Secretary-General, in Oslo, Urges Partnerships to Realize Educational Equality
Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the Partnership for Education event, in Oslo today:
Today’s event is helping to drive global momentum on education. It builds on the World Education Forum in May in Incheon — and it promises results at the Special Summit on Sustainable Development in September in New York.
You have chosen to focus on three critical issues. First, equity in education. This can promote equality in opportunity. Second, closing the education gap and leveraging digital solutions. I have seen children in poor communities become rich with knowledge thanks to information technology. New initiatives are transforming the education landscape.
Look at the Khan Academy. It started when one man posted YouTube videos to help his younger cousin learn. Now, millions of students around the world visit the Khan Academy every day just by clicking. It is free. It is open. And it is just one of many initiatives that put the “e” — as in e-learning — in education.
Third, ensuring education in emergencies. This one is personal to me. When I was six, the Korean War forced my family to run for the mountains. Thanks to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), we received textbooks. They taught us more than math and reading. They taught us the meaning of global solidarity. They showed that people cared. That gave us hope.
Education transformed the Republic of Korea. This winning formula can work anywhere people are suffering — in Syria, Iraq or Yemen, in South Sudan or the Central African Republic — anywhere.
The challenge is to mobilize political support and funding. That is why I am so inspired to see you here. I thank the civil society organizations and the Telenor Group that sponsored this side event. We need partners to turn commitments into reality.
Governments are now drafting an ambitious vision for our future, including universal sustainable development goals. But, we need more than Governments. So, we asked the world’s people what matters to them. More than 7.5 million people took our survey. More than 5 million put education first in terms of what people want most.
Education First is also the name of the global initiative I launched in 2012 to push for progress. Fifty million more primary school children are enrolled than in 2000. Girls are taking their equal place in class.
But, more than 59 million children and 65 million adolescents are still out of school. A quarter of them live in fragile areas. Most are girls. As many as a quarter of a billion children lack basic skills in reading and writing.
Our agenda for sustainable development flies the banner of a life of dignity for all. To realize that promise, we have to reach children coping with war, poverty, disasters and other threats. The Global Campaign for Education is showing valuable leadership. I also welcome the “Up for School” movement.
Recently, I was surprised to hear that they have enlisted the Angry Birds. My grandson loves that game, so I asked him what the birds are so angry about. He said on the app, they blow up pigs. But, when it comes to education, they are angry at injustice.
We need teachers and students. We need telecoms companies and civil society organizations. We need policy makers and app developers. We need to stand strong. When we put every child in school, provide them with quality learning, and foster global citizenship, we will transform our future.