Today, the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity launched its compelling new recommendations to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Over the past year, I have had the honour of working closely with world leaders, policy-makers and researchers, as the Commission developed an ambitious vision to get all children and young people into school and learning within a generation.
Equal educational opportunity for young people is one of the most pressing development issues of our time, and is particularly close to my heart. The implications of educational inequality on poverty, health and stability cannot be overstated. Research shows that inadequate education can be more deadly than disease and the greater the levels of educational inequality, the higher the probability of conflict. The converse is also true: Quality education is the single-most critical factor in closing the skills gap, mitigating these risks and determining a child’s future outcomes. Education is not only a central pillar in poverty reduction, economic prosperity and social progress, but is also an essential vehicle to promote a tolerant and stable society.
Click here to read the rest of Commissioner Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi Op-Ed piece on the Gulf News.