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© UNESCO COVID-19: What you need to know about refugees’ education 2020-07-10 Despite a relative easing of COVID-19 school closures and an increasing trend towards reopening, over one billion learners globally remain affected by school closures. Disruption to education on this scale is unprecedented. COVID-19 leaves few lives and places untouched, however its impact, including in education, is harshest for groups that are already in vulnerable situations such as refugees. How are COVID -19 school closures affecting refugees’ education? Even before COVID-19 refugee children were twice as likely to be out of school than other children and despite improvements in refugee enrolment rates, only 63% of refugees are in enrolled in primary school and 24% in secondary education. The pandemic risks creating a backslide in the small gains made and creating a disaster for groups such as adolescent girls. In recent years significant efforts have been made on the inclusion of refugee learners in national education systems, however barriers to education persist and could potentially worsen due to the pandemic. There is also the worrying possibility that discrimination and xenophobia directed at refugee populations increases, negatively affecting school enrolment and retention. What can we do a ensure quality education for refugee learners? The first step is upholding and guaranteeing the right to education for refugees through ensuring all are able to learn at home and safely return to school. There are some promising signs that governments are fast-tracking the inclusion of refugees in their COVID-19 responses, demonstrating an opportunity to work on the delivery of commitments contained in the Global Compact on Refugees. As the focus shifts from distance learning and school closure to reopening and returning to school, close attention must be paid to existing and exacerbated inequities facing refugees, especially secondary school age refugee girls who were already only half as likely to enroll as their male peers. These conditions are anticipated to worsen. UNHCR estimates that 20% of the refugee girls who are in secondary school are at significant risk of never returning to school following the COVID-19 school closures. We must act now to address the inequality and dire situation facing refugee learners. Why is this so urgent and what is at stake? There is a lot at stake during and after COVID-19 for refugee learners. It is anticipated that there will be major increases in drop out, which means losing this generation if they are left out of education.  In many countries the education status of refugees was already fragile prior to the pandemic, with many having missed years of schooling and having to work hard to catch up. They must now cope with further disruptions to their learning. Those who were already not enrolled in education programmes are at even greater risk of never returning to learning. Lack of access to infrastructure, hardware and connectivity, living conditions and the remoteness of many refugee-hosting areas means that refugee children are also at risk of not being able to access national distance learning programmes put in place by governments as part of the COVID-19 response. What is UNESCO doing to advance the right to education for refugees? Through the Global Education Coalition, UNESCO is facilitating partnerships between multiple stakeholders to provide learning opportunities for children youth and adults, including refugees, who have been impacted by the disruption of education due to the pandemic. UNESCO has pledged and is working to strengthen national education systems by providing Member States with expertise and technical guidance for policy design, implementation and planning support for the inclusion of refugees into all levels of national education systems. UNESCO’s qualifications passport for refugees and vulnerable migrants launched in 2019 aims to facilitate learners’ integration in the education system and labour market through assessment procedures. The process helps recognize key elements such as the highest achieved qualifications, skills, relevant job experiences and language proficiency. On 13 July from 4pm to 5:30pm CET, a high-level virtual roundtable led by UNHCR and UNESCO will bring together voices of refugees to hear about the needs and responses on the ground. The event is convened and chaired by Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and co-hosted by Canada and the United Kingdom. Watch it live here Photo: Refugee learner doing his homework, Thailand, 2015.  What UNESCO does in education in emergencies UNESCO’s education response to COVID-19 The Global Education Coalition UNESCO qualifications passport for refugees and vulnerable migrants UNESCO’s Pledge to the Global Refugee Forum URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/covid-19-what-you-need-know-about-refugees-education ⓒ UNODC مكتب للأمم المتحدة يدرج مبادرة "الرياضة من أجل السلام والتنمية بدارفور 2020-07-07 رام الله - دنيا الوطنأدرج مكتب الأمم المتحدة المعني بالجريمة والمخدرات UNODC مبادرة "الرياضة من أجل السلام والتنمية في دارفور" التي أطلقها صندوق قطر للتنمية وقطر الخيرية كنموذج ناجح لمقاومة التطرف، في الدليل الفني بشأن "منع التطرف من خلال الرياضة "الذي تم إصداره الخميس الماضي خلال لقاء عبر الإنترنت شارك فيه أكثر من 250 من ممثلي الحكومات والخبراء من جميع أنحاء العالم.واعتبر الدليل الفني هذه المبادرة "دراسة حالة" تم من خلالها استخدام الرياضة لمنع العنف والتطرف ولتوضيح الطرق الممكنة لتنفيذ الأنشطة المناسبة في مناطق دارفور.ويقدم الدليل الفني حول منع التطرف العنيف من خلال الرياضة، والذي تم تطويره بالتشاور مع الخبراء الدوليين وكيانات الأمم المتحدة الأخرى بما في ذلك اليونسكو إرشادات شاملة حول كيفية استخدام الرياضة والبرامج القائمة على الرياضة بشكل فعال لمنع التطرف العنيف.