staff (Paris and Bangkok) as well as international consultants including Phil Stabback (International Bureau of Education), Edmond Law (Hong Kong Institute of Education), Oon Ying Chin (Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations), Nancy Law (University of Hong Kong) and John Polesel (University of Melbourne) working with the Malaysian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education.
“The Malaysian Education Policy Review has been a great learning opportunity, not just in reference to the findings and recommendations provided, but in the strengthened appreciation for the uniqueness of the Malaysian education system, for the distinctive strengths and challenges faced and the need for a suitably Malaysian ‘flavour’ to any reform measure,” said Mr Kim.
We hope that this review provides a solid foundation for the Malaysian Government’s on-going efforts to strengthen its education system. In particular, we hope that it provides the international perspective needed to assess critically the systemic strengths and shortcomings and provide objective recommendations to support Malaysia in its bid for “Vision 2020,” he said. 
An abridged version of the report released for the public will soon be made available to the public. 
To receive a copy or for more information please contact UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education – Ms Satoko Yano (s.yano(at)unesco.org), tel. 66 2 391 0577 ext. 367 or Ms. Rachel McCarthy (r.mccarthy(at)unesco.org) tel. 66 2 391 0577 ext. 374. 
</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">UNESCO meets with Ministry of Education officials as part of the Malaysia Education Policy Review, April 2012<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The review identified the key strengths and challenges facing the Malaysian education system and provided recommendations to the Government for further consideration in its reform design. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Overall, report findings indicate remarkable progress in improving access, equity and quality in its education services in Malaysia. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Since gaining independence in 1957, the Federation of Malaysia has made significant commitment to achieving education for all and to improving its national education system. This is clearly reflected in a significant financial investment in education, comprehensive educational plans, and numerous policy reforms to meet evolving national aspirations and global demands.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">“Malaysia is not only on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of Universal Primary Education but will also be close to universal schooling in lower secondary education by 2015. This commendable achievement would not have been possible without the commitment of the Government and all stakeholders in education,” said UNESCO Bangkok Director, Mr Gwang-Jo Kim. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">But given </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Malaysia’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2020, the country is challenged to improve further still and in particular, boost the quality of the education it provides.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">For this purpose, the M-EPR provides</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> recommendations for system-wide improvement in five educational areas of national priority: teacher development, curriculum development, learning assessment, ICT in education and technical and vocational education and training, as well as overarching systemic issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The UNESCO review </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">involved</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> a team of UNESCO staff (Paris and Bangkok) as well as international consultants including Phil Stabback (International Bureau of Education), Edmond Law (Hong Kong Institute of Education), Oon Ying Chin (Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations), Nancy Law (University of Hong Kong) and John Polesel (University of Melbourne) working </span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">with the Malaysian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">“</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Malaysian Education Policy Review has been a great learning opportunity, not just in reference to the findings and recommendations provided, but in the strengthened appreciation for the uniqueness of the Malaysian education system, for the distinctive strengths and challenges faced and the need for a suitably Malaysian ‘flavour’ to any reform measure,” said Mr Kim.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">We hope that this review provides a solid foundation for the Malaysian Government’s on-going efforts to strengthen its education system. In particular, we hope that it provides the international perspective needed to assess critically the systemic strengths and shortcomings and provide objective recommendations to support Malaysia in its bid for “Vision 2020,” he said. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">An abridged version of the report released for the public will soon be made available to the public. </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; BACKGROUND: white; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">To receive a copy or for more information please contact UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education – Ms Satoko Yano (s.yano(at)unesco.org), tel. 66 2 391 0577 ext. 367&nbsp;or&nbsp;Ms. Rachel McCarthy (r.mccarthy(at)unesco.org) tel.&nbsp;66 2 391 0577 ext. 374.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">&nbsp;</p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>Education Policy and Reform</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			
			<author>m.manuson@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 17:31:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>The understated importance of non-cognitive skills</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/the-understated-importance-of-non-cognitive-skills/</link>
			<description>Indeed, more than a decade into the 21st century, it is increasingly acknowledged that a purely economic model of development is not sufficient to respond to the problems facing the world. In the lead-up to 2015 and beyond, it is important to increase our exploration of how education systems should go about promoting learning for the acquisition of so-called “non-cognitive skills”[1] needed to confront contemporary challenges and to be responsible and engaged members of society. 
