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Rethinking Schooling for the 21st Century: The State of Education for Peace, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in Asia Year of publication: 2017 Corporate author: Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) Calls to gear up schools for the 21st century are ubiquitous today. Dominant international educational discourse hails the potential of 'the youth dividend' and digital technology for enhancing growth. Some Asian education systems are held up as models for an innovation-led utopian future. But across much of Asia, neither the reality of schooling nor the patterns of development with which it is associated give cause for blithe optimism.This study is informed by UNESCO’s commitment to realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through educational reform worldwide. Since its inception, UNESCO has championed a humanistic vision of education — a vision today encapsulated in SDG 4.7. These ideals need to be strongly restated and defended in an era when educational debate worldwide has come to be framed by a narrowly economistic and instrumentalist agenda.Deriving urgent significance from this broader context, the present report analyses how far the ideals of SDG 4.7 – of 'education for peace, sustainable development and global citizenship' - are embodied in policies and curricula across 22 Asian societies. At one level, it seeks to develop benchmarks against which future progress can be assessed. It also argues forcefully that conceptions of the fundamental purposes of schooling need to be reconfigured, if the ideals to which the global community has subscribed are actually to be realised. 
Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development: An Implementation Guide Year of publication: 2025 Corporate author: UNESCO There is no peace without education. With conflicts rising on so many fronts, there has never been a more urgent need for a transformed education geared towards building and sustaining peace.The Recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development, adopted by all 194 Member States of UNESCO in 2023, articulates a humanistic and transformative vision of education that can help address contemporary and future affronts to peace. These challenges range from the resurgence of conflicts driven by systemic inequalities and injustices, the rise and spread of hate speech, racism and discrimination particularly online, to the adverse effects of digital technologies and the existential threat of climate change.UNESCO has developed this Guide as the first of several tools to assist Member States in unpacking and fully implementing the 2023 Recommendation. The Guide elaborates its contents, integrating the 2023 Recommendation’s transdisciplinary lens to connect key concepts and issues. It also provides concrete ideas and curated resources for action at different levels and types of education, while calling for a multi-stakeholder and whole-of-society approach that includes everyone and builds on existing positive efforts.The Guide is a timely addition to the pool of available collective resources to fully implement the 2023 Recommendation and foster an education that is transformative for a just and peaceful world. 
Addressing Violent Pasts through Education: A Policy Guide Year of publication: 2025 Corporate author: UNESCO Teaching about violent pasts and their legacies is a powerful way to foster sustainable peace.Education can build a nuanced understanding of complex histories, raise awareness of the roots and legacies of violence, nationally and internationally, and sensitize learners for their own agency as actors of change for reconciliation and conflict prevention.Educating about violent pasts is a challenging yet critical endeavour for policy-makers globally. It entails tailored approaches and an important support for educators to address traumatic pasts sensitively and to navigate related emotions and narratives successfully.Building on UNESCO’s programme on Global Citizenship Education, this guide offers education policy-makers a set of strategies, principles, and education practices to effectively integrate education about violent pasts into local education systems. It suggests a comprehensive approach that spans formal and informal education and aligns with the 2023 Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development, opening new perspectives on history education, dialogue, and conflict transformation. 
IBE-UNESCO preparatory report for the 48th ICE on inclusive education Year of publication: 2007 Corporate author: UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE) The International Conference on Education (ICE) is a major international forum for educational policy dialogue among Ministers of Education and other stakeholders (researchers, practitioners, representatives of intergovernmental organizations and NGOs). The ICE is organized by the International Bureau of Education (IBE), the UNESCO institute specialized in assisting Member States in curriculum development to achieve quality Education For All. The IBE Council, composed of 28 UNESCO Member States, has proposed in January 2007 that the 48th ICE session, to be held in Geneva in November 2008, should focus on the theme “Inclusive Education: the Way of the Future”. The 48th ICE will focus on broadening the understanding of the theory and practice of inclusive education while discussing how governments can develop and implement policies on inclusive education. The IBE is hosting a series of regional preparatory workshops dedicated to exploring and advancing inclusive education in preparation for the ICE 2008. The Regional Preparatory Workshop "International Workshop on Inclusive Education, Andean and Southern Cone Regions” was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the 11-14 September 2007. This event was organized by the International Bureau of Education (IBE/UNESCO), the Division for the Promotion of Basic Education (ED/BAS, UNESCO Paris), the Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO); University of de San Andrés, Ministry of Science, Technology and Education, in collaboration with the Community of Practice - Southern Cone and Andean Regions; it had the participation of ten countries from the Southern Cone and Andean Regions. This report is based on the workshop’s country reports and presentations on the conception and status of inclusive education in participating countries, and on the ideas proposed by participants on what the next steps should be on how to advance inclusive education policy and implementation in the region. 
