Nigel Carty to attend Commonwealth Education Ministers Meeting

Minister of Education, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 27TH 2012 (CUOPM)- St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Education, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty will attend the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers.

He will be among Commonwealth education ministers meeting in Port Louis, Mauritius, from August 29th to 31st to discuss priorities for the next three years and the Commonwealth’s contribution to the post-2015 development goals framework.

It is been held under the theme “Education in the Commonwealth: bridging the gap as we accelerate towards achieving internationally agreed goals.”

Minister Carty and other Commonwealth education ministers will consider what can be accomplished before the 2015 target date for the Millennium Development Goals in Education and the Education for All goals.

Agreed by governments and development agencies in 2000, these goals established a 15-year time frame for universal access to quality, inclusive and lifelong education.

While Commonwealth countries have made great strides towards meeting the goals in education, a great deal remains to be done, particularly in terms of quality, access and equal opportunities for boys and girls.

It is expected that by2015, 56 million children across the world will still not be in school, with the majority of these being girls.

Commonwealth Secretary-General His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma said: “Education goals are unfinished business. Much has changed since the development goals were formulated. Commonwealth education ministers will meet at a time of global financial upheaval and concerns over food security and the impact of climate change.

“This important meeting will seek to articulate the gaps and examine ways to support policy makers operating in an environment with new challenges over the next three years and beyond.”

The 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers is the largest ministerial meeting on the Commonwealth calendar. There are four parallel forums, comprising teachers, post-secondary and tertiary leaders, youth, and stakeholders.

The Prime Minister of St. Lucia, the Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony will be the keynote speaker for the ministerial meeting.

The Commonwealth Education e Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards will be announced on Wednesday 29 August.

The awards recognise outstanding educational work that has made a positive difference to primary school children, their teachers or the education system of a country