UNESCO, UNICEF praise Iraq’s participation in Transforming Education Summit
Students attending class in a school in Baghdad. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – UNICEF and UNESCO praised Iraq on Wednesday for submitting the National Statement of Commitment for the upcoming Transforming Education Summit (TES) that will take place in New York from 16 to 19 September, according to a press statement issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
This commitment outlines a bold vision and concrete actions for the transformation of education to drive progress towards the sustainable development goals and better prepare learners for the future, the statement mentioned.
“UNESCO congratulates Iraq for the National Statement of Commitment which reiterates the vision, strategic directions, policies and programs for education detailed in the draft Iraq National Education Strategy 2022 – 2031 (INES), which UNESCO supported to develop,” said Paolo Fontani, UNESCO Representative in Iraq, according to the UNAMI statement.
“UNICEF welcomes Iraq´s focus on the policy, planning and budgetary changes needed to recover learning losses,” said Sheema SenGupta, UNICEF Representative in Iraq, the UNAMI statement mentioned.
The TES is organized at a critical moment, in which the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the digital divide, as the global lockdown increased the risk of children being left out of school, the UNAMI statement clarified.
The summit will focus on addressing issues related to educational exclusion, safety and health (especially mental health), transforming the teaching profession, renewing curricula, steering the digital transformation for just and equitable learning and ensuring availability of financing, the statement added.