Report of Commission I

The task of Commission I was to examine and discuss sections I and 2 (paragraphs 6 to 27) of the Action Framework in the field of population education on the eve of the 21st century and matters relating to regional and international co-operation (paragraphs 48 to 59).

Under section I of the Action Framework on policies, Programming and Institutional Co-ordination, discussion focused primarily on paragraphs 7, 10 and 11. For example, with regard to the countries' political commitment to adopting programmes of population education, the participants highlighted the importance of support from local and neighbourhood authorities, emphasizing the need to involve them and enlist their participation at all stages of development of such programmes.

Similarly, they were anxious that young people's and women's organizations should be explicitly associated with population education activities.

Under section 2, "Conceptualization and Contents at Various Levels of Education", certain paragraphs were discussed and amended (paragraphs 12-15, 17, 21-23, 25 and 26).

For the most part, the amendments involved were designed to clarify various terms. broaden the scope of the recommendations, and harmonize the English and French versions.

In the course of the discussions, certain topics were more particularly the focus of the participants attention.

1 .

A substantive discussion took place on the role of the university in the promotion of population education, emphasizing the need for the university to be involved, especially in matters of research, curriculum design and teaching methods.

2.

The participants also stressed the need to broaden the scope of themes concerned with population education by making them an integral part of the various traditional disciplines already taught in school curricula.

3.

Of all the groups receiving population education, the participants pointed to women and girls, both in and out-of-school, as warranting special priority in view of their need for information about their own fertility and other problems with which they had to cope.

4.

Some delegates dwelt in particular on the phenomena of migration and took the view that these raised very important population issues.

5.

It also emerged from the discussions that it was necessary to adopt a very flexible approach to curriculum development, so as to enable each country to adapt to the specific difficulties that might arise at the local level.

Report of Commission II

Commission II discussed sections 3 and 4 (paragraphs 28 to 47) as well as section on regional and international cooperation (paragraphs 48 to 59) of the Action Framework.

Under section 3 on "Strategies for the Development of Educational Action", two areas - curriculum and teaching-learning materials, and training - were extensively discussed. As result, all paragraphs under this section were amended except paragraph 29.

As regards section 4 on "Logistic Support Activities", three areas - research and evaluation, documentation and dissemination of information, and use of traditional and modern methods of communication - were deliberated. All paragraphs except those of the last area were amended.

Since both English and French versions were used in the discussion, some concepts and terminologies did not convey the same meaning. Therefore, most of the amendments were aimed at clarifying the concepts and terminology, and harmonizing the English and French versions.

The main substantive issues which were reflected in the amendment are listed below.

1 .

Specifying the role of different social partners, especially parents' associations, in the orientation of population education programmes.

2.

Ensuring active participation of administrative authorities and other members of educational community in the development of curricula and teaching-learning materials.

3.

Inclusion of non-formal education personnel in the training activities.

4.

Assigning a consultative role to the universities in research, in the design of programmes for teacher trainers and in the preparation of materials.

5.

Associating among others women's groups in awareness and training activities.

6.

Using mass media, particularly for training through distance education and self-learning.

7.

Strengthening research on innovative methodologies for population education.

8.

Training personnel in research and evaluation techniques.

9.

Training documentation and information personnel in modem documentation techniques and management of information systems.