Some national systems of education are increasingly working to find ways to accommodate the socio-cultural sphere, including the teaching of indigenous and other minority groups’ histories in culturally sensitive ways, the teaching of ethics and values and bilingual or mother tongue education.  The latter is particularly significant given that teaching students in their mother tongue has been shown to not only improve their academic results, but also to provide communication skills, critical mind sets and opportunities to learn through aspects of one’s own culture. Given the linguistic diversity of the region (2500 languages are found in the Asia-Pacific region and Papua New Guinea alone has more than 850 languages (UNESCO 2007)), this is a particularly pertinent consideration.
A related consideration concerns the purpose of education. Beyond its cognitive dimensions aimed at producing high performing students for the labour market, there is increasing recognition of the role of education in teaching people to live together. This more comprehensive conception of education acknowledges its centrality in promoting peace, citizenship and sustainable development and responding to crucial challenges such as ethnic and religious conflict, youth unemployment, social unrest and HIV and AIDS. 
Panelists on Discussion Three: Socio-cultural Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region and Implications for Education highlighted the great importance that should be placed on socio-cultural trends and challenges and the development of non-cognitive skills in improving education in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly as we look beyond 2015. The panel discussion, held on the second day of the regional high-level expert meeting, involved experts from Bhutan, Fiji and the Republic of Korea. 
Lopen Lungtean Gyatso, Director of the Institute for Language and Cultural Studies, Royal University of Bhutan, presented a Bhutanese perspective of the cultural value of education, highlighting the way in which curriculum, driven by market forces and economic values, may come at the cost of lessened ‘indigenous thought.’ At the same time, Lopen Gyatso revisited Bhutan’s well known policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), explaining that “education systems should enable students to truly understand values and encourage wholesome and positive emotions,” underscoring the significance of culture and history in informing who we are as individuals, a concept that should be better embraced through education. 

The Bhutanese education system, in an effort to do this, incorporates the nine domains of GNH: psychological wellbeing, physical health, community vitality, work‐life balance, living standards, civic engagement in governance, education, cultural diversity and ecological integrity. Once these aspects are balanced, Lopen Gyatso explained, the chance of receiving happiness in life increases. Happiness has therefore replaced economic forces, to be at the heart of the Bhutanese education agenda.

As part of the panel, Konai Thaman, UNESCO Chair in Indigenous Education and Professor at the University of the South-Pacific, shared her perspectives on socio-cultural contexts in the South-Pacific. She pointed out that in the South-Pacific, the common word for ‘culture’ is synonymous with ‘life’ and is thus all embracing of social, cultural, economic, political domains. The Pacific region is defined by its immense cultural diversity. At the same time, many are migrating for both business and education, while the Pacific region has continued to ‘underperform’ in education, when compared to the broader Asia-Pacific region. The quality of education continues to present as a perennial concern, with limited return for money spent on education. In many ways, it can be argued that the continued challenges to improving education in the Pacific region are largely the result of a system not culturally sensitive to the needs of its pupils. 

For Konai Thaman, pupils are commonly expected to learn in a foreign language and adapt to foreign values while in the school room. It may be that the idea of uniforms and registration are alien to those starting in schools, that the knowledge obtained and lessons learnt, indeed the curriculum itself, may not be of relevance to local communities. For many, it may be that what is taught in school does not reflect the world outside school. Children are thus at risk of becoming disconnected from their cultural heritage; they might not even know their ‘mother tongue’. 

In this environment, it may come as no surprise that children leave school prematurely. In the South-Pacific, unemployment is high and particularly for youth, while drug use and suicide rates are cause for concern. In the effort to reform education in the Pacific region, the great importance of socio-cultural factors could be an important part of the solution.

