Bridging Asian and the Pacific Education Strategy to SDG 4 – Technical Cooperation Group on the Indicators for SDG 4

The Asia Pacific Regional Thematic Working Group (TWG) Education 2030+, co-chaired by UNESCO Bangkok and UNICEF, serves as the regional coordination mechanism and the Asia-Pacific Meeting on Education 2030 (APMED2030) will serve as the regional consultation platform for the exchange of knowledge, best practices and support to countries in all aspects of the implementation and monitoring of SDG4-Education 2030.

The regional coordination mechanism also brings together the following sub-regional organizations: South East Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Pacific Island Forum (PIF). Each of these organizations has its own education sector strategies aligned with SDG4-Education 2030 and they also participate in broader regional level efforts.

The UIS has been closely working with Asia Pacific Technical Working group- Education 2030+ in developing its Regional Roadmap (2015-2030) and providing technical support in implementing monitoring components of the roadmap.

Regional Frameworks

Roadmap

Consultations

Data

Resources

Leading Agencies in Regional Benchmarks Processes in Adsia Pacific Region

Recommendations

Given the large geographical spread of the Asia-Pacific region, sub-regional organizations play a significant role in the efficient coordination of regional-level actions and contribute to the implementation of the 3 thematic areas of the regional roadmap: advocacy, capacity building, and monitoring, within their respective sub-regional contexts.

UNESCO Bangkok, the secretariat of the regional Thematic Working Group Education2030+, represents the Asia-Pacific region and ensures regular communication and information exchange with the global coordination mechanism guided by the SDG Education 2030 Global Steering Committee.

Three regional organizations have developed their own education framework integrating SDG4 goals and targets, and providing detail strategies and programmes to achieve SDG4 in their respective sub regions.

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)

SEAMEO Strategic Plan 2021-2030

(will soon be available)

SAARC Framework for Action (2016-2030) (final version will soon be available)

Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) 2018-2030: Moving Towards Education 2030

To support Member States and sub-regional bodies in implementing SDG4 in their respective countries and sub-regions, The TWG Education 2030+ developed the Regional Roadmap for the SDG 4-Education 2030 Agenda in Asia-Pacific (2015-2030) specifying detail strategies and actions for implementing SDG4 in the region.

Regional Roadmap for the SDG 4-Education 2030 Agenda in Asia-Pacific (2015-2030)

The UIS has been closely working with Asia- Pacific Technical Working group- Education 2030+ in developing its Regional Roadmap (2015-2030) and providing technical support in implementing monitoring components of the roadmap.

Advocacy and preparation ( consultation with partners) – October- November 2020
Technical team formation – November 2020
ASIAN Senior Official Meeting of Education Ministry (SOMED)- December, 2020
Pacific Heads of Education System (PHES)- February 2021
Sub regional Consultations- March- April 2021

Region	Date	PPTs
South East Asia	24 March 2021
East Asia	30^th March
Pacific	1 April
South and West Asia	6 April
Central Asia	29 April

SEAMEO Education Congress – April 2021
FedMM ( Pacific) – April 2021
South East Asia Ministers of Education Councils SEAMEC – June 2021

2^nd Asia Pacific Regional Education Ministerial Conference ( APREMC-II) Sept-Oct,2021

Roadmap for 2021 (January to June)

On 25 February 2021, the Pan African Institute for Education for Development (IPED), with support of the UIS and the TCG Secretariat, hosted a second Regional Benchmarking Consultation on SDG 4 and CESA 16-25.

Concept Note (English, Français)

Presentations:

SDG 4 Benchmarks: A common framework of global, regional and national priorities to improve education program quality, efficiency & impact
- Example of benchmarking at various levels

During the first Regional Benchmarking Consultation on SDG 4 and CESA 16-25 held in October 2020, the African Union Commission (AUC) presented its proposed CESA indicators to be matched with the 7 global indicators and steps for a political process to agree benchmarks at national and regional. The second consultation was a follow-up to this first meeting to deliberate on actual positions and agreements, on what is possible or not at the level of the member states and RECs.

The UNESCO Bangkok and UNICEF EAPRO has been coordinating the Asia pacific Regional benchmarks processes under TWG- Education 2030+. As the region has decided to have sub regional level benchmarks looking at the vast geographical, economical and education development differences. Therefore, in the overall coordination of TWG-Education 2030+, following regional bodies are leading at sub regional level:

South and West Asia - South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
South East Asia - Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Pacific Island - Pacific Community ( SPC/EQAP)

Apart from these regional bodies, UIS has partnered with UNESCO Beijing for East Asia consultations and UNESCO Almaty office for Central Asian consultation processes.

Other