UNESCO seizes an opportunity for change in education

Julie Saito is International Coordinator for UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) which connects more than 11,500 schools in 182 countries on the themes of peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education. She talks about the chance for change offered by COVID-19.

The pandemic has given us all an opportunity to think about more than one paradox in education. It has exposed the fragility of our education systems but demonstrated their capacity to adapt almost overnight to ensure learning continuity. It has been heavily reliant on technology for remote learning but highlighted the paramount role of teachers in supporting their students academically and emotionally. Above all, it has shown the extent of our interdependence, the impact of inequalities, and the value that education holds for individuals and society.

If we are to build back more resilience, education has to transform, with inclusion and sustainability as primary concerns. Education for Sustainable Development is already at the heart of ASPnet’s activities based on Sustainable Development Goal 4, and, in particular, Target 4.7 which aims to ‘ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’. Each word here carries weight. Our work is to bring those words to life and action in all of our activities, communication and collaboration with our network of teachers, students and partners. And what is their meaning in the current context of the global pandemic the world has faced for the past 9 months that has affected 1.5 billion students in 190 countries? What role does education play in recovering from this crisis and how must it transform to meet everyone’s learning needs?

After drawing global attention to school closures and their impact, UNESCO launched the Global Education Coalition in March, a platform for collaboration and exchange to support learning continuity, bringing together more than 150 partners from the UN family, civil society, academia and the private sector. Within this context, ASPnet has adapted its activities along the main axes of Global Citizenship Education, Education for Sustainable Development and Intercultural Learning, developing new ways to strengthen communication and collaboration among all our members. A global webinar in May provided the opportunity for over 600 teachers, students and parents of ASPnet from over 80 countries to share their experiences of learning and living in confinement. Anne-Fleur Lurvink, an English teacher in the Netherlands, summed up the chance for change offered by the pandemic: “I believe this [crisis] is an opportunity to think big, to be brave and to really make some bold decisions, when it comes to how we organize our education and learning’

We also launched “the Change Initiative” that brings together teacher training Institutions aiming to effectively support teacher educators and teachers, through a series of online activities. What is clear is that there can be no back to normal in education. Many governments are planning the future along more hybrid and blended lines. The foremost challenge is to get all children back into school, prioritize the most marginalized, address learning losses and harness technology as a force for inclusion. Across all these dimensions, teachers must be consulted, supported with professional development opportunities and their health and well-being ensured.

Fundamentally, the new normal in education must contribute to the emergence of a more equitable and sustainable growth model. Our education systems must help children and youth to become catalysts for positive change. They must be trusted and heard. Now is the time to embed socio-emotional skills in the curriculum, together with critical skills to assess information, combat intolerance develop a shared responsibility for our common humanity and planet – in short education that wires learners to champion peace. Capitalizing on innovations and lessons learned over the past months, the time is ripe to reimagine education so that it becomes everyone’s right and leaves no one behind.

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Julie Saito • January 4, 2021

Spring is Here! Looking Ahead!

By Ann Beatty • March 28, 2025

Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.