The third panelist, Seunghwan Lee, Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding, Republic of Korea, presented ‘Revisiting the Aim of Education and the Mainstreaming of Education for International Understanding.’ For Dr Lee, we have entered a new age of ‘discontent’ in education. Not only do we see great hikes in tuition fees in many parts of the world and persistently high levels of youth unemployment, in other parts of the world, we see continuing problems of illiteracy and a lack of easy access to schools. For Dr Lee, if global military spending, which continues to increase at an unimaginable pace, was instead directed towards eradicating illiteracy, we would go a long way to resolving many of the world’s greatest problems. Altering our perception of education as fundamental to international understanding, could also help bring about critical changes that we need. To this end, underpinning education for international understanding are three core values, according to Dr Lee, which should be at the forefront of future education agendas: 

1) Respect of diversity
2) Respect of Universal Values – Human rights, Peace, Environment
3) Non-violent ways of conflict resolution

This does perhaps bring us back to the very purpose of education. Beyond the cognitive dimensions aimed at producing high performing students for the labour market, there is indeed increasing recognition for the role of education in teaching people to live together. In shaping the future of education in the Asia-Pacific, we must indeed pay close attention socio-cultural trend and more specifically, the development of non-cognitive skills, an important core message from the high-level expert meeting, “Towards EFA 2015 and Beyond – Shaping a new Vision of Education.” 





[1] Non-cognitive areas include “soft skills” not always measured in educational assessments.  such as interpersonal skills, creativity, one’s skills in verbal and non-verbal communication, empathy and emotional maturity. 
</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Indeed, more than a decade into the 21<sup>st</sup>&nbsp;century, it is increasingly acknowledged that a purely economic model of development is not sufficient to respond to the problems facing the world. In the lead-up to 2015 and beyond, it is important to increase our exploration of how education systems should go about promoting learning for the acquisition of so-called “non-cognitive skills”<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">[1]</span></span></span></span>&nbsp;needed to confront contemporary challenges and to be responsible and engaged members of society.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Some national systems of education are increasingly working to find ways to accommodate the socio-cultural sphere, including the teaching of indigenous and other minority groups’ histories in culturally sensitive ways, the teaching of ethics and values and bilingual or mother tongue education.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>The latter is particularly significant given that&nbsp;</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">teaching students in their mother tongue has been shown to not only improve their academic results, but also to provide communication skills, critical mind sets and opportunities to learn through aspects of one’s own culture. Given the linguistic diversity of the region (</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">2500 languages are found in the Asia-Pacific region and Papua New Guinea alone has more than 850 languages (UNESCO 2007)), this is a particularly pertinent consideration.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">A related consideration concerns the purpose of education. Beyond its cognitive dimensions aimed at producing high performing students for the labour market, there is increasing recognition of the role of education in teaching people to live together. This more comprehensive conception of education acknowledges its centrality in promoting peace, citizenship and sustainable development and responding to crucial challenges such as ethnic and religious conflict, youth unemployment, social unrest and HIV and AIDS.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Panelists on Discussion Three: Socio-cultural Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region and Implications for Education highlighted the great importance that should be placed on socio-cultural trends and challenges and the development of non-cognitive skills in improving education in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly as we look beyond 2015. The panel discussion, held on the second day of the regional high-level expert meeting, involved experts from Bhutan, Fiji and the Republic of Korea.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Lopen Lungtean Gyatso, Director of the Institute for Language and Cultural Studies, Royal University of Bhutan, presented a Bhutanese perspective of the cultural value of education, highlighting the way in which curriculum, driven by market forces and economic values, may come at the cost of lessened ‘indigenous thought.’ At the same time, Lopen Gyatso revisited Bhutan’s well known policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), explaining that “education systems should enable students to truly understand values and encourage wholesome and positive emotions,” underscoring the significance of culture and history in informing who we are as individuals, a concept that should be better embraced through education.