وأشار التقرير الصادر في الدليل الفني الى أن المبادرة التي نفذتها منظمة إنقاذ الحلم عام 2019 بالتعاون مع صندوق قطر للتنمية وقطر الخيرية، وبالشراكة مع مختلف الكيانات الرياضية والتعليمية، مثل أكاديمية أسباير، تهدف إلى تعزيز السلام ومنع التطرف العنيف، كما استهدفت النازحين واستخدمت الرياضة للاندماج في المجتمع وبناء السلام والمصالحة.تنفيذ الآليات الخمسوقال التقرير إن الأنشطة الميدانية التي تم تنفيذها في مدينة الفاشر شمال دارفور تضمنت عدة مبادرات رياضية وثقافية وحملات توعوية وورشا تدريبية حول الرياضة من أجل السلام والتنمية وكان الهدف الرئيسي هو بناء القدرة على تصميم وإدارة المشاريع المستدامة في هذا المجال.كما تطرق لنموذج تشكيل لجنة محلية تضم 80 من قادة المجتمعات المحلية من دارفور وذلك من أجل بناء الثقة مع الشباب وأسرهم كما تم توفير مكان آمن ماديا وثقافيا حيث يمكن للشباب الالتقاء والتفاعل من دون أي عقبات مما ساهم في التعاون وبناء الثقة بين بعضهم البعض.وقال التقرير إن المبادرة نفذت عدة أنشطة فعلت من خلالها نهج الآليات الخمس التي تناولها الدليل لتعزيز السلام ومنع التطرف، حيث استهدفت المبادرة فئة النازحين والمجتمعات المضيفة المحلية في دارفور ووظفت برامج رياضية متعددة المجالات بهدف تعزيز الاندماج في المجتمع وبناء السلام، مضيفا أنه تم تدريب النازحين على تطوير المشاريع، وحل النزاعات والتخطيط الاستراتيجي والبطولة الرياضية بالإضافة إلى التنظيم ومنع التطرف.وبهذه المناسبة؛ قال السيد يوسف بن أحمد الكواري الرئيس التنفيذي لقطر الخيرية إن وثيقة الدوحة للسلام تمثل أكبر إطار عمل لبناء السلام في دارفور، وقد تم الترحيب بها من قبل الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة فور توقيعها سنة 2011، مشيرا أن قطر الخيرية أطلقت مبادرة "الرياضة من أجل السلام والتنمية في دارفور" بالشراكة مع صندوق قطر للتنمية، وقدمت الدعم لها لقناعتها بأن الرياضة أداة فريدة لتعزيز الكرامة الإنسانية والتلاحم الاجتماعي والمساواة بين مكونات المجتمعات البشرية.وأوضح أن التنويه بهذه المبادرة في تقرير مكتب الامم المتحدة المعني بالجرائم والمخدرات هو احتفال بإمكانية الرياضة ودورها في تحقيق التعايش السلمي والانسجام المجتمعي في السودان، معربا عن أمله بأن يفتح هذا التقرير الباب إلى المزيد من المبادرات المشابهة في المنطقة. التعايش السلمييذكر أن مبادرة "الرياضة من أجل السلام والتنمية" جاءت ضمن جهود دولة قطر في تحقيق السلام في دارفور بهدف تعزيز السلام والتنمية ومنع التطرف بين النازحين من خلال الرياضة وإبراز أهمية التعايش السلمي وتحقيق السلام بعيدا عن النزاعات..وقدّم صندوق قطر للتنمية وقطر الخيرية بتعاونهما الاستراتيجي نموذجا تنمويا فريدا في دارفور جمع بين إحلال السلام والتنمية العمرانية والتنمية البشرية من خلال العمل على تشييد 40 ملعبا خماسي الألعاب بالأقاليم الخمسة لدارفور بقيمة مليون و700 ألف دولار. URL:https://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/news/2020/07/05/1350151.html UNICEF/Asselin Countries failing to prevent violence against children, agencies warn 2020-06-30 Global status report on preventing violence against children calls for more government action and warns of ‘dramatic impact’ of COVID-19 Half of the world’s children, or approximately 1 billion children each year are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, suffering injuries, disabilities and death, because countries have failed to follow established strategies to protect them. This is according to a new report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNESCO, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the End Violence Partnership. “There is never any excuse for violence against children," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We have evidence-based tools to prevent it, which we urge all countries to implement. Protecting the health and well-being of children is central to protecting our collective health and well-being, now and for the future.” The report – Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020 – is the first of its kind, charting progress in 155 countries against the “INSPIRE” framework, a set of seven strategies for preventing and responding to violence against children. The report signals a clear need in all countries to scale up efforts to implement them. While nearly all countries (88%) have key laws in place to protect children against violence, less than half of countries (47%) said these were being strongly enforced. The report includes the first ever global homicide estimates specifically for children under 18 years of age – previous estimates were based on data that included 18 to 19-year olds. It finds that, in 2017, around 40,000 children were victims of homicide. “Violence against children has always been pervasive, and now things could be getting much worse,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Lockdowns, school closures and movement restrictions have left far too many children stuck with their abusers, without the safe space that school would normally offer. It is urgent to scale up efforts to protect children during these times and beyond, including by designating social service workers as essential and strengthening child helplines.” Progress is generally uneven Of the INSPIRE strategies, only access to schools through enrollment showed the most progress with 54% of countries reporting that a sufficient number of children in need were being reached in this way. Between 32% to 37% of countries considered that victims of violence could access support services, while 26% of countries provided programmes on parent and caregiver support; 21% of countries had programmes to change harmful norms; and 15% of countries had modifications to provide safe physical environments for children. Although a majority of countries (83%) have national data on violence against children, only 21% used these to set baselines and national targets to prevent and respond to violence against children. About 80% of countries have national plans of action and policies but only one-fifth have plans that are fully funded or have measurable targets. A lack of funding combined with inadequate professional capacity are likely contributing factors and a reason why implementation has been slow. The COVID-19 response and its impact on children “During the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related school closures, we have seen a rise in violence and hate online – and this includes bullying. Now, as schools begin to re-open, children are expressing their fears about going back to school,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that schools are safe environments for all children. We need to think and act collectively to stop violence at school and in our societies at large.” Stay-at-home measures including school closures have limited the usual sources of support for families and individuals such as friends, extended family or professionals. This further erodes victims’ ability to successfully cope with crises and the new routines of daily life. Spikes in calls to helplines for child abuse and intimate partner violence have been observed. And while online communities have become central to maintain many children’s learning, support and play, an increase in harmful online behaviours including cyberbullying, risky online behavior and sexual exploitation have been identified.  “Whilst this report was being finalized, confinement measures and the disrupted provision of already limited child protection services exacerbated the vulnerability of children to various forms of violence,” said Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children. “To respond to this crisis a unified, child rights and multisectoral framework for action for children is critical requiring a strong mobilization of governments, bilateral/multilateral donors, civil society, private sector and children, whose views must be heard and truly taken into account to ensure duly protection and the possibility for all to thrive and reach their full potential.” Accelerating action to protect children WHO and its partners will continue to work with countries to fully implement the INSPIRE strategies by enhancing coordination, developing and implementing national action plans, prioritizing data collection, and strengthening legislative frameworks.  Global action is needed to ensure that the necessary financial and technical support is available to all countries. Monitoring and evaluation are crucial to determine the extent to which these prevention efforts are effectively delivered to all who need them. “Ending violence against children is the right thing to do, a smart investment to make, and it’s possible.  It is time to fully fund comprehensive national action plans that will keep children safe at home, at school, online and in their communities,” said Dr Howard Taylor, End Violence Partnership. “We can and must create a world where every child can thrive free from violence and become a new generation of adults to experience healthy and prosperous lives.” Editor’s note: The data for the report was compiled through a survey administered between 2018 and 2019 with responses from over 1000 decision-makers from 155 countries. The INSPIRE strategies launched in 2016 call for the implementation and enforcement of laws; changing norms and values to make violence unacceptable; creating safe physical environments for children; providing support to parent and caregivers; strengthening income and economic security and stability; improving response and support services for victims; and providing children with education and life skills. Related links: To download the report (in English only) and executive summary (in English, French, Russian and Spanish), go to: https://who.canto.global/b/SSHOR and use password: 490759. To watch the launch event taking place on Thursday, 18 June from 15:00 to 16:30 CEST, please register at https://bit.ly/2ApZXKa. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to access the event. Interpretation will be provided in the 6 UN languages. URL:https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/18-06-2020-countries-failing-to-prevent-violence-against-children-agencies-warn © عكاظ 2020 «تقويم التعليم» تناقش أثر «كورونا» على التعليم العالي في الدول العربية 2020-06-21 شاركت هيئة تقويم التعليم والتدريب أمس (الخميس) في منتدى الشبكة العربية لضمان الجودة في التعليم العالي (ANQAHE) الذي عقد عن بُعد، كمتحدث رئيسي، بحضور مجموعة من رؤساء هيئات الجودة والخبراء والمفكرين والمهتمين بجودة التعليم في العالم العربي. وناقش المنتدى أثر فايروس «كورونا» على التعليم العالي في الدول العربية، إضافة إلى استعراض تجارب هيئات ضمان الجودة لمراجعات الجودة والاعتماد، والتعرف على أهم التحديات والفرص المرتبطة بالأزمة والتوقعات المستقبلية لها، كما تم مشاركة الممارسات الجيدة والخبرات والأفكار حول التحديات الحالية والتوجهات المستقبلية التي تواجه التعليم العالي وجودته. وقدَّم المدير التنفيذي للمركز الوطني للتقويم والاعتماد الأكاديمي وممثل الهيئة في هذا اللقاء الدكتور سهيل باجمال، نبذة عن هيئة تقويم التعليم والتدريب ومراكزها والنطاق الشمولي لمسؤولياتها عن جودة التعليم والتدريب بالمملكة، وأهم الإجراءات التي اتخذتها لاستمرار العمل خلال الجائحة. وأشار باجمال خلال اللقاء إلى كيفية استمرار الهيئة في القيام بدورها الوطني متمثلاً بالأعمال الداخلية وإجراء الاختبارات التحصيلية عن بُعد، وبما لا يؤثر على عمل الجامعات ومستقبل أبناء الوطن من الطلاب، واستمرار فحص الوثائق المقدمة من البرامج للحصول على الاعتماد الأكاديمي، واستمرار الدراسات التقويمية ومنها الدراسة التقويمية لجودة التعليم بالجامعات الأهلية وتنفيذ بعض أجزائها من خلال التقنيات التي وفرتها الهيئة، إضافة إلى عرض دراسة تقويم عمليات التعليم والتعلم والتدريب خلال جائحة «كورونا» التي شرفت الهيئة بتكليف المقام السامي بإجرائها دعماً للتخطيط المستقبلي واتخاذ القرار وفق المنهجية العلمية التي تتخذها المملكة في اتخاذ قراراتها. وتناول العرض، التوجهات المستقبلية لهيئة تقويم التعليم والتدريب فيما بعد الأزمة وبما يضمن استمرار الدور الداعم للهيئة، والتحول الإستراتيجي المتكامل لإدارة الجودة الذي بدأ التخطيط له مبكراً، مؤكداً على الرؤية الاستشرافية لقيادات للهيئة. كما تناول محاور التحول التكامل بين التقويم والاعتماد المؤسسي والبرامجي والتصنيف كأربع عمليات محورية لدعم جودة وتميز المؤسسات ونشر وترسيخ ثقافة الجودة، وتحقيق