The Dakar Framework for Action

The Dakar Framework for Action official documentation is available at  http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/ed_for_all/dakfram_eng.shtml

 I have decided to research The Dakar Framework for Action established at the World Education Forum in 2000. This is interesting and valid as it covers a recent period of history and is also looking to the future as the goals are to supposedly be achieved by 2015.

‘This document commits governments to achieving quality basic education for all by 2015, with particular emphasis on girls' schooling and a pledge from donor countries and institutions that "no country seriously committed to basic education will be thwarted in the achievement of this goal by lack of resources.’

Known as the biggest review on education in history...

 ‘The Dakar Framework for Action draws on the results of the global EFA 2000 Assessment involving more than 180 countries. Launched in 1998, this global exercise was the most comprehensive study ever made of basic education. It was carried out by national teams assisted by ten regional advisory groups, comprising UN agencies the World Bank, bilateral donor agencies, development banks and inter-governmental organizations.

Preliminary results were debated at five regional preparatory conferences and a special gathering of the nine high-population countries (E9) between December 1999 and February 2000 (in Johannesburg, South Africa; Bangkok, Thailand; Cairo, Egypt; Recife, Brazil; Warsaw, Poland; and Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic).’

This is what it found...  

‘The assessment revealed a mixed scorecard. The number of children in school soared (from 599 million in 1990 to 681 million in 1998) and many countries were approaching full primary school enrolment for the first time. On the other hand, some 113 million children were out of school, discrimination against girls was widespread and nearly a billion adults – mostly women – were illiterate. The lack of qualified teachers and learning materials was the reality for too many schools.

While the donor community was criticized for dwindling aid commitment, some countries such as Bangladesh, Brazil and Egypt were earmarking close to 6 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) for education. For some African countries, education absorbs up to a third of the national budget, although several of them spend as much on debt repayment as on health and basic education combined.

Disparities in quality were also widespread. Over-conservative systems were out of touch with young people’s needs, in sharp contrast with the plethora of initiatives that successfully adapted learning to local needs or reached out to marginalized populations. New media and virtual networks had also started to shake the dust off education systems.’

This document also looks ahead. The main challenges are seen to be:

o   How to reach out with education to people in Africa and other such regions with HIV/AIDS.

o   How to offer education to increasing numbers of refugees and displaced people.

o   How to help teachers to acquire a new understanding of their role.

o   How to help education overcome poverty.

This information was taken from  http://www.unesco.org/education