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">The Bhutanese education system, in an effort to do this, incorporates the nine domains of GNH:&nbsp;</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">psychological wellbeing, physical health, community vitality, work</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Cambria&quot;, &quot;serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">‐</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">life balance, living standards, civic engagement in governance, education, cultural diversity and ecological integrity. Once these aspects are balanced, Lopen Gyatso explained, the chance of receiving happiness in life increases. Happiness has therefore replaced economic forces, to be at the heart of the Bhutanese education agenda.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As part of the panel, Konai Thaman, UNESCO Chair in Indigenous Education and Professor at the University of the South-Pacific, shared her perspectives on socio-cultural contexts in the South-Pacific. She pointed out that in the South-Pacific,&nbsp;</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">the common word for ‘culture’ is synonymous with ‘life’ and is thus all embracing of social, cultural, economic, political domains. The Pacific region is defined by its immense cultural diversity. At the same time, many are migrating for both business and education, while&nbsp;</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">the Pacific region has continued to ‘underperform’ in education, when compared to the broader Asia-Pacific region. The quality of education continues to present as a perennial concern, with limited return for money spent on education. In many ways, it can be argued that the continued challenges to improving education in the Pacific region are largely the result of a system not culturally sensitive to the needs of its pupils.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">For Konai Thaman, pupils are commonly expected to learn in a foreign language and adapt to foreign values while in the school room. It may be that the idea of uniforms and registration are alien to those starting in schools, that the knowledge obtained and lessons learnt, indeed the curriculum itself, may not be of relevance to local communities. For many, it may be that what is taught in school does not reflect the world outside school. Children are thus at risk of becoming disconnected from their cultural heritage; they might not even know their ‘mother tongue’.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In this environment, it may come as no surprise that children leave school prematurely. In the South-Pacific, unemployment is high and particularly for youth, while drug use and suicide rates are cause for concern. In the effort to reform education in the Pacific region, the great importance of socio-cultural factors could be an important part of the solution.</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The third panelist, Seunghwan Lee, Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding, Republic of Korea, presented ‘</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Revisiting the Aim of Education and the Mainstreaming of Education for International Understanding.’ For Dr Lee, we have entered a new age of ‘discontent’ in education. Not only do we see great hikes in tuition fees in many parts of the world and persistently high levels of youth unemployment, in other parts of the world, we see continuing problems of illiteracy and a lack of easy access to schools. For Dr Lee, if global military spending, which&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ppu.org.uk/indexStuff/indexmilex.html" target="_blank" >continues to increase</a>&nbsp;at an unimaginable pace, was instead directed towards eradicating illiteracy, we would go a long way to resolving many of the world’s greatest problems. Altering our perception of education as fundamental to international understanding, could also help bring about critical changes that we need. To this end, underpinning education for international understanding are three core values, according to Dr Lee, which should be at the forefront of future education agendas:&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: #438187; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">1)&nbsp;</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Respect of diversity</span></p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: #438187; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">2)&nbsp;</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Respect of Universal Values – Human rights, Peace, Environment</span></p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: #438187; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">3)&nbsp;</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-GB">Non-violent ways of conflict resolution</span></p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; BACKGROUND: white"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This does perhaps bring us back to the very purpose of education. Beyond the cognitive dimensions aimed at producing high performing students for the labour market, there is indeed increasing recognition for the role of education in teaching people to live together. In shaping the future of education in the Asia-Pacific, we must indeed pay close attention socio-cultural trend and more specifically, the development of non-cognitive skills, an important core message from the high-level expert meeting, “</span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><a href="education/epr/erf/" >Towards EFA 2015 and Beyond – Shaping a new Vision of Education.”</a>&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</p><div style="mso-element: footnote-list"><p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr /><div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1"><a href="typo3/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Calibri&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; FONT-SIZE: 16pt">[1]</span></span></span></a></span>&nbsp;<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Non-cognitive areas include “soft skills” not always measured in educational assessments.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>such as interpersonal skills, creativity, one’s skills in verbal and non-verbal communication, empathy and emotional maturity.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt">&nbsp;</p></div></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>Education Policy and Reform</category>