Education for conflict prevention and peacebuilding: meeting the global challenges of the 21st century Year of publication: 2012 Author: Phyllis Kotite Corporate author: UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) The 21st century is witnessing global concern over the interrelated effects of climate change, the economic crisis, energy depletion, food and water shortages, natural disasters and conflicts all of which have devastating effects on humanity and the future of the planet. These events impact education systems and can impair the ability of governments to provide quality education for their citizens. However, when governments and ministries of education analyse and anticipate the risk of such events through careful planning, education can play an important role in preventing violent conflict, and in supporting peacebuilding efforts. An estimated 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by repeated cycles of political and other forms of violence, and the same population is often affected by hunger and poverty. Furthermore, such countries have difficulty meeting development goals. For example, no low-income fragile or conflict-affected country has yet achieved a single MDG (World Bank, 2011). In 2010 world military expenditures reached US$1.6 trillion as a result of fifteen ongoing conflicts (SIPRI, 2011). Yet, it is estimated that only US$16 billion is needed to fill the education gap to reach the EFA goals (UNESCO, 2011b: 11). This paper argues that we have the knowledge, legal instruments and mechanisms to prevent conflict and to transfer resources to sustainable development and education to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The paper describes a range of conflict prevention initiatives and examines the role of policy-makers, youth, women, and the media in maintaining and restoring peace as part of a holistic vision of education. International institutions, governments and civil society are increasingly developing conflict prevention mechanisms and utilizing political and economic incentives to avoid conflicts. They are also creating new technology for sustainable development, adaptation to climate change and renewable forms of energy. Educational planning must therefore go beyond traditional mechanisms. It must take into consideration the unpredictable nature of our times; be flexible and rapid in implementation and responsive to local needs. Training and research in sustainable development; and skills for peaceful inter-human relations, good governance, the prevention of conflict and peacebuilding are priorities elaborated in the paper. In addition, specific recommendations are highlighted such as: capacity development for conflict prevention within the education sector and other ministries, analysing the root causes of conflict and the role that education can play in mitigating tensions. This paper is an elaboration of Chapter 1.2 of the IIEP-UNESCO Guidebook for Planning Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction (IIEP-UNESCO, 2010). A brief treatment of additional global challenges (e.g. water scarcity, food insufficiency, energy depletion and economic instability), which are beyond the educational focus of this paper, may be found in Annex I. 
Pacific education for sustainable development framework; endorsed by the Pacific Ministers of Education, 27 September 2006, Nadi Fiji Year of publication: 2006 Corporate author: UNESCO Apia This paper presents a Pacific developed and driven Framework as a mechanism to assist in the implementation of the Pacific Plan and the basis for a regional approach to coordinating actions to achieve its vision of a prosperous region where “all people can lead free and worthwhile lives.” It further recognises the commitment made by Pacific countries in adopting the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The Framework can be adapted for national policy as well as regional strategy documents. The Framework can also be used by both national and regional organisations to identify priority initiatives for implementation in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within the Pacific. 