التنافسية الدولية وربط التعليم وسوق العمل من خلال الترخيص للهيئات الدولية والوطنية لممارسة الاعتماد الأكاديمي وفق ضوابط صارمة ومقننة لضمان الجودة، إضافة إلى تمهين صناعة الجودة وإعداد المراجعين والترخيص لهم، مع التوجه الشامل لمفاهيم الجيل الرابع للجودة متضمناً الجوانب الرقمية والتقنية والتواصل وإدارة البيانات والربط بين الاعتماد ومستوى المخاطر الأكاديمية لكل برنامج أو مؤسسة. كما تم خلال اللقاء عرض توجهات الهيئة نحو تفعيل الزيارات الافتراضية وإعداد وتأهيل الكوادر البشرية للقيام بذلك، وأهمية حصول البرامج الجديدة على الاعتماد الأولي قبل افتتاحها، مع التطورات التي حدثت على مستوى معايير الاعتماد لتشمل اعتماد للجامعات والكليات والبرامج، وبناء على الدور المنوط بكل منها، مع إضافة مؤشرات خاصة بالتعلم الإلكتروني والتعليم عن بعد بما يتواءم مع الاحتياجات الحالية والمستقبلية. وأشاد الحضور خلال المنتدى بتجربة المملكة العربية السعودية، والدور المتميز الذي قامت به هيئة تقويم التعليم والتدريب في هذا الجانب، وبما يتوافق مع اختصاصاتها المحددة بتنظيم عملها المقر من مجلس الوزراء. URL:https://www.okaz.com.sa/news/local/2029159 © UNESCO New UN report shows countries failing to protect children against violence 2020-06-20 While global attention is focused on containing the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of two of two children across the world continue to be affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, according to a new report released by WHO, together with UNESCO, UNICEF, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the End Violence Partnership. The report – Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020 – brings to light the increasing number of children who are suffering injuries, disabilities and death because countries are not following established strategies to protect them from harm. The first of its kind, it charts countries’ progress against the “INSPIRE” framework, a set of seven strategies for preventing and responding to violence against children. The report includes the first ever global homicide estimates for children under 18 years of age. In 2017, an estimated 40150 children were victims of homicide. It also draws on data from UNESCO’s 2019 report, Behind the Numbers: Ending school violence and bullying, highlighting that bullying is a major problem worldwide, with 32% of students aged 11- 15 bullied by their peers at school at least once in the last month. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related school closures, we have seen a rise in violence and hate online – and this includes bullying. Now, as schools begin to re-open, children are expressing their fears about going back to school,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that schools are safe environments for all children. We need to think and act collectively to stop violence at school and in our societies at large.” Uneven progress in implementing violence prevention strategies Laws that ban corporal punishment of children in all settings, including schools, have the potential to reduce the violence perpetrated by adults on children, and also between children, the report finds. Yet, while 79% of countries which responded for the report ban corporal punishment, only 30% of respondents believe that those who are violent towards children for whatever reason, including teachers, will be sanctioned. “This report is a strong reminder that having good policies is not enough, and that we need to work constantly to make sure that these policies are enforced, said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini. “It will be impossible to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all if children cannot learn in schools that are safe and free of violence, including violence perpetrated by students, teachers and other school personnel, and corporal punishment.” COVID-19 response and its impact on children Stay-at-home measures, including school closures, have limited the usual sources of support for families and individuals such as friends, extended family or professionals. This erodes victims’ ability to successfully cope with crises and the new routines of daily life. Spikes in calls to helplines for child abuse and intimate partner violence have been observed. And while online communities have become central to maintain learning, support and play for many children, an increase in harmful online behavior including cyberbullying, risky online behavior and sexual exploitation have also been identified.  URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/new-report-shows-countries-failing-protect-children-against-violence © UNESCO UNESCO Beirut and the Regional Center for Educational Planning initiate a regional dialogue on the Future of Education after COVID-19 2020-06-18  The current global pandemic has changed anticipated futures across the globe. The COVID-19 crisis is both world-shattering and world-making as there is a widely shared sense that humanity is at a defining moment for rethinking the future. While a reflection on probable/anticipated and possible/alternative futures is well underway within UNESCO’s Futures of Education: Learning to Become initiative launched before the crisis in September 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this initiative more timely, giving it a key momentum. Against this backdrop, UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States (UNESCO Beirut), in partnership with UNESCO HQ and the Regional Center for Educational Planning (RCEP), organized on 16 June 2020 an Arab Region Dialogue on the Future of Education after COVID-19. The webinar aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 on educational continuity in the Arab region, to reflect on the lessons learnt from the challenges faced during the COVID-19 crisis as we look to the futures of education, and to explore and analyze plans and strategies proposed to frame the vision of education after COVID-19. The webinar is built upon the achievement of a 2017 regional think tank seminar on “Rethinking Education” organized in Sharm EL Sheikh, Egypt and reaffirms the 2016 Cairo Declarations for rethinking education. It also comes in the framework of UNESCO’s Education Response to the COVID-19 crisis and the Organization’s continuous support for Arab Member States during and after COVID-19. The event was attended by high-level personalities including H.E. Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education, UNESCO Beirut Director Dr Hamed al Hammami, RCEP Director Dr Mahra AlMutawiei, and Dr Sobhi Tawil, Chief of Section for Education Research and Foresight at UNESCO HQ. 500 participants took part in the Dialogue. Idris The event started with welcome remarks by Dr Hegazi Idris, UNESCO Beirut’s Programme Specialist for Basic Education, who highlighted that: “This regional discussion aims to answer the following questions: What are the options in educational policies and opportunities that we can benefit from for the future of education in the Arab region? What do we mean by new pedagogy or pedagogy 4.0? What are the options in practice to ensure continuity of education, especially in countries in crisis and for children outside of school? What about children with special needs now and in the future? What are the lessons learnt about the parents’ role in learning and education? Do children now and after returning to school need psychosocial support? Finally, what about UNESCO’s Global Initiative on the Future of Education 2050?” Al Mutaweiei As to RCEP Director Dr AlMutawiei, she stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a long shadow and took its toll on the educational systems around the world, as the crisis impacted the education process of 1.6 billion students who ceased going to schools and universities and engaged in distance learning. This has pushed education stakeholders to think out of the box to provide unconventional and alternative approaches for education via several means such as; the internet and TV”. Al Mutawiei added: “There were, nonetheless, constructive and positive changes created by this pandemic. Therefore it is inevitable that educational systems shall discover novel methods to prepare and qualify the teachers and educators, so as to they may attain the required skills and capabilities to tackle and keep pace with this changing reality of the educational process. Moreover, the systems shall review and upgrade the matrix of skills given to students in a manner that shall make students more equipped and prepared for encountering the future. And due to the fact that the pandemic has imposed a significant challenge concerning the quality of the provided education, educational systems shall initiate new measures for benchmarking the quality of education and tackling with the current digital gap”. She concluded: “It is essential and inevitable to develop a worldwide framework for coordination and cooperation, as well as to initiate effective and operative partnerships between public and private institutions with the aim that all the students around the world receive equitable and quality education”. Al Hammami Then, UNESCO Beirut Director Dr Hamed Al Hammami made an opening speech in which he highlighted that: “ Education in the Arab region after COVID-19, and the features of teaching and learning, will witness great transformations. We should draw lessons from the challenges faced by ministries of education and educational systems during this pandemic”. He added: “Among the challenges faced by educational systems during COVID-19 are the unreadiness of some education systems in the Arab region for remote learning, weak educational infrastructure, inequality in terms of access to the internet, and teachers’ unpreparedness to switch to remote learning”. Dr Al Hammami said: “We can turn this crisis into an opportunity by building a more resilient education system. We should capitalize on IT, enhance teachers’ capacities, review assessment methods, engage in a comprehensive digital transformation, and build effective partnerships. It is also necessary to review old educational philosophies, as well as the goals and outputs of the educational system, in line with recent evolutions and the requirements of the labor market”. Al Hammadi This was followed by a keynote speech by UAE Minister of Education H.E. . Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi in which he presented his country’s vision of the future of education after COVID-19. Minister Al Hammadi said that “the future of education is perhaps the most important issue to be examined at the moment regionally and globally”. Al Hammadi explained that urgent discussions should be taking place about this topic, as the new reality of education requires a radical shift in educational practices, as well as innovative educational strategies and policies, new educational tools, and extensive cooperation between countries towards institutionalizing educational systems that are able to adapt with the world post COVID-19. Further, H.E. Minister Al Hammadi highlighted that “the UAE has made great strides in this context, as it was proactive in adopting educational strategies, plans, and scenarios that would achieve an effective smart learning system supported by multiple educational resources and means. This was accomplished years ago, thanks to the guidance and support of the wise UAE leadership. All of this has paved the way to activate the smart learning system for almost 1.2 million Emirati school students”. Minister Al Hammadi added that “the possibility of improving educational frameworks and achieving the best educational opportunities post COVID-19 depends on our ability to address the challenges and problems that have arisen, while simultaneously building on emerging educational developments. This will ensure