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© Региональный экологический центр Центральной Азии, 2020 Использование современных IT-технологий для обсуждения вопросов подготовки кадров для водной отрасли с учетом функциональных требований национальной системы квалификаций Республики Казахстан 2020-05-15 On April 22, 2020, in the mode of the ZOOM conference, an online meeting of the Educational and Methodological Association of Educational Organizations (EMAEO), the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Republican Educational and Methodological Council (REMC) of the Taraz State University (TarSU) named after M.Kh.Dulati was held with participation of the Executive Directorate of the International Fund of Aral Saving (IFAS) in Kazakhstan, the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), the USAID project “Smart Waters”, Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources (MEGNR) of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population (MLSPP) of the Republic of Kazakhstan, National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (NCE)  “Atameken”, Kazakh-German University (KNU), KazNIIvodkhoz, Kazvodkhoz and basin inspections. The meeting was moderated by the  Rector of the TarSU named after M.Kh.Dulati - Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor M.N. Sarybekov.  CAREC ESD Programme Manager T. Shakirova and Director of the CAREC Country Office in Kazakhstan S. Toylybaeva took part on behalf of CAREC. The EMAEO-PMU was established on the basis of the TarSU named after M.Kh.Dulati in 1998. Currently, the EMAEO TarSU is organizing educational and methodological support for educational programs of higher and postgraduate education in the field of the "Water Management" education and training. In the period from 2017 to 2020, members of the EMAEO TarSU, the Executive Directorate of IFAS in Kazakhstan, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, CAREC, the USAID project “Smart Waters”, the UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty, Kazakh-German University (DKU), KazNIIvodkhoz, “Kazvodkhoz”, basin inspections, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the MLSPP, NCE Atameken, members of the EMAEO of Kazakh universities and a wide range of employers, a lot of work has been done to develop key regulatory documents for the water industry, which is a condition for improving the quality of training for this industry. There is a process of formation of the National Qualification System (NQS) of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a whole. Under the leadership of the Agro-Industrial Consortium in 2018-2019, scientists of the water industry of the TarSU named after M.Kh.Dulati, with participation of the IFAS, the Committee for Water Resources, regional branches of Kazvodkhoz, CAREC, USAID, regional basin inspections for water resources, developed and in December 2019 approved the Sector Qualifications Framework (SQF) “Water Management”, SQF "Agriculture" and SQF "Forestry and the animal world", as well as 40 professional standards for the above sectors, 10 of which relate to the water sector. So that there is no gap between professional and educational standards, as well as a gap between the education system and the labor market, there is an urgent task to harmonize the content of the educational process of higher and postgraduate education with the key requirements of the elements of the NQS of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In accordance with this, Department of Higher and Postgraduate Education (DHPE) MES RK  together with JSC “Center for the Development of Labor Skills” developed a Roadmap (RM) for development of educational programs based on the approved 480 professional standards as part of the implementation of the State program for the formation of the NQS RK “Development of labor skills and job stimulation”, implemented by the MLSPP of the Republic of Kazakhstan in conjunction with the NCE “Atameken”.  Professional standards are the document where the interests of employers, workers, educational institutions, students, government bodies and other interested parties are concentrated and are the basis for the development of educational programs. Accordingly, universities involved in education and training in the field of "Water Management" need to develop the identical content of specific educational programs. Following the meeting, presentations and discussions, a draft of the meeting Decision was adopted:   To identify the following main steps for the formation of the agreed content of educational programs with higher and postgraduate education in the field of preparation "Water Management":  1. EMAEO PMU REMC at the TarSU named after M.Kh.Dulati should develop drafts of educational programs (EP) on the basis of new approved PS;   2. Universities providing training for the water industry should develop and make adjustments to EP taking into account new approved substations;   3. Universities providing training for the water industry should use unified teaching materials for the basic professional disciplines of the educational programs “Hydromelioration” and “Hydrotechnical Construction” developed within the framework of the Water and Energy Program for Central Asia (KAWEP) “Central Asian Knowledge Sharing Network: Partnership Development for regional cooperation on water and energy (CAKN) ”;  To accept for use the developed uniform learning outcomes and professional competencies in accordance with professional standards for implemented EPs;  Higher education institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which train water specialists should accept recommendations for development of the educational programs with major and additional paths (major and minor);  Higher education institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which train water specialists, should accept recommendations for students to complete professional practice;  To come up with a