UNESCO: draft Muscat Agreement adopted – renewed post-2015 global education targets

The draft Muscat Agreement, adopted in May at the Global Meeting on Education for All (2014 GEM) in Muscat, Oman, outlines seven renewed post-2015 global education targets and an overarching goal aimed at the engagement of the international community in supporting education globally.

The seven targets are the following:

Target 1: Early childhood care and education: By 2030, at least x% of girls and boys are ready for primary school through participation in quality early childhood care and education, including at least one year of free and compulsory pre-primary education, with particular attention to gender equality and the most marginalized.

Target 2: Basic education: By 2030, all girls and boys complete free and compulsory quality basic education of at least 9 years and achieve relevant learning outcomes, with particular attention to gender equality and the most marginalized.

Target 3: Youth and adult literacy: By 2030, all youth and at least x% of adults reach a proficiency level in literacy and numeracy sufficient to fully participate in society, with particular attention to girls and women and the most marginalized.

Target 4: Skills for work: By 2030, at least x% of youth and y% of adults have the knowledge and skills for decent work and life through technical and vocational, upper secondary and tertiary education and training, with particular attention to gender equality and the most marginalized.

Target 5: Skills for citizenship and sustainable development: By 2030, all learners acquire knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to establish sustainable and peaceful societies, including through global citizenship education and education for sustainable development.

Target 6: Teachers: By 2030, all governments ensure that all learners are taught by qualified, professionally-trained, motivated and well-supported teachers.

Target 7: Financing of education: By 2030, all countries allocate at least 4-6% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or at least 15-20% of their public expenditure to education, prioritizing groups most in need; and strengthen financial cooperation for education, prioritizing countries most in need.

The overall plea to the global community is to “ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030”. In order to reach, or get closer, to the proposed goal, the seven proposed global education targets are to address different agents and levels of education, relevant skills and the so-far most important drive or barrier to advancing education targets – funding. The proposed targets will be the basis of a Framework for Action, to be developed by UNESCO, in consultation with all EFA partners.

UNESCO