			<category>Conference</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			
			<author>m.manuson@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 16:28:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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			<title> Bali rice field cultivation system listed on UNESCO world heritage</title>
			<link>http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/culture/2012-05/21/c_131601289.htm</link>
			<description>JAKARTA,(Xinhua) -- A traditional farming and irrigation system used in Bali known as &quot;subak&quot; has been included in the world-heritage by UNESCO, media reported here on Monday.</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>CLT</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>y.chengbumpenthan@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 15:05:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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			<title>China holds cultural forum to promote harmony amid diversity</title>
			<link>http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-05/21/c_131601645.htm</link>
			<description>QUFU, Shandong,(Xinhua) -- The Second Nishan Forum on World Civilizations dedicated to promoting cultural diversity and cross-cultural dialogue opened Monday morning in Confucius' birthplace Qufu, a city in east China's Shandong province.</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>CLT</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>y.chengbumpenthan@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 15:03:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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			<title>Shaping the Future of Education in Asia-Pacific</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/shaping-the-future-of-education-in-asia-pacific/</link>
			<description>More than 50 high-level representatives and experts from research institutions, education ministries, UN, International Organizations and NGOs discussed progress towards Education for All (EFA) and the future of education in Asia and the Pacific. 
“Many countries, now moving towards middle income status, are experiencing new economic and social pressures. At the same time, we are living in an era of rapid technological advancement, demographic shifts, and climate change,” said Gwang-Jo Kim, UNESCO Bangkok Director during the conference.    “This has significant implications for education. It means we have a responsibility to equip all people with the requisite knowledge and skills for a changing world. They must be able to adjust to changing economic situations, they must develop technological literacy, they must even adapt to the change of nature itself. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders; they must also be able to implement change,” said Mr Kim.
The meeting identified key messages for the future of education:  
   Achieving Education for All remains an unfinished agenda in the region. Meeting these goals requires strengthened efforts to address persistent disparities between and within countries;   Education for All is of continued relevance, yet there is need to go beyond these goals. Learning, equity and quality of education, including a focus on teachers and skills development must feature prominently in the future education development agenda;  Broader socio-economic development and challenges must be clearly reflected in discussions on the future of education, and;  There must be both an education-specific development agenda beyond 2015 and explicit reference to education in global agendas, given the fundamental role of education in advancing human development.   
Participants agreed that there is need for a shift towards a broader and more holistic view of education for the future.
“Given the emerging challenges, the post-2015 education agenda should take a broader platform than Education for All. We must see education as linked to other sectors: progress in education leads to advances in other national and international goals, including the MDGs,” said Ms Margarete Sachs-Israel, Education Research and Foresight Programme, UNESCO Bangkok. 
“Today’s complex world has put new and high pressures on education systems. We cannot wait -  it is today that we must act together to ensure that future generations are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the future,” said Ms Sachs-Israel.
The meeting provided a platform to forge partnerships and networks with UNESCO in pursuit of a new vision for education. It also identified research and analytical work to be undertaken and developed recommendations on the way forward for a regional post-2015 education agenda. 
The three-day meeting from 9-11 May was hosted by UNESCO’s Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, with support from the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and UNICEF Regional Offices. 