equitable and inclusive education for all, while offering lifelong learning without excluding any specific category or segment of students”. He also outlined four enablers for developing education post-COVID-19, namely improved infrastructure, reorganized policies and frameworks, evolving curricula, and improved qualification and training processes. Lastly, Al Hammadi indicated that the outcomes of any educational system should be measured based on imperative guidelines, which include an integrated evaluation framework that tracks performance, utilizing smart monitoring systems, and impact tracing functions, in addition to creating educational partnerships that are based on knowledge exchange, as well as investing heavily and holistically in education at the country level. Presentations The event featured presentations by renowned speakers. Dr Sobhi Tawil spoke of the “Future of education from a global perspective”, highlighting the efforts UNESCO has initiated to launch a global reflection on the matter. Dr Tawil stressed that: “The COVID=19 crisis offers us the opportunity to address longstanding disparities in access to education, to reframe the right to education, and to reimagine the purpose of education and the organization of learning”. He added: “Close to half of all primary and secondary students being provisioned by national online learning platforms, do not have access to the Internet at home. We need to ensure universal connectivity and close digital divides to advance learning for all”. Dr Yin Cheong Cheng, Emeritus Professor of Education and Senior Research Fellow (APCLC) at the University of Hongkong spoke of the lessons learnt from the challenges that faced education systems during the pandemic, suggesting the way forward to build on these lessons to design the future of education. He highlighted, in particular, the need to capitalize on IT and artificial intelligence to re-define learning in nature, context, players, format & speed, creating unlimited opportunities for learning; and the importance of contextualization and creativity to meet multiple developments and disruptions. H.E. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, spoke of the scenarios for the future of education in the short and long term after the end of the pandemic. As to Dr Federico Biagi, researcher at the European Commission, he made a presentation on the impact of COVID-19 on students’ learning and achievement. He stressed that: “Estimates for a few selected EU countries consistently indicate that, on average, students will suffer a learning loss. It is also suggested that COVID-19 will not affect students equally, will influence negatively both cognitive and non-cognitive skills acquisition, and may have important long-term consequences in addition to the short-term ones. Policy makers and stakeholders should collaborate and try to improve the efficacy of online and blended learning models, while reducing educational inequalities”. Dr Sami Nassar, Dean of the faculty of Education Studies at the National Egyptian E-Learning University, spoke of “Education : the 4th generation”. He stated that: “The pandemic revealed the size of the falsehood which we have lived for a time, and the shortcomings of the educational system and institutions we have built. It has also revealed the weakness of the values that we always pretend to preserve and defend. It also proved the weakness and shortcomings of the “routine” we had inserted our daily social and economic life in”, encouraging education stakeholders to think of a more flexible and resilient education system in the future. Lastly, Dr Ahmad Ouzi, Emeritus Professor at University of Mohammed V, presented a new pedagogical paradigm for the future of education. After closing remarks by Dr Idris, Dr AlMutawiei, and Dr Sobe Noah Webster, Senior Project Officer for Education Research and Foresight at UNESCO – HQ, an interactive debate took place with the participants. The Regional Dialogue provided a platform for participants to reflect on the educational challenges and opportunities offered by the COVID-19 pandemic and to share lessons learnt during the crisis. It also allowed participants to learn from the diverse insights of regional and international education thinkers with respect to the future of education during and after COVID-19.   URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-beirut-and-regional-center-educational-planning-initiate-regional-dialogue-future © 2020 حقوق النشر محفوظة لـاليوم السابع التعليم تكشف ملامح العام الدراسى المقبل فى ظل تداعيات فيروس كورونا 2020-06-11 بدأت وزارة التربية والتعليم والتعليم الفنى، الاستعداد والتجهيز للعام الدراسى المقبل 2020،2021، ويقدم " اليوم السابع" فى التقرير التالى تفاصيل ما أعلنته الوزارة بشكل أولى حول شكل وطبيعة العام الدراسى المقبل. ـ هناك أكثر من مقترح يتم دراسته الآن حول طبيعة وشكل العام الدراسى المقبل وعدد أيام الدراسة فى المدارس.ـ سيكون تعقيم المدارس بشكل دورى سواء حكومية أو خاصة.ـ تطبيق كافة الإجراءات الصحية من ارتداء الطلاب لكمامات بشكل متواصل.ـ وزير التعليم، قال إن أغلب الظن سيكون هناك تعليم مدمج ما بين المدرسة والوسائل التكنولوجية وتحضر الوزارة حاليا لعام جديد غير مسبوق.ـ لا بديل عن توزيع حضور الطلاب على عدد أيام الأسبوع لأن الكثافات مرتفعة خاصة فى المدارس الحكومية وبالتالى من الصعب تكدس الطلاب فى ظل انتشار الأوبئة.ـ سوف تعتمد الوزارة مع استمرار تداعيات أزمة كورونا على الوسائل التكنولوجية المتاحة لديها.ـ تعتمد المدارس والدراسة على المكتبة الرقمية "‪https://study.ekb.eg/"، التي تحتوى على مناهج رقمية تفاعلية تتضمن المناهج الخاصة بالصفوف الدراسية من "‪KG1" حتى "‪G12"، وذلك باللغتين العربية والإنجليزية.ـ تمتلك أيضاً منصة تعليم وفصول افتراضية تضم جميع مدارس الجمهورية، عليها قرابة 15 مليون طالب ومعلم.ـ تستخدم هذه المنصة للتواصل الاجتماعي والعلمي كما تم من خلالها استلام المشروعات البحثية من مختلف الطلاب والتلاميذ.ـ تعتمد الوزارة على إمكانية إجراء بث مباشر لجميع الدروس المتعلقة بمناهج الصفوف من "‪G9" إلى "‪G12".