Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
At the Special Event on Transforming Education Convened by the UN Secretary-General in collaboration with the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Economic and Social Council,
Thursday 11 July 2024,
[As Delivered]
Your Excellency, Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC,
Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to join the Secretary-General and President of ECOSOC in convening this special event – to inspire greater action on education transformation.
Today offers an important chance to renew our commitment to placing education at the forefront of the global political and development agenda – where it rightfully belongs.
Mobilizing real action, ambition, and innovative solutions, we can transform education to meet the demands of our rapidly changing world – for everyone, everywhere.
I commend world leaders for the ongoing efforts to translate the commitments of the 2022 Summit into national actions – and I also welcome the SDG4 High Level Steering Committee’s determination to identifying all gaps and challenges.
Your dedication and leadership are pivotal.
The global education crisis is clearly deteriorating – with 250 million children and youth out of school and basic reading skills lacking in 40% of primary school age children, a USD 97 billion funding gap for low- and middle-income countries to reach their national targets and a critical shortage of teachers worldwide[1].
I recently visited South Sudan – and learned firsthand about the dire poverty of education, evident from the fact that at least 70 per cent of eligible children are out of school; an unimaginable hindrance to unleashing the full developmental prospects of the United Nations’ newest Member State.
This crisis also extends to the denial of girls’ right to education in Afghanistan – and the plight of children and youth in other conflict zones like Ukraine, from where I just returned a week ago, and Gaza, where schools are under constant attack, thus robbing children of their fundamental right to learn.
In Haiti, which I also visited last November, I saw firsthand how schools represent a beacon of hope for the youth – a place where they can envision and build their futures, despite significant challenges.
Beyond access, we must ensure quality education for all, fostering inclusive, equitable, and lifelong learning opportunities that empower every individual to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
We must combine our political will with clear, targeted actions to decisively address these urgent needs.
Dear Friends,
Education gives people and communities the tools to overcome poverty, pursue dream careers of their choosing, increase their earning potential, and foster economic stability – transforming societies and enabling upward mobility.
Investing in education is therefore one of the most powerful strategies for accelerating our progress across the SDGs.
This is why there needs to be a global paradigm shift, reconceptualizing education not as just routine public expenditure but as an investment – one that is crucial for building societies where continuous innovation drives socio-economic growth, allowing people to adapt swiftly to our changing world.
However, developing countries – where education investments are needed most – have seen their debt increase at alarming rates, reaching $29 trillion.
Public debt, on the other hand, has reached unprecedented levels rising to a record $97 trillion last year.
Governments with limited financial resources struggle to invest in educational infrastructure – impeding their ability to respond to urgent needs or implement long-term reforms, thus turning the debt crisis into a development crisis.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025 will present a key opportunity to refocus our fiscal space to national and international commitments to education.
As we near the Summit of the Future in September – and looking forward to the Second World Summit on Social Development in 2025 – now is the time to radically rethink education.
I echo the Secretary-General’s call to embrace a daring new vision for learning societies.
This vision goes beyond mere schooling.
It is about education as the architect of peace, the foundation for human rights, and the springboard for opportunity for all people, everywhere.
It is about preparing our societies for the current swift tides of technological change, environmental crises, and fragile social contracts.
To achieve this, we must leave behind outdated, rigid approaches – replacing them with adaptable, lifelong learning systems that respond to today’s needs.
That means committing to inclusive socio-economic policies that uphold essential knowledge and skills – including skilling and reskilling.
These Summits are, therefore, opportunities for us to foster a new international cooperation that reaches across borders – the moment to act.
I am confident we can rise to the challenge and make education the cornerstone of a just, inclusive, and prosperous world for all.
Together, let us seize this pivotal moment to transform education and to forge a path towards peace, progress, prosperity, and sustainability for all.
I thank you.
[1] https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/report/2024/SDGs_Report_Key_Findings_2024.pdf