©UNESCO/J.Ekedahl
More information at: http://www.unescobkk.org/education/new-vision-education/</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>More than 50 high-level representatives and experts from research institutions, education ministries, UN, International Organizations and NGOs discussed progress towards Education for All (EFA) and the future of education in Asia and the Pacific.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“Many countries, now moving towards middle income status, are experiencing new economic and social pressures. At the same time, we are living in an era of rapid technological advancement, demographic shifts, and climate change,” said Gwang-Jo Kim, UNESCO Bangkok Director during the conference.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;“This has significant implications for education. It means we have a responsibility to equip all people with the requisite knowledge and skills for a changing world. They must be able to adjust to changing economic situations, they must develop technological literacy, they must even adapt to the change of nature itself. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders; they must also be able to implement change,” said Mr Kim.</p>
<p>The meeting identified key messages for the future of education:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><ol>&nbsp;&nbsp;<li>&nbsp;Achieving Education for All remains an unfinished agenda in the region. Meeting these goals requires strengthened efforts to address persistent disparities between and within countries;</li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<li>&nbsp;Education for All is of continued relevance, yet there is need to go beyond these goals. Learning, equity and quality of education, including a focus on teachers and skills development must feature prominently in the future education development agenda;</li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<li>Broader socio-economic development and challenges must be clearly reflected in discussions on the future of education, and;</li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<li>There must be both an education-specific development agenda beyond 2015 and explicit reference to education in global agendas, given the fundamental role of education in advancing human development.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>&nbsp;</ol><p>Participants agreed that there is need for a shift towards a broader and more holistic view of education for the future.</p>
<p>“Given the emerging challenges, the post-2015 education agenda should take a broader platform than Education for All. We must see education as linked to other sectors: progress in education leads to advances in other national and international goals, including the MDGs,” said Ms Margarete Sachs-Israel, Education Research and Foresight Programme, UNESCO Bangkok.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“Today’s complex world has put new and high pressures on education systems. We cannot wait -&nbsp; it is today that we must act together to ensure that future generations are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the future,” said Ms Sachs-Israel.</p>
<p>The meeting provided a platform to forge partnerships and networks with UNESCO in pursuit of a new vision for education. It also identified research and analytical work to be undertaken and developed recommendations on the way forward for a regional post-2015 education agenda.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The three-day meeting from 9-11 May was hosted by UNESCO’s Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, with support from the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and UNICEF Regional Offices.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&amp;file=uploads%2FRTEmagicP_high-level-regional-expert-meeting-on-the-post-2015-education_9-11May2012.jpg&amp;md5=e3b8b012a843243b6d4a4ad3c3b7929df1639995&amp;parameters[0]=YTo0OntzOjU6IndpZHRoIjtzOjM6IjgwMCI7czo2OiJoZWlnaHQiO3M6NDoiNjAw&amp;parameters[1]=bSI7czo3OiJib2R5VGFnIjtzOjQxOiI8Ym9keSBzdHlsZT0ibWFyZ2luOjA7IGJh&amp;parameters[2]=Y2tncm91bmQ6I2ZmZjsiPiI7czo0OiJ3cmFwIjtzOjM3OiI8YSBocmVmPSJqYXZh&amp;parameters[3]=c2NyaXB0OmNsb3NlKCk7Ij4gfCA8L2E%2BIjt9" onclick="openPic('http://www.unescobkk.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&amp;file=uploads%2FRTEmagicP_high-level-regional-expert-meeting-on-the-post-2015-education_9-11May2012.jpg&amp;md5=e3b8b012a843243b6d4a4ad3c3b7929df1639995&amp;parameters[0]=YTo0OntzOjU6IndpZHRoIjtzOjM6IjgwMCI7czo2OiJoZWlnaHQiO3M6NDoiNjAw&amp;parameters[1]=bSI7czo3OiJib2R5VGFnIjtzOjQxOiI8Ym9keSBzdHlsZT0ibWFyZ2luOjA7IGJh&amp;parameters[2]=Y2tncm91bmQ6I2ZmZjsiPiI7czo0OiJ3cmFwIjtzOjM3OiI8YSBocmVmPSJqYXZh&amp;parameters[3]=c2NyaXB0OmNsb3NlKCk7Ij4gfCA8L2E%2BIjt9','thePicture','width=800,height=350,status=0,menubar=0'); return false;" target="thePicture"><img src="uploads/RTEmagicC_high-level-regional-expert-meeting-on-the-post-2015-education_9-11May2012.jpg.jpg" width="600" height="262" alt="" /></a></p>
<p><em>©UNESCO/J.Ekedahl</em></p>
<p><br />More information at:&nbsp;<a href="education/new-vision-education/" >http://www.unescobkk.org/education/new-vision-education/</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>Press Release</category>
			<category>ED InFocus</category>
			<category>Infocus</category>
			<category>Vision for Education</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 08:36:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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			<title>UNESCO Forum on Post Conflict Education “Learning to Live Together”</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/unesco-forum-on-post-conflict-education-learning-to-live-together/</link>
			<description>The Forum aims to support education initiatives and collect good practices in the context of conflict prevention from the Central Asian countries and CIS. It is expected that Forum will develop and adopt recommendations on response strategies and education policy formulation in post conflict situation with focus on promotion of human rights, peace building, gender mainstreaming and social inclusion for vulnerable groups. 