ـ  إجراء امتحانات إلكترونية لطلاب الصفين الأول والثاني الثانوي والذين يقدر عددهم بنحو 1.1 مليون طالب.ـ استخدام منصة مراجعات إلكترونية لطلاب الصف الثالث الثانوي.ـ إتاحة نُظم إدارة التعلم "‪LMS" لطلاب الصفوف الأول الثانوي حتى الثالث الثانوى.ـ استقبال الطلاب الجدد لتسجيل التقدم إلكترونيا للعام الدراسى المقبل. URL:https://www.youm7.com/story/2020/6/9 ⓒ عبداللطيف الضويحي كورونا والهدف الثامن عشر من أهداف التنمية المستدامة 2020-06-10 من المؤكد أن الأزمات هي المختبر والاختبار الحقيقي للخطط والأهداف والإستراتيجيات، وكلما كانت الأزمات كبيرة وشاملة، كان ذلك شهادة ضمان عالية لمن يجتازها. فإلى أي مدى أثرت أزمة كورونا على واقعية وجدوى ومصداقية وثبات أهداف التنمية المستدامة السبعة عشر؟لا بد لي بداية من الإشادة بالجهود والعقول التي توصلت إلى بلورة وصياغة أهداف التنمية المستدامة SDGs. فقد توصلت منظمة الأمم المتحدة لسبعة عشر هدفاً، حيث وردت هذه الأهداف في قرار الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة في 2015، ومن ثم أدرجت سنة 2016 في خطة التنمية المستدامة لعام 2030.نشير هنا إلى أن 169 هدفاً فرعياً انبثقت عن الأهداف السبعة عشر، وتشمل (القضاء على الفقر- القضاء على الجوع والأمن الغذائي- الصحة والرفاهية- التعليم الجيد مدى الحياة- اتخاذ التدابير الضرورية والعاجلة لمواجهة تغير المناخ- المساواة بين الجنسين- توافر المياه والصرف الصحي- إتاحة الطاقة الحديثة بأسعار ميسرة للجميع- تعزيز النمو الاقتصادي الشامل والمستمر والمستدام وتوفير العمل اللائق للجميع- إقامة وتهيئة البنى التحتية المعتبرة وحفز التصنيع والإبتكار- الحد من عدم المساواة داخل البلدان وبينها- شمولية المدن والمستوطنات البشرية للجميع واستدامتها وأمنها- البيئة- استدامة أنماط الإنتاج والاستهلاك- حفظ المحيطات والبحار والموارد البحرية واستخدامها على نحو مستدام- حماية النظم البرية والغابات والتنوع البيئي وترميمها وتعزيز استخدامها على نحو مستدام ووقف التصحر- السلام والعدل والمؤسساتية- تعزيز وسائل التنفيذ وتنشيط الشراكة العالمية من أجل التنمية المستدامة).فإلى الآن الدول ليست ملزمة قانوناً بهذه الأهداف، فهل يجوز بعد جائحة كورونا، أن تستمر الدول بغير الالتزام بهذه الأهداف أو بعضها؟ وهل يمكن العمل على أي من هذه الأهداف السبعة عشر والنجاح بتحقيقها بمعزل عن التزامن والتناغم في الجهود بين كافة الأهداف بعضها مع بعض، في ظروف كالظروف التي عشناها ونعيشها مع وباء كورونا؟ وهل يمكن تحقيق هدف الصحة في ظل جائحة كورونا، دون تفعيل وتحقيق أهداف النظافة والمياه والبيئة والتعليم والأمن الغذائي وتمكين فئات المجتمع من العمل والشغل وتعزيز دور الأسرة في التوعية والوقاية؟ثم هل يمكن لدولة بمفردها أن تعمل بأهداف التنمية المستدامة وتكون بمنأى من جائحة مثل جائحة كورونا، إذا لم يكن هناك بروتوكولات أو إطار للتعاون والشراكة المعلوماتية والمعرفية والخبراتية والدوائية والمختبراتية مع بقية دول العالم ومن دون تزامن وتناغم وتضافر لجهودها مع جهود تلك الدول؟في ضوء ما أفرزته وتسببت به جائحة كورونا من تداعيات، يبدو لي أن مشكلة أهداف التنمية المستدامة هي أنها مصممة لكل دولة على حدة، وأن تلك الأهداف لم تأخذ بالحسبان الكوارث الناجمة عن الأوبئة والجوائح العابرة للأهداف والعابرة للمجتمعات والعابرة للحدود.من هنا أقترح أن تتم مراجعة أهداف التنمية المستدامة وإعادة صياغتها في ضوء التداعيات الشاملة التي تسببت بها الجائحة، والتفكير بإضافة هدف ثامن عشر ويكرس للجوائح ويعمل كحالة طوارئ ويعمل على تكريس العمل الأفقي والرأسي الحكومي وغير الحكومي العابر للمؤسسات والعابر للمجتمعات والعابر للأهداف والعابر للحدود. Dwaihi@agfund.org URL:https://www.okaz.com.sa/articles/authors/2027599 ⓒ UN News/Shirin Yaseen UN appeals for restraint, ‘social cohesion’ as protests across the US continue 2020-06-03 Responding to on-going protests that have spawned violence on all sides across dozens of US cities, the UN Spokesperson on Monday reiterated the Secretary-General’s appeal for grievances to be heard in “peaceful ways”, met with restraint by police and security forces. Outrage began after video footage went viral on social media early last week, showing a white officer in the city of Minneapolis kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old African-American George Floyd for more than eight minutes, during which he appeared to become lifeless, dying in police custody.  Tens of thousands have taken to the streets during mainly peaceful protests, but violence by some demonstrators aimed at the police has also seen widespread looting, and increasingly violent policing tactics employed across multiple US cities.  “The situation we're seeing today we've seen in different parts of the world before”, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters, adding that UN chief António Guterres’s message has been consistent: “Grievances must be heard, but they must be expressed... in peaceful ways, and authorities must show restraint in responding to demonstrators”.  " STOP racism.STOP anti-semitism.STOP xenophobia.STOP intolerance.Join the @UN call to #StandUp4HumanRights and help build a world free of discrimination, hate & violence. pic.twitter.com/rL9PTsp9mE " — UNESCO (@UNESCO) June 1, 2020 As in any country in the world, “diversity is a richness and not a threat, but the success of diverse societies in any country requires a massive investment in social cohesion”, the spokesperson said, responding to questions from correspondents at the regular daily briefing, and pointing to “reducing inequalities, addressing possible areas of discrimination, strengthening social protection, [and] providing opportunities for all”. “These efforts, these investments need to mobilize national governments…local authorities, the private sector, civil society, faith based organizations…society as a whole”, he said. And in cases of instances of police violence, Mr. Dujarric reiterated the UN’s stance, calling for thorough investigations. “We've always said that police forces around the world need to have adequate human rights training, and there also needs to be an investment in social and psychological support for police so they can do their job properly in terms of protecting the community”, the UN Spokesperson said. Violent outbursts The killing of Mr. Floyd has rocked Minneapolis and other cities across