By Hemali Wijerathne COLOMBO (IDN) — Sri Lanka’s free education system, which was judged to have achieved the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for education and is considered a post-independence success story, is now under threat due to the present economic crisis in the country of 22 million people.
UNICEF Calls for Urgent Action to Ensure Education Resources
By Caroline Mawanga NEW YORK (IDN) — A one percentage point increase in the allocation of public education resources to the world’s poorest 20 per cent is expected to pull 35 million primary school-aged children out of learning poverty globally, says the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). However, a new report released on January 17 […]
Thailand: Education at Fingertips for the Disabled
By Pattama Vilailert BANGKOK (IDN) — Quality Education and Reduced Inequalities are two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With 3.3 per cent of Thailand’s population categorized as “disabled”, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has come up with an innovative program to provide a new lease of life to people who would otherwise be left behind in […]
Act Now to Transform Education into 21st Century Learning
Viewpoint by Dr Randa Grob-Zakhary The author is the Founder and CEO of Education.org ZURICH (IDN) — At the recent Transforming Education Summit in New York, 130 countries pledged to reboot their education systems and accelerate action to tackle the global learning crisis. Fifty foundations pledged to support those ambitions. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres […]
UN Chief Considers Financing Education, Imperative for ‘Peaceful, Prosperous, Stable Societies’
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, two-thirds of countries have cut their education budgets. “But education is the building block for peaceful, prosperous, stable societies,” says the UN Chief. “Reducing investment virtually guarantees more serious crises further down the line”. Secretary-General António Guterres spelt out: “We need to get […]
The World is in Deep Trouble—& the Sustainable Development Goals in Jeopardy
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The warnings came from the highest echelons of the United Nations, from UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the 193-member General Assembly Abdulla Shahid. The message was clear: the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) desperately need help for their very survival, eight years ahead of their […]
A Unique Book on International Education and Origins of the UN and UNESCO
By Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK (IDN) — The famous Russian publishing house “Etnosfera” has published an unparalleled publication,“ International Standards of Education: History lessons and modern times”. The 200-page publication that has generated glowing reviews in diverse news media is co-authored by three uniquely qualified and acclaimed Moscow State Pedagogical University educators.
UN Actions Against Hate Speech
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — “Fighting hate, discrimination, racism and inequality is at the core of United Nations principles and the Organization’s work. It is enshrined in our founding Charter, in the international human rights framework and in our collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” says United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
Facebook Blasted for Publishing Amharic Hate Speech
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A proliferation of incendiary hate speech has turned up on social media’s Facebook for Ethiopia in ads that call for people to be killed, starved or ‘cleansed’ from an area, compare people to animals and call for genocide. Phrases used are highly offensive and dehumanizing. […]
Germany Will Return Two Historic Bronzes to Nigeria
By Jutta Wolf BERLIN (IDN) — Germany has taken a historic step toward addressing colonial injustice. It has agreed to return valuable bronzes to Nigeria. More than 1100 fascinating bronzes pillaged from the former Kingdom of Benin (today’s Nigeria) are stored for some 125 years in the stockrooms and collections of 20 German museums. These […]