proposal to the MEGNR of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CWR), the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other interested organizations to organize a departmental order for the preparation of bachelors and masters of water management on the basis of targeted agreements with universities, as well as to involve the business community in the preparation process;  To request CAREC within the framework of the USAID “Smart Waters” project to issue the approved new Professional standards and Methodological recommendations for the development of EP according to the Classifier of training areas with higher and postgraduate education;  To recommend to the Consortium of the AIC or the ALE “The Association of Water Resources of Kazakhstan”, in cooperation with CAREC to establish an independent center for assessing the qualifications of water management personnel in the Republic of Kazakhstan. To instruct this center to conduct trainings, seminars, as well as examination of PS and EP for water sector;  To ask for the assistance of stakeholders represented by research institutes, universities, design, production and non-governmental organizations in the water sector in analyzing the industry to develop elements of the NSC, as well as making suggestions on the list of necessary professional standards for the water sector;  Recommend IFAS ED to develop a roadmap for the development of regulatory documents in accordance with the NQS and the SQF for water management. URL:https://carececo.org/en/main/news/ispolzovanie-sovremennykh-it-tekhnologiy-dlya-obsuzhdeniya-voprosov-podgotovki-kadrov-dlya-vodnoy-ot/ ⓒ Courtesy of Yuval Noah Harari Yuval Noah Harari: “Every crisis is also an opportunity” 2020-05-07 In an interview with the UNESCO Courier, Yuval Noah Harari, Israeli historian and author of Sapiens, Homo Deus, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, analyses what the consequences of the current coronavirus health crisis are likely to be, and underlines the need for greater international scientific co-operation and information-sharing between countries.  How is this global health pandemic different from past health crises and what does it tell us? I am not sure it is the worst global health threat we have faced. The influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 was worse, the AIDS epidemic was probably worse, and pandemics in previous eras were certainly far worse. As pandemics go, this is actually a mild one. In the early 1980s, if you got AIDS – you died. The Black Death [the plague that ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351] killed between a quarter and half of the affected populations. The 1918 influenza killed more than ten per cent of the entire population in some countries. In contrast, COVID-19 is killing less than five per cent of those infected, and unless some dangerous mutation occurs, it is unlikely to kill more than one per cent of the population of any country. Moreover, in contrast to previous eras, we now have all the scientific knowledge and technological tools necessary to overcome this plague. When the Black Death struck, people were completely helpless. They never discovered what was killing them and what could be done about it. In 1348, the medical faculty of the University of Paris believed that the epidemic was caused by an astrological misfortune – namely that “a major conjunction of three planets in Aquarius [caused] a deadly corruption of the air” (quoted in Rosemary Horrox ed. The Black Death, Manchester University Press, 1994, p. 159). In contrast, when COVID-19 erupted, it took scientists only two weeks to correctly identify the virus responsible for the epidemic, sequence its entire genome, and develop reliable tests for the disease. We know what to do in order to stop the spread of this epidemic. It is likely that within a year or two, we will also have a vaccine. However, COVID-19 is not just a health-care crisis. It also results in a huge economic and political crisis. I am less afraid of the virus than of the inner demons of humankind: hatred, greed and ignorance. If people blame the epidemic on foreigners and minorities; if greedy businesses care only about their profits; and if we believe all kinds of conspiracy theories – it will be much harder to overcome this epidemic, and later on we will live in a world poisoned by this hatred, greed and ignorance. In contrast, if we react to the epidemic with global solidarity and generosity, and if we trust in science rather than in conspiracy theories, I am sure we can not only overcome this crisis, but actually come out of it much stronger. To what extent could social distancing become the norm? What effect will that have on societies?  For the duration of the crisis, some social distancing is inevitable. The virus spreads by exploiting our best human instincts. We are social animals. We like contact, especially in hard times. And when relatives, friends or neighbours are sick, our compassion arises and we want to come and help them. The virus is using this against us. This is how it spreads. So we need to act from the head rather than the heart, and despite the difficulties, reduce our level of contact. Whereas the virus is a mindless piece of genetic information, we humans have a mind, we can analyse the situation rationally, and we can vary the way we behave. I believe that once the crisis is over, we will not see any long-term effects on our basic human instincts. We will still be social animals. We will still love contact. We will still come to help friends and relatives. Look, for example, at what happened to the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] community in the wake of AIDS. It was a terrible epidemic, and gay people were often completely abandoned by the state, and yet the epidemic did not cause the disintegration of that community. Just the opposite. Already, at the height of the crisis, LGBT volunteers established many new organizations to help sick people, to spread reliable information, and to fight for political rights. In the 1990s, after the worst years of the AIDS epidemic, the LGBT community in many countries was much stronger than before. How do you see the state of scientific and information co-operation after the crisis? UNESCO was created after the Second World War to promote scientific and intellectual co-operation through the free flow of ideas. Could the "free flow of ideas" and co-operation between countries be strengthened as a result of the crisis?  