A new education expert group has been launched to provide advice on global education issues to current governments across the world
The group, named “Atlantis Group”, comprising 20 former Education Ministers and Heads of Statewas out-dooredat the Global Education & Skills Forum (GESF) 2017 held in Dubai.
The founding principle of the group is “to bring together the skills and experiences of former Ministers of Education and interested former Heads of State across the world to help address ongoing challenges in global education.”
Members of the globally-diverse group include Arne Duncan, former US Secretary of Education under President Obama; former UK Education Secretary Michael Gove; former Greek President George Papandreou; former Lebanese Minister Elias Bou Saab; and former Peruvian Minister and incoming Head of the World Bank Education team Jaime Saveedra.
Together, the Group has more than 65 cumulative years of experience in public office overseeing education systems around the world.
It will act as an advisory body to education ministries around the world who are dealing with issues relating to education in their own country, drawing upon the views and experiences of members to provide the highest quality expertise and recommendations.
The group will meet at the GESF every year and on at least one other occasion annually.
In addition, individual members and small sub-groups may be asked to conduct further work throughout the year – such as visiting countries at the request of education ministries that request advice.
The group will be advised by Irina Bokova (Director-General, UNESCO); Andreas Schleicher (Director of Education and Skills, OECD); and Professor Fernando Reimers (Faculty Director, International Education Policy, at Harvard University). The Varkey Foundation, who established the GESF and the Global Teacher Prize, will provide the secretariat for the group.
Initially, the group will undertake a year-long piece of work considering the issue of the future of education leadership at all levels.
In addition, the group will consider the issue of political leadership.
VikasPota, Chief Executive of the Varkey Foundation, said“Education is constantly evolving and we can learn from the experiences of the past in terms of what worked, what didn’t and how we can use that knowledge to better develop the education systems of the future.
By Cephas Larbi, Dubai