Why the World Needs Happy Schools: Global Report on Happiness In and For Learning Year of publication: 2024 Corporate author: UNESCO Seeing a teacher smile. Hearing students laugh. Feeling a hug from a friend. Smelling fresh air. Tasting a nutritious school meal. These five senses can stimulate happiness at school and improve the learning experiences, outcomes and well-being of students. Through the ‘Happy Schools’ initiative, UNESCO is placing happiness at the core of the transformation of education. It encourages education systems to recognize happiness as both a means to and a goal of quality learning. The initiative is informed by a growing evidence base linking happiness with better learning, teaching, well-being and overall system resilience. This report presents the UNESCO global Happy Schools framework consisting of 4 pillars – people, process, place and principles – and 12 high-level criteria to guide the transformation of learning. It offers a holistic model for embedding happiness into education policies and cultivating it in schools through systemic changes. The report illustrates how the ‘Happy Schools’ initiative aims to create top-down and bottom-up transformation, encouraging governments to recognize happiness as a core objective of education. It supports the scaling of promising practices of joyful learning from the school to the policy level. 
Sub-Regional Study on Transforming TVET in Ensuring Learning and Skills to Support School-to Work Transitions in Southeast Asian Countries Year of publication: 2023 Author: Jann Hidajat Tjakraatmadja | Hary Febriansyah | Yorga Permana | Lala Nurfitria | Farenza Fadil Corporate author: UNESCO Jakarta Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and the transition from school to work are critical for young individuals to be prepared for entering the job market. The school-to-work transition signifies the transition from education to professional work and involves stages such as finding a job, applying theoretical knowledge and adapting to work expectations. In line with SDG-4, there is a need to improve the relevance of TVET systems, equipping individuals with the necessary skills for employment, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning. Three strategic priorities include promoting lifelong learning opportunities, fostering skills for an inclusive and sustainable economy, and ensuring inclusive and resilient communities. UNESCO supports Member States to address current and future challenges in the field of TVET, including the transition from school to work. Recognising the significant role of TVET in achieving SDG-4, UNESCO works closely with countries like Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of their TVET systems. These countries have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the quality of education and equipping individuals with the necessary skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. In the discussion of innovations and trends in TVET systems, there is a need to respond to rapidly changing labour markets through leveraging labour market data, tracer studies, and employer insights, expanding work-based learning to support the transition from school to work, modernising TVET curricula with new skills and competencies, strengthening TVET through private sector and community engagement. TVET is important for the transition from school to work in the sub-region of Southeast Asia, in line with SDG-4. Standardised practices are needed for better employability and mobility. Challenges include labour market mismatches and negative perceptions, but there are opportunities to partner with industry, update curricula, promote inclusivity and gender equality, and adapt to changing labour markets. Using labour market data, expanding work-based learning, and engaging the private sector and local communities are critical. TVET can transform individuals and contribute to sustainable development in the subregion of South-East Asia, creating prosperous and inclusive societies. 
Mainstreaming Social and Emotional Learning in Education Systems: Policy Guide; Highlights Year of publication: 2024 Corporate author: UNESCO UNESCO’s policy guide unpacks social and emotional learning (SEL) as a broadening of the educational process, from a focus on cognitive aspects to a balance between cognitive, social and emotional, and behavioural dimensions of learning, putting forward initial action ideas to guide its systematic mainstreaming in education. It builds on and extends previous work undertaken by UNESCO on SEL from the perspective of Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Building Strong Foundations for Health and Well-being Education, the Happy Schools Framework, and in multiple UNESCO Offices and Institutes. 
Education in a Post-COVID World: Towards a Rapid Transformation; East Asia and Pacific Regional Brief Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, resulting in disruptions to education at an unprecedented scale. In response to the urgent need to recover learning losses, countries worldwide have taken RAPID actions to: Reach every child and keep them in school; Assess learning levels regularly; Prioritize teaching the fundamentals; Increase the efficiency of instruction; and Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing. This brief presents regional findings from the 4th round of the Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures (‘joint survey’), administered between April to July 2022, and the Global Education Recovery Tracker (‘GERT’), administered between May to July 2022. It examines how countries in the region have progressed in recovering and accelerating learning through the five key policy actions in the RAPID framework. These findings are a follow-up to the 1st round of RAPID data collected in March 2022.