Our biggest advantage over the virus is our ability to co-operate effectively. A virus in China and a virus in the United States cannot swap tips about how to infect humans. But China can teach the US many valuable lessons about coronavirus and how to deal with it. More than that – China can actually send experts and equipment to directly help the US, and the US can similarly help other countries. The viruses cannot do anything like that. And of all forms of co-operation, the sharing of information is probably the most important, because you cannot do anything without accurate information. You cannot develop medicines and vaccines without reliable information. Indeed, even isolation depends on information. If you don’t understand how a disease spreads, how can you quarantine people against it? For example, isolation against AIDS is very different from isolation against COVID-19. To isolate yourself against AIDS, you need to use a condom while having sex, but there is no problem talking face to face with an HIV+ person – or shaking their hands and even hugging them. COVID-19 is an entirely different story. To know how to isolate yourself from a particular epidemic, you first need reliable information about what causes this epidemic. Is it viruses or bacteria? Is it transmitted through blood or breath? Does it endanger children or the elderly? Is there just one strain of the virus, or several mutant strains?   In recent years, authoritarian and populist politicians have sought not only to block the free flow of information, but even to undermine the public’s trust in science. Some politicians depicted scientists as a sinister elite, disconnected from “the people”. These politicians told their followers not to believe what scientists are saying about climate change, or even about vaccinations. It should now be obvious to everyone how dangerous such populist messages are. In a time of crisis, we need information to flow openly, and we need people to trust scientific experts rather than political demagogues. Fortunately, in the current emergency most people indeed turn to science. The Catholic Church instructs the faithful to stay away from the churches. Israel has closed down its synagogues. The Islamic Republic of Iran is punishing people who go to mosques. Temples and sects of all kinds have suspended public ceremonies. And all because scientists have made some calculations and recommended closing down these holy places.    I hope that people will remember the importance of trustworthy scientific information even after this crisis is over. If we want to enjoy trustworthy scientific information in a time of emergency, we must invest in it in normal times. Scientific information doesn’t come down from heaven, nor does it spring from the mind of individual geniuses. It depends on having strong independent institutions like universities, hospitals and newspapers. Institutions that not only research the truth, but are also free to tell people the truth, without being afraid of being punished by some authoritarian government. It takes years to build such institutions. But it is worth it. A society that provides citizens with a good scientific education, and that is served by strong independent institutions, can deal with an epidemic far better than a brutal dictatorship that has to constantly police an ignorant population. For example, how do you make millions of people wash their hands with soap every day? One way to do it is to place a policeman, or perhaps a camera, in every toilet, and punish people who fail to wash their hands. Another way is to teach people in school about viruses and bacteria, explain that soap can remove or kill these pathogens, and then trust people to make up their own minds. What do you think, which method is more efficient? How important is it for countries to work together to disseminate reliable information? Countries need to share trustworthy information not only about narrow medical issues, but also about a wide range of other issues – from the economic impact of the crisis to the psychological condition of citizens. Suppose country X is currently debating which kind of lockdown policy to adopt. It has to take into consideration not only the spread of the disease, but also the economic and psychological costs of lockdown. Other countries have already faced this dilemma before, and tried different policies. Instead of acting on the basis of pure speculations and repeating past mistakes, country X can examine what were the actual consequences of the different policies adopted in China, the Republic of  Korea, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom. It can thereby make better decisions. But only if all these countries honestly report not just the number of sick and dead people, but also what happened to their economies and to the mental health of their citizens. The rise of AI and the need for technical solutions has seen private companies come forward. In this context, is it still possible to develop global ethical principles and restore international co-operation?  