The report centres on the assessment of the educational attainments of students and the implementation of the right to education. The Special Rapporteur on the right to education underlines the importance of developing and applying national assessment systems which are in compliance with international human right norms, so that education meets the essential objectives assigned to it in human rights conventions. He considers that such a human rights-based, holistic approach is essential for fostering the humanistic mission of education rather than its mere instrumental role, using a narrow scope of assessments linked to mathematical literacy and language skills only. The report also places emphasis on skills development as an integral part of basic education and on the need for innovative assessment modalities of technical and vocational education and training, particularly in developing countries, in response to the rising aspirations of youth, while not losing sight of the human rights perspective.
The report concludes with recommendations to strengthen human rights-based, holistic approaches to national assessments of the educational attainments of students.
El presente informe se ha preparado de conformidad con las resoluciones 8/4 y 17/3 del Consejo de Derechos Humanos y con el informe inicial del Relator Especial (A/HRC/17/29 y Corr.1) en el que el Relator Especial consideró que el establecimiento de normas y principios para una educación de calidad era uno de los temas que debía ser examinado durante su mandato. En el presente informe se examinan las normas y principios nacionales e internacionales, así como las políticas relativas a la calidad en la educación. El Relator Especial destaca la necesidad de promover la adopción de normas en el plano nacional en que se establezca el derecho a una educación de calidad, congruentes con el marco jurídico internacional de los derechos humanos y las iniciativas pertinentes adoptadas en los planos nacional, regional e internacional. El Relator Especial concluye haciendo recomendaciones encaminadas a promover la educación de calidad.
Overview of the measures supporting the rights, status and working conditions of the teaching profession reported on by Member States.
In many countries, the quality of education is undermined by a severe deficit of teachers. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimates that to achieve universal primary education by 2020 countries will need to recruit a total of 12.6 million primary teachers. By 2030, the total demand for teachers would rise to 27.3 million. The shortage of qualified teachers is hampering efforts in many countries to achieve good quality education for all. Furthermore, there is also a qualitative challenge: teachers are often lacking good resources, such as teaching materials and textbooks, or proper training. The quality of teaching is essential to good learning outcomes. This implies an education system that attracts and retains a qualified teaching staff and that supports teachers in the classroom, as well as in their continued professional development.
Cette Convention a pour objet non seulement la lutte contre la discrimination dans le domaine de l'enseignement, mais aussi l'adoption de mesures visant à promouvoir l'égalité de chances et de traitement dans ce domaine. Elle s'inspire donc de deux principes fondamentaux distincts, qui figurent aussi bien dans l'Acte constitutif de l'Organisation que dans la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme dont les articles Z et 26 proscrivent toute forme de discrimination et visent à promouvoir le droit a l'éducation pour tous. Toutefois , la portée des engagements pris par les Etats varie selon qu'il s'agit de lutter contre la discrimination ou de promouvoir l'égalité des chances. En vertu de l'article 3 de la Convention, les Etats s'engagent à prendre des mesures immédiates en vue d'éliminer et de prévenir toute discrimination au sens de la Convention , d'empêcher les différences de traitement et d'interdire les préférences et les restrictions dans divers domaines
This publication is a compilation of practical examples of measures taken by Member States in implementing the provisions of the Convention and the Recommendation against Discrimination in Education. It has seven chapters reflecting the main issues and components including in the Convention and Recommendation. It begins by presenting the legal framework adopted by States. This is followed by a presentation of measures taken for eliminating discrimination in and through education; promoting equality of opportunity and treatment in this field, across all levels of education and through inclusive education; supporting affirmative action; enhancing quality education; religious and moral education; and the rights of minorities and language of instruction.
The Special Rapporteur examines the right to education in the digital age and, specifically, how to uphold the norms and principles that underlie the right to education while embracing digital technologies, which are revolutionising teaching and learning processes and transforming the landscape of higher education. He considers issues related to marginalisation and exclusion, as well as the quality of education, especially human values in education. Concerns are expressed about the digital divide and about how it affects fundamental principles, such as equality of opportunity. The Special Rapporteur sets out policy and legal responses to address these issues and challenges, bearing in mind the normative framework of the right to education as established in international human rights treaties. He also highlights the repercussions of digital technologies on public investment in education and on the quality of education, especially in respect of preserving human values in education, and underlines the need to safeguard education as a public good. Finally, he offers a set of recommendations for ensuring that the implementation of digital technology in education is in keeping with State obligations on the right to education as laid down in international human rights conventions.
Violence in schools and other educational settings is a worldwide problem. Students who are perceived not to conform to prevailing sexual and gender norms, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), are more vulnerable. Violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, also referred to as homophobic and transphobic violence, is a form of school-related gender-based violence. It includes physical, sexual and psychological violence and bullying and, like other forms of school-related violence, can occur in classes, playgrounds, toilets and changing rooms, on the way to and from school and online. This report presents the findings of a global review, commissioned by UNESCO, of homophobic and transphobic violence in schools and education sector responses.
Bridge International Academies (BIA) is a large and expanding business that provides for-profit private education in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and India. With support and investment coming from global edubusiness Pearson, the World Bank, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and high profile actors such as Mark Zuckerberg and the Gates Foundation, the claims that BIA makes regarding its services are impressive, portraying the company as providing a magic bullet solution to educational inequalities and a high quality alternative to insufficient and inadequate government provision (Bridge International Academies, 2016b)1. Focusing on BIA’s operations in Kenya, this study seeks to monitor these claims by uncovering the extent to which they reflect the situation on-the-ground.
Below are the report findings and a five point analysis of what the data collected means from a human rights perspective, with the full report at the bottom of the page.
GI_KNUT_Bridge_V_Reality_Report_Findings_Dec_2016_EN.pdf
ISER_GIESCR_EachRights_What_do_the_new data_on_Bridge_International_Academies_tells_us_2016_En.pdf