UNESCO: Role in

Education Sector

UNESCO is a crucial organization that shapes global

education policies, fosters international cooperation, and
promotes equitable access to quality education
worldwide. Let's explore the history, achievements, and
challenges of UNESCO in advancing education.

BY ANSHITA

UID – UGJ23-47
History of UNESCO

After World War II, UNESCO was

established as a specialized agency of
the United Nations. Since then, it has
played a vital role in promoting global
collaboration in education, research,
and culture. UNESCO has been
instrumental in safeguarding cultural
and natural heritage sites, supporting
scientific research, and advancing
education worldwide.
UNESCO has diligently pursued its mission, bearing witness to a remarkable surge in its
membership from twenty-six to sixty-five, as knowledge has extended into unexplored
territories and the dynamics of conflict have undergone transformation.
Advancement of Education by UNESCO

Global Education Coalition Futures of Education Commission

In 2020, UNESCO founded the Global
In 2019, UNESCO created the Futures of
Education Coalition to ensure uninterrupted
Education Commission to envision the future
provision of educational resources by
landscape of learning and provide insights for
fostering an alliance among governments,
educational development.
non-governmental organizations, and
technological enterprises.

Education 2030 Framework for Sustainable Development Goals

Action
UNESCO has played a central role in
Since 2015, UNESCO has embraced the accepting the Sustainable Development
Education 2030 Framework for Action, aimed Goals, with SDG 4 concentrating on achieving
at steering nations towards the realization of inclusive and quality education for all.
the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)
focused on education.
UNESCO's Impact on Lifelong Learning

1 Lifelong Learning Concept

In the 1970s, UNESCO introduced the concept of Lifelong Learning and Education (LLE), rooted in
the integration of learning and living.

2 Positive Transformative Effect

Lifelong learning, as promoted by UNESCO, has the potential to positively impact societies by addressing challenges arising from
advancements in science and technology, promoting democracy, and nurturing human development.

3 Criticism and Ongoing Improvement

While criticisms regarding inclusivity and effective collaboration with stakeholders have been raised, UNESCO's lifelong education programs have
played a pivotal role in advancing global educational endeavors.
• Lifelong learning has sustainable development as a core point.
• our planet won’t survive, if it is not a learning planet .
• In 2015, UNESCO published the document Rethinking Education, inspired by the Faure report and Delors
report, which focused on the challenges and demand of education for the 21 st century. The report
showed that education is a right and is considered as a public good ( UNESCO, 2015). Here, education
and learning are defined both in economic and humanistic approaches. Educational policies are
recognised taking sustainable development goals (SDGs) as the central point. The report shows that
world population doubled from 1950 to 2013 and poverty declined by half between 1990 and 2000 (
UNESCO, 2015).
• After adaptation of SDGs in 70th session of United Nation General Assembly, UNESCO has taken
particular importance on global literacy and has taken steps to implement 2030 SDGs within the lifelong
learning framework ( UIL, Annual Report, 2016; UIL, Annual Report, 2018). Very recently UNESCO has
been focusing on adult learning and education for promoting lifelong learning ( UIL, Annual Report, 2019
). Hence, the concept of ifelong learning has been modifying with global learning needs and realities.
LIMITATIONS:
1.Concerns About Manipulation
2. Researcher doesn’t participate in data collection process
and does not know exactly how it happened. Therefore,
data could be manipulated. However, to conduct this
study, researcher tried to avoid the most limitations of
secondary data analysis by reflective examination and
critical evaluation ( Johnston, 2017).
It would be better if further research could be done by
collecting primary data.
In this case, interviews from UNESCO officials and other
contemporary scholars of this field would be
appreciated for data accuracy and authenticity.
UNESCO's Efforts in Promoting Girls'
Education
1 Ensuring Equal
Opportunities
UNESCO has prioritized girls'
education to ensure equal
opportunities for all. Through
various initiatives, it aims to
eliminate gender-based
educational disparities and
create a more inclusive
learning environment.
2 Promoting 3 Collaborating with
Awareness and
Advocacy
UNESCO actively
advocates for girls'
education globally,
raising awareness about
the importance of
educating girls and
mobilizing resources to
support their access to
quality education.
Partners
By collaborating with
governments, stakeholders, and
civil society organizations,
UNESCO aims to strengthen efforts
towards achieving gender equality
in education and empowering girls
to reach their full potential.
1.Gender Parity Focus:
•UNESCO prioritizes gender parity in education, recognizing that while boys may face certain disadvantages,
the predominant inequality affects girls. Global statistics highlight disparities, with more girls out of school and constituting the
majority of the illiterate population.
2.Comprehensive Approach to Gender Equality:
Aligned Strategies:
The Gender Equality Action Plan and the 2019–2025 UNESCO Strategy for gender equality align with the emphasis on structural
transformations benefiting all students, working towards gender equality in education.
4.Inclusive Vision:
5.SDG Alignment:
•UNESCO's Strategy aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, aiming to provide inclusive and
equitable quality education and promote opportunities for lifelong learning for all.
6.Resource Allocation and Planning:
•UNESCO assists countries in identifying and analyzing gendered patterns and trends in education. It encourages the development
of strategic planning procedures, policy evaluations, and national education policies to promote gender equality.
7.Technical Assistance:
•UNESCO provides technical assistance and support to national partners to enhance their capacity for policy analysis.
 Case Study: African Education Landscape