As private companies get involved, it becomes even more important to craft global ethical principles and restore international co-operation. Some private companies may be motivated by greed more than solidarity, so they must be regulated carefully. Even those acting benevolently are not directly accountable to the public, so it is dangerous to allow them to accumulate too much power. This is particularly true when talking about surveillance. We are witnessing the creation of new surveillance systems all over the world, by both governments and corporations. The current crisis might mark an important watershed in the history of surveillance. First, because it might legitimate and normalize the deployment of mass surveillance tools in countries that have so far rejected them. Secondly, and even more importantly, it signifies a dramatic transition from “over the skin” to “under the skin” surveillance. Previously, governments and corporations monitored mainly your actions in the world – where you go, who you meet. Now they have become more interested in what is happening inside your body. In your medical condition, body temperature, blood pressure. That kind of biometric information can tell governments and corporations far more about you than ever before. Could you suggest some ethical principles for how these new surveillance systems can be regulated?  Ideally, the surveillance system should be operated by a special health-care authority rather than by a private company or by the security services. The health-care authority should be narrowly focused on preventing epidemics, and should have no other commercial or political interests. I am particularly alarmed when I hear people comparing the COVID-19 crisis to war, and calling for the security services to take over. This isn’t a war. It is a health-care crisis. There are no human enemies to kill. It is all about taking care of people. The dominant image in war is a soldier with a rifle storming forward. Now the image in our heads should be a nurse changing bed-sheets in a hospital. Soldiers and nurses have a very different way of thinking. If you want to put somebody in charge, don’t put a soldier in charge. Put a nurse.  The health-care authority should gather the minimum amount of data necessary for the narrow task of preventing epidemics, and should not share this data with any other governmental body – especially not the police. Nor should it share the data with private companies. It should make sure that data gathered about individuals is never used to harm or manipulate these individuals – for example, leading to people losing their jobs or their insurance.  The health-care authority may make the data accessible to scientific research, but only if the fruits of this research are made freely available to humanity, and if any incidental profits are reinvested in providing people with better health care. In contrast to all these limitations on data sharing, the individuals themselves should be given as much control of the data gathered about them. They should be free to examine their personal data and benefit from it. Finally, while such surveillance systems would probably be national in character, to really prevent epidemics, the different health-care authorities would have to co-operate with one another. Since pathogens don’t respect national borders, unless we combine data from different countries, it will be difficult to spot and stop epidemics. If national surveillance is done by an independent health-care authority which is free of political and commercial interests, it would be much easier for such national authorities to co-operate globally.   You have spoken of a recent rapid deterioration of trust in the international system. How do you see the profound changes in multilateral co-operation in the future? I don’t know what will happen in the future. It depends on the choices we make in the present. Countries can choose to compete for scarce resources and pursue an egoistic and isolationist policy, or they could choose to help one another in the spirit of global solidarity. This choice will shape both the course of the present crisis and the future of the international system for years to come. I hope countries will choose solidarity and co-operation. We cannot stop this epidemic without close co-operation between countries all over the world. Even if a particular country succeeds in stopping the epidemic in its territory for a while, as long as the epidemic continues to spread elsewhere, it might return everywhere. Even worse, viruses constantly mutate. A mutation in the virus anywhere in the world might make it more contagious or more deadly, putting in danger all of humankind. The only way we can really protect ourselves, is by helping to protect all humans. The same is true of the economic crisis. If every country looks only after its own interests, the result will be a severe global recession that will hit everyone. Rich countries like the US, Germany and Japan will muddle through one way or the other. But poorer countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America might completely collapse. The US can afford a $2 trillion rescue package for its economy. Ecuador, Nigeria and Pakistan don’t have similar resources. We need a global economic rescue plan. Unfortunately, so far we don’t see anything like the strong global leadership we need. The US, which acted as world leader during the 2014 Ebola epidemic and the 2008 financial crisis, has abdicated this job. The Trump administration has made it very clear that it cares only about the US, and has abandoned even its closest allies in Western Europe. Even if the US now comes up with some kind of global plan, who would trust it, and who would follow its lead? Would you follow a leader whose motto is “Me First”? But every crisis is also an opportunity. Hopefully the current epidemic will help humankind realize the acute danger posed by global disunity. If indeed this epidemic eventually results in closer global co-operation, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus, but against all the other dangers that threaten humankind – from climate change to nuclear war. You speak about how the choices we make now will affect our societies economically, politically and culturally, for years to come. What are these choices and who will be responsible for making them?  