the country, with mostly peaceful daytime demonstrations turning violent as night fell, with many curfews being imposed, and largely ignored. Throughout the weekend, reports reverberated of shootings, lootings and vandalism in a host of American cities, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, riot police fired tear gas and pepper bullets to try to disperse crowds and according to news reports, at least 4,400 people have been arrested. By some accounts, the country is experiencing the most widespread racial turbulence and civil unrest since civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, was assassinated in 1968. Protest-connected outbreak Although only days ago the COVID-19 pandemic had led to weeks of largely empty streets across the country, march routes in many cities have seen demonstrators ignoring physical-distancing, marching shoulder to shoulder, despite the risk of further transmission. Speaking at a regular World Health Organization (WHO) press conference, infectious disease epidemiologist, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, said that physical distancing remains a “very important aspect” to control and suppress transmission. “This is not over yet and we need to ensure that any locations that are considering these mass gathering events”, have “systems in place to prevent and detect and respond to any such cases”, she spelled out. URL:https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/06/1065262 © Equitas حملة هاشتاغ # 24 ساعة للتحرك ! 2020-06-02 Our 2017-2020 initiative: Rawabet – Techonological Bridges for Citizen Engagement  Rawabet means “Connections” in  Arabic. This initiative empowers youth, women and marginalized groups – in particular persons living with disabilities – to thrive in the digital era and use new technologies to promote social and economic rights in Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tunisian government has issued constant communications to inform Tunisians of how the situation was progressing and the protective measures to be followed. Deaf and hard of hearing people were excluded from these communications as sign language interpretation and subtitling were not provided. We are talking here, according to unofficial figures, about a segment of the people who numbers 70 thousand to 200 thousand people, while the official numbers of the National Institute of Statistics estimated their number in Tunisia in 2014 by more than 20 thousand people. It is only thanks to civil society mobilization, including the Deaf community and Tunisian sign language interpreters that the Deaf and hard of hearing community were able to obtain basic information concerning COVID-19. Despite all efforts, simultaneous translation of the official addresses of the President and the head of government still have not been provided. A one-hour interview scheduled with the head of the government on April 19, 2020, was announced only the day before, and no one was surprised to hear there would be no measures to ensure accessibility.  Concerned by the invisibility of Deaf people in Tunisia and by the denial of their right to access to information, the young people of Rawabet decided to act, supported by TUMED Center. The human rights educators began organizing via a Facebook Messenger group conversation. An idea quickly emerged from their exchange: they had to make visible what had been rendered invisible and put pressure on the media and the government to implement this right. Within 24 hours, despite the general lockdown, they used the technological means at their disposal to invade the social media with the demand for a Tunisian sign language interpreter. The Rawabet youth created several hashtags during their Messenger conversations with messages such as: # حق الاصم في النفاذ للمعلومة “right to access to information for Deaf people”# لغة الإشارات حق موش مزية “sign language is a right, not a favour”#الحق_لنفاذ_المعلومة_للجميع “access to information is a right for all”  On 18 April 2020 at 11:30 pm, comments on the Rawabet young people’s initiative started pouring in. They contacted their human rights network contacts, associations of the Deaf, and even families and loved ones took part. Word quickly got around, and the next morning, a Deaf person made a Facebook video call asking the Deaf community to join the online campaign. This was followed by a call from a young sign language interpreter and member of the Rawabet group. In a Facebook video she then explained how to proceed. In a few hours, hundreds and hundreds of comments showed up on the national TV channel web page announcing the interview with the head of the government. New hashtags appeared, created by Deaf people themselves, mainly “انا_اصم_حقي_نفهم_الخطابات_بلغتي#” which means “I am deaf, I have the right to understand speeches in my language.” Three hours before the broadcast, we learned that, in contrast to the past, the speech of April 19, 2020 would be simultaneously interpreted in sign language on live TV. It was enormously satisfying to witness this online campaign initiated by Rawabet youth put pressure on the government and support the advocacy carried out for years by Deaf people’s organizations, and more recently by associations of sign language interpreters, to ensure Deaf people’s access to information through Tunisian sign language. The success of this campaign is mainly due to the Deaf community’s impressive mobilization of a massive information operation and the invasion of social networks. As a result, a mere few days later, on April 23 2020, and for the first time in Tunisia’s history, the President of the Republic’s speech was simultaneously translated into sign language.   Click here to learn more about Rawabet’s regional initiative Follow Rawabet’s latest actions on Facebook (in Arabic only) URL:https://equitas.org/operation-24-hrs-to-act/