In many African nations, primary school education begins at an early age and continues until
eleven or twelve. However, challenges such as educational disparities based on region,
economy, and gender persist. UNESCO, in collaboration with the African Union, works
towards addressing these disparities and fostering educational equity and quality in Africa.
• Universal free primary education (first 6years of schooling), with 20 percent of these
primary school leavers to enter secondary schools and about 2 percent of these
eventually to enter higher education.
• UNESCO and the African Union regularly assess educational attainment in Africa,
emphasizing equity in policies for universal access and opportunities. Equity is considered a
fundamental element in education.
Educational Challenges: Despite efforts to improve education, challenges persist. One in five
primary school children and nearly six in ten teenagers are not enrolled, influenced by factors
like geography, gender, poverty, disability, crises, and conflicts.
•

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

UNESCO's collaboration with advanced countries such as Sweden in the late 1960s played a pivotal role in shaping education in
Africa.
By 1969, UNESCO's education experts were instrumental in assisting African countries, aiding officials in the design of Special
Fund projects.
Notably, these projects focused on establishing 22 new or expanded teachers' colleges.
The UNESCO-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference in 1961 marked a significant historical event in the educational planning of
modern Africa.
The conference laid the groundwork for strategic initiatives and collaborations in the continent's education sector.
UNESCO-assisted teacher education programs in Africa had multifaceted objectives:
1.Producing qualified teachers
2.Offering refresher courses, in-service training, and further education to enhance the skills of all school personnel.
3.Revising courses
4.On the primary level, integrating the child and addressing the challenges of the predominantly rural community.
5.On secondary, technical, and higher education levels, meeting national manpower needs through tailored programs.
In essence, UNESCO's efforts encompassed comprehensive strategies, ranging from teacher development to curriculum
enhancement, with a focus on addressing the unique needs of primary and higher education levels in Africa.
One in five children in primary school and nearly six out of ten teenagers are not currently
enrolled in school.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

 UNESCO's Response to
COVID-19
Reshaping Education in the Post-Pandemic Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to education worldwide. In

response, UNESCO's International Commission on the Futures of Education has made
significant recommendations to support individual and societal growth, foster inclusive
innovation, and strengthen public support for education as a common good.
Collaboration among governments, charitable organizations, and non-profits is crucial in
improving access to open educational resources and platforms.
Improve the terms of employment of teachers in both public and private schools
Increase the number of teachers and improve working conditions in north-eastern states, rural areas and 'aspirational districts
Increase the number of physical education, music, art, vocational education, early childhoodand special education teachers

Restructure pre-service professional development and strengthen curricular and pedagogical reforms
essential to support pedagogical shifts in all curricular are as towards more student-centric teaching-learningpractices
that promote learners’ confidence and participation.

Above: A teacher conducts an interactive biology class.

Gurukul Vidya Niketan, Uttarakhand, India
Teacher training at
JSNSNMP school,
Gairsain,
Uttarakhand, India.
CHALLENGES :
1. Implementation difficulties
2. Insufficient Financial Support
3. Gender and Inequality Issues
4. Evaluation and Accountability
5. Bureaucratic Procedures and Decision-Making: Criticism of UNESCO's decision-making processes has focused
on how bureaucratic they are. Critics claim that the organization's structure and procedures sometimes make it
difficult to quickly critically required and ground-breaking educational improvements.
1. Having lost more than 20 percent of staff
2. Appears have deprioritized education, allocating less of its biennial regular budget to the issue.
3. UNESCO could have been counted on to be the central voice advocating for education
 CONCLUSION
India's engagement with UNESCO in education is vital for fostering global collaboration, sharing best practices, and addressing challenges.
UNESCO plays a crucial role in promoting inclusive education, aligning with India's commitment to education for all.
The collaboration helps India leverage international expertise, contributing to the country's education. India's engagement with UNESCO
in education is vital for fostering global collaboration, sharing best practices, and addressing challenges. UNESCO plays a crucial role in
promoting inclusive and quality education, aligning with India's commitment to education for all.

UNESCO, despite being a co-chair of GEF, faced initial opposition to the forum, questioning the necessity amid
a fragmented education aid structure. Some advocate preserving UNESCO to coordinate the diverse education landscape,
emphasizing its mandated role in SDG 4. However, skeptics doubt UNESCO's ability to regain leadership, considering its current
depleted state.
THANK YOU