Ministers and Partners assemble to deliberate on the theme ‘Sustainability and Resilience: Can education deliver?’
Education is one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and is recognised as a key driver for realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The importance of education for sustainable development is affirmed through the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and in particular, through the triennial Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers (CCEM) and the Commonwealth Education Policy Framework (CEPF).
Education in the Commonwealth and the role of policy makers
The Conference of Education Ministers (CCEM) is the 2nd largest meeting organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat following the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). It takes place on a triennial basis, with the first meeting held in Oxford in 1959. The conference aims to provide Commonwealth education ministers with the opportunity to discuss key education issues in the Commonwealth in relation to a specific theme. Ministers also share knowledge and good practices in the education sector, receive an update on actions achieved against CCEM mandates as well as identify areas of action for the next three years for education in the Commonwealth.
Following the successful hosting of the 19CCEM in Nassau, The Bahamas, the 20th CCEM (20CCEM) will be held in Nadi, Fiji over the period 19 – 23 February 2018.
The theme for 20CCEM is ‘Sustainability and Resilience: Can education deliver?’. The theme will be discussed in the context of three sub-themes: education for sustainable development; building resilience through education; and education governance and management. The theme captures issues connected to the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this regard, 20CCEM provides an opportune moment for ministers to not only review their progress on SDG4 but also reaffirm their commitment to the achievement of the various targets outlined under this goal.
Commonwealth Education Policy Framework (CEPF)
In light of the vision for education articulated by Sustainable Development Goal 4, the global challenges for education and the commitment made by Ministers of Education at the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (19CCEM), and drawing both on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations 2015) and the Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action (UNESCO 2015), the Commonwealth Education Policy Framework (CEPF) aims to provide member countries with a comprehensive approach to:
- identify key policy gaps and challenges;
- assist renewal and development of national education policies and legislation that enables the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Commonwealth needs, priorities and values;
- ensure delivery on the critical aspects of Goal 4 of the SDGs;
- enable policy development that addresses simultaneously the challenges of equity and quality in a sustainable way and enhances the relevance of education across all SDGs;
- provide a mechanism for member countries to compare, review and formulate their respective national education policies; and
- support the benchmarking of policy implementation with similar member countries and the monitoring of national progress on implementation.
