Following the first Learning Metrics Task Force (LMTF) meeting that was held in New York in September 2012 during the week of the 67th session of the General Assembly in the United Nations, Dubai Cares, an active member of the LMTF today announced the outcome of the second LMTF meeting that was held in Dubai last week to identify common learning goals to improve learning opportunities for children and youth across the world. The meeting, which was hosted by Dubai Cares, was attended by Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, and representatives from the Task Force Secretariat from the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, UN Secretary General Office as well as technical experts, academics and practitioners from various countries.
The LMTF was convened by UNESCO and Brookings in order to ensure that learning becomes a central component of the global development agenda, in line with the ‘Education First Initiative’ launched last September by the UN Secretary General. LMTF member organizations are committed to defining global learning goals and proposing practical actions to deliver and measure progress.
The meeting in Dubai constituted an important milestone in the Task Force efforts. After two days of intensive discussions, members finalized the design of global and national learning goals and indicators for early childhood, primary and post-primary education levels in a variety of domains (e.g. literacy, numeracy, science, social and emotional skills). It also allowed members to design a strategy to ensure that all stakeholders understand the value added by the framework, and that adequate mechanisms are put in place to overcome implementation barriers.
Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares said: “Dubai Cares’ involvement and selection to join the ‘Education First’ initiative’s technical advisory group and the Learning Metrics Task Force is in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's direction and our deep commitment to the development and deployment of effective programs that provide children around the world with access to quality learning opportunities.
“By supporting the LMTF, Dubai Cares is contributing to the development of learning metrics for delivering quality education and establishing a defined mechanism to influence the post-2015 education framework,” Al Gurg added.
While there has been demonstrable quantitative progress in bringing more children around the world into the educational system, there has been a noticeable gap in delivering high quality education for children within the educational system. According to the Education For All (EFA) 2012 Global Monitoring Report by UNESCO, at least 250 million primary school age children around the world are still not able to read, write or count adequately.
In this context, Al Gurg said: “What this means is that having more children in the classroom does not necessarily translate into the basic skills and knowledge that prepare young people to cope with the world they live in. Providing access to schools is important but it is not enough. We need to secure schools that provide children with the opportunity to learn and grow.”