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, National Commission for UNESCO, UN Women Regional Office for CIS countries in Almaty and the Soros-Kyrgyzstan support and contribute to the work of the Forum. International experts from the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) will participate as well and share experiences on peace-building activities. 
Specialists and experts from Ministries of Education, non-governmental organizations, research institutes from CIS countries, international organizations, development partners, practitioners, focal professionals and community leaders will participate in the working sessions of the Forum. 
Ministers of Education of the EURASEC Member States fully supported UNESCO's proposal to conduct the Forum on post conflict education and suggested to consolidate it with the next meeting of the Eurasian Economic Integration Community Education Committee Meeting at the Ministerial level in Bishkek in June 2012. 
Participation of Ministers of Education in the Forum will promote the implementation of joint initiatives and events for the achievement of quality education for all. This activity is a step forward to make education a powerful force for peace building in the government agenda of each Member State. 
For more information, pleas contact Aigul Khalafova (a.khalafova(at)unesco.org), Education Specialist, UNESCO Cluster Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan; Almaty, KAZAKHSTAN.</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Forum aims to support education initiatives and collect good practices in the context of conflict prevention from the Central Asian countries and CIS. It is expected that Forum will develop and adopt recommendations on response strategies and education policy formulation in post conflict situation with focus on promotion of human rights, peace building, gender mainstreaming and social inclusion for vulnerable groups.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, National Commission for UNESCO, UN Women Regional Office for CIS countries in Almaty and the Soros-Kyrgyzstan support and contribute to the work of the Forum. International experts from the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) will participate as well and share experiences on peace-building activities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Specialists and experts from Ministries of Education, non-governmental organizations, research institutes from CIS countries, international organizations, development partners, practitioners, focal professionals and community leaders will participate in the working sessions of the Forum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ministers of Education of the EURASEC Member States fully supported UNESCO's proposal to conduct the Forum on post conflict education and suggested to consolidate it with the next meeting of the Eurasian Economic Integration Community Education Committee Meeting at the Ministerial level in Bishkek in June 2012.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Participation of Ministers of Education in the Forum will promote the implementation of joint initiatives and events for the achievement of quality education for all. This activity is a step forward to make education a powerful force for peace building in the government agenda of each Member State.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For more information,&nbsp;pleas contact&nbsp;Aigul Khalafova (a.khalafova(at)unesco.org), Education Specialist, UNESCO Cluster Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,&nbsp;and Tajikistan;&nbsp;Almaty, KAZAKHSTAN.</p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>ESD e-news</category>
			<category>ED</category>
			<category>Education for sustainable development</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>Event / Activity</category>
			
			<author>r.kulsawet@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2012 11:14:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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			<title>Dr. Fangli Qiao appointed the Director of the IOC Regional Training and Research Center on Ocean Dynamics and Climate</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/westpac/about-us/ioc-westpac/ioc-westpac/programmes-and-projects/capacity-development/unescoioc-regional-network-of-training-and-research-centres-on-oceanography-in-the-western-pacific/dr-fangli-qiao-appointed-the-director-of-the-ioc-regional-training-and-research-center-on-ocean-dynamics-and-climate/</link>
			<description></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>NS InFocus</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>n.saransuth@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2012 06:03:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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		<item>
			<title>Building skills for work and life</title>
			<link>http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/building_skills_for_work_and_life/</link>
			<description>Transforming technical and vocational education and training</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>UNESCO Bangkok</category>