Igniting a movement for education for all

By Hannah Frisch • March 7, 2025

The outlook for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on global education is far from rosy. But a gloomy future isn’t inevitable. Disappointing statistics are the result of political choices that can be shifted and there are thousands of youth, grassroots activists and civil society organisations across the UK advocating for global education to make these changes. We need more people involved to build the momentum, we need to make a difference in challenging circumstances. You can help! Here’s how; Making global education a UK priority The UK is an important donor and champion for global education. However, education has been gradually deprioritised on the development agenda. Global education spending has plummeted from 13.5% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023, and education was one of the sectors hit hardest by the abandonment of the 0.7% gross national income (GNI) target for ODA. With Labour’s annual budget confirming another reduction in the aid budget, funding for global education is under threat of being cut even further unless we stand together to say this can’t happen. While education is a domestic priority for the new Government, it has yet to emerge as a strong theme in their development agenda. As the Labour Party continues to develop their approach there is a unique opportunity for advocates to connect these dots and make the case for why education must be a key part of the Government’s international plans. For the Government to take action it needs to hear demand for change. There are many issues MPs recognise are important, but if they do not hear about these issues from constituents it can be hard for MPs to be vocal about them in Parliament. Following an election where many parliamentary seats were won with tight margins, MPs need to hear from the people they represent that global education must be on their agenda. With over half of MPs elected for the first time this year, many are actively looking for a steer on what issues to work on. We can give them one! How to Get Involved Write to your MP about why global education needs to be a bigger priority for the UK Government and encourage members of groups you are a part of, such as your union branch or a local community group, to do the same. This can have a real impact on your MP’s interest and ability to act for global education. You can also connect with other grassroots activists and get resources for taking action from international development advocacy organisations like Results UK. You can learn more about Results UK’s grassroots network on our website. If you are a teacher, get your school involved in the Send My Friend to School Campaign (SMF). Send My Friend is a UK civil society coalition advocating for SDG4 which supports a mass UK schools campaign to amplify student voices calling for universal quality education in solidarity with their peers around the world. Free campaign packs are available on the SMF website for primary and secondary levels with everything teachers need to run the campaign in their school. Parliamentarians can learn more about education issues and how to act by joining the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education, a cross-party group that brings together Parliamentarians interested in the right to education and provides them with knowledge and resources to be champions of the issue. By joining our voices through collective action, we can make a real difference in moving the needle on this issue. Together we have a chance to rechart the course for the realisation of quality education for all. BIOGRAPHY Hannah Frisch is the Senior Policy and Parliamentary Advocacy Officer for Education at Results UK and a Co-Chair of the Send My Friend to School Policy and Parliamentary Working Group. She is a policy advisor for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education in the UK Parliament.

Supporting work for The Federation of Drama Schools

By Melanie Lavery • March 3, 2025

Last year the Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the work of The Federation of Drama Schools by providing financial aid to new graduates, enabling them to take part in an industry showcase at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The showcase is an annual event for Irish graduates who have completed a professional training at one of the Federation’s partner conservatoires in the UK, introducing young actors to the industry they hope to work in. The Federation of Drama Schools partners are institutions that provide conservatoire vocational training for those who want to be professional performers, theatre makers and technical theatre practitioners. The courses they offer are for students of eighteen years and over, who have completed their school level education. In November (2024) fourteen young Irish graduates took part in the showcase and the SSF provided financial support to two graduates who may not otherwise have been able to take part in this showcase, which is a bridge between training and their professional career. Melanie Lavery from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is one of those who benefitted from this support. Melanie writes of her experience. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Steve Sinnott Foundation for the support I received, making it possible for me to take part in the Dublin Showcase 2024. The opportunity allowed me to work with graduates from across FDS schools and widen my contacts in the industry. Coming from a socio-economically deprived area, I’ve often missed out on opportunities available to my peers. I have had to spend a lot of energy during my three years in drama school working to support myself and this has meant I often don’t have time to follow up network opportunities. In receiving this sponsorship and taking part in the showcase I have been able to connect with other Irish creatives - the people I am acting opposite, directors, casting directors and agents in the industry. These industry showcases are so important for graduates. It gives us the possibility of networking with industry professionals and hopefully the opportunity of taking that first crucial step into the profession we have trained for. As I studied in Wales, it gave me the chance to return to Ireland and to reach out to creatives there. The Foundation gave me this amazing opportunity to kick start my career in my home country. On the day of the showcase, I had such pride watching my fellow Irish peers performing on stage at Ireland’s National Theatre. Working together throughout the rehearsal period, I got to know them individually and we all helped each other to grow as performers. This showcase has helped me to create my own community of actors around me. When it came to talking with other creatives after the show case, I became so much more aware of how large and welcoming the industry is in Ireland and how much work is being produced here. I think this show case is so important as it highlights how vibrant and growing the industry is in Ireland. I feel so lucky that I was able to take part thanks to the help of the Steve Sinnott Foundation. For more information on the Federation of Drama Schools, professional industry showcases, and it’s partner schools please visit www.federationofdramaschools.co.uk