			<category>News</category>
			<category>Technical &amp; Vocational Education</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 May 2012 13:02:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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		<item>
			<title>Request for Proposal – Scale up evidence-informed Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in the Philippines</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/request-for-proposal-scale-up-evidence-informed-comprehensive-sexuality-education-cse-in-the-p/</link>
			<description>RFP Closing Date: 1 June 2012Dear Sir/Madam, 
You are requested to submit a proposal for the development of supplementary training material on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and related implementation activities from June 2012 to December 2013, as per enclosed Terms of Reference (TOR). To enable you to submit a Proposal, kindly please download Terms of Reference (TOR) here. Your offer comprising of technical proposal (workplan) and financial proposal, should reach the following address no later than 1 June 2012. UNESCO Office, Jakarta Jl. Galuh II No.5, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12110, INDONESIA PROPOSAL FOR SERVICES Reference: JAK/RFQ/EDU/12/007 RFP Closing Date and Time: 1 June 2012 Email: jakarta@unesco.org 
This letter is not to be construed in any way as an offer to contract with your firm/institution. Your proposal could, however, form the basis for a contract between your organization and UNESCO. You are requested to acknowledge the receipt of this letter and to indicate whether or not you will be submitting a proposal. For this purpose, and for any requests for clarifications, please contact UNESCO Jakarta Education Unit in email above.Source: UNESCO Cluster Office in Jakarta</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>RFP Closing Date:&nbsp;<strong>1 June 2012<br /></strong><br />Dear Sir/Madam,&nbsp;</p>
<p>You are requested to submit a proposal for the development of supplementary training material on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and related implementation activities from June 2012 to December 2013, as per enclosed Terms of Reference (TOR).<br />&nbsp;<br />To enable you to submit a Proposal, kindly please download&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unesco.or.id/download/FINAL%20TOR%20RFP%20PH.pdf" title="Opens external link in new window" target="_blank" class="external-link-new-window" >Terms of Reference (TOR)</a>&nbsp;here.<br />&nbsp;<br />Your offer comprising of technical proposal (workplan) and financial proposal, should reach the following address no later than 1 June 2012.<br />&nbsp;<br />UNESCO Office, Jakarta&nbsp;<br />Jl. Galuh II No.5, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12110, INDONESIA&nbsp;<br />PROPOSAL FOR SERVICES&nbsp;<br />Reference: JAK/RFQ/EDU/12/007&nbsp;<br />RFP Closing Date and Time: 1 June 2012&nbsp;<br />Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jakarta@unesco.org" >jakarta@unesco.org</a>&nbsp;</p>
<p>This letter is not to be construed in any way as an offer to contract with your firm/institution. Your proposal could, however, form the basis for a contract between your organization and UNESCO.<br />&nbsp;<br />You are requested to acknowledge the receipt of this letter and to indicate whether or not you will be submitting a proposal. For this purpose, and for any requests for clarifications,&nbsp;please contact UNESCO Jakarta Education Unit in email above.<br /><br /><em>Source: UNESCO Cluster Office in Jakarta</em></p>]]></content:encoded>
			<category>HIV/AIDS</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>tl.ngo@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 May 2012 09:40:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>WESTPAC launches the website of Ocean Forecasting Demonstration System (OFDS) for the Southeast Asian Seas</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/westpac/about-us/ioc-westpac/ioc-westpac/programmes-and-projects/ocean-observations-and-services/south-east-asian-global-ocean-observing-system-seagoos/ocean-forecasting-demonstration/westpac-launches-the-website-of-ocean-forecasting-demonstration-system-ofds-for-the-southeast-asian-seas/</link>
			<description></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>NS InFocus</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>n.saransuth@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 May 2012 23:07:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
		</item>
		
		<item>
			<title>WESTPAC elected its new officers</title>
			<link>http://www.unescobkk.org/westpac/about-us/ioc-westpac/ioc-westpac/session/westpac-9/westpac-elected-its-new-officers/</link>
			<description></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
			<category>NS InFocus</category>
			<category>News</category>
			
			<author>n.saransuth@unesco.org</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 May 2012 22:03:00 +0700</pubDate>
			
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