We are faced with many choices. Not only the choice between nationalistic isolationism and global solidarity. Another important question is whether people would support the rise of dictators, or would they insist on dealing with the emergency in a democratic way? When governments spend billions to help failing businesses, would they save big corporations or small family businesses? As people switch to working from home and communicating online, will this result in the collapse of organized labour, or would we see better protection for workers’ rights? All these are political choices. We must be aware that we are now facing not just a health-care crisis, but also a political crisis. The media and the citizens should not allow themselves to be completely distracted by the epidemic. It is of course important to follow the latest news about the sickness itself – how many people died today? How many people were infected? But it is equally important to pay attention to politics and to put pressure on politicians to do the right thing. Citizens should pressure politicians to act in the spirit of global solidarity; to co-operate with other countries rather than blame them; to distribute funds in a fair way; to preserve democratic checks and balances – even in an emergency.   The time to do all that is now. Whoever we elect to government in coming years will not be able to reverse the decisions that are taken now. If you become president in 2021, it is like coming to a party when the party is already over and the only thing left to do is wash the dirty dishes. If you become president in 2021, you will discover that the previous government has already distributed tens of billions of dollars – and you have a mountain of debts to repay. The previous government has already restructured the job market – and you cannot start from scratch again. The previous government has already introduced new surveillance systems – and they cannot be abolished overnight. So don’t wait till 2021. Monitor what the politicians are doing right now.The opinions expressed in this interview are those of the author, and not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Read more:  Who owns science? The UNESCO Courier, May 1999Medicine and health, The UNESCO Courier, August 1987World health: ten years of progress, The UNESCO Courier, May 1958 URL:https://en.unesco.org/courier/news-views-online/yuval-noah-harari-every-crisis-also-opportunity © ICHEI International Institute of Online Education co-launched online to support remote learning in developing countries 2020-05-05 On April 2, the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) was co-launched online by the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI), together with 11 higher education institutions (HEIs) partners in Africa and Asia-Pacific, and 4 HEIs and 8 high-tech enterprises in China. It was in response to UNESCO’s global call on supporting countries to mitigate the adverse impacts of school closures. The mission of IIOE is to harness the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance the access of developing countries to quality higher education. IIOE is a robust platform that allows teachers to gain most in-demand comprehensive skills, access quality cutting-edge courses and pragmatic web tools, witness self-improvement through the ICT-competency assessment, gain on-site training opportunities, co-create local digital learning resources database and much more.Please visit https://iioe.ichei.org/ for details. URL:http://en.unesco.kz/international-institute-of-online-education-co-launched-online-to-support-remote-learning ⓒ UNESCO 新指南为学校安全复课提供路线图 2020-05-02 UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP and World Bank today issued new guidelines on the safe reopening of schools amidst ongoing closures affecting nearly 1.3 billion students worldwide. The guidelines caution that the widespread closures of educational facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic present an unprecedented risk to children’s education and wellbeing, particularly for the most marginalized children who rely on school for their education, health, safety and nutrition. The guidelines offer practical advice for national and local authorities on how to keep children safe when they return to school. “While many students are falling behind in their learning journey because of prolonged school closures, the far from straightforward decision of when and how to reopen schools, should be a priority,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Once there is a green light on the health front, a whole set of measures will need to be in place to ensure that no student is left behind. These guidelines provide all-round guidance for governments and partners to facilitate the reopening of schools for students, teachers and families. We share one goal, to protect and advance the right to education for every learner,” “Rising inequality, poor health outcomes, violence, child labour and child marriage are just some of the long-term threats for children who miss out on school,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We know the longer children stay out of school, the less likely they are to ever return. Unless we prioritize the reopening of schools – when it is safe to do so – we will likely see a devastating reversal in education gains.” The guidelines note that while there is not yet enough evidence to measure the impact of school closures on disease transmission rates, the adverse effects of school closures on children’s safety and learning are well documented. Gains made in increasing access to children’s education in recent decades risk being lost and, in the worse cases, reversed completely.  “In the poorest countries, children often rely on schools for their only meal of the day. But with many schools now closed because of COVID, 370 million children are missing out on these nutritious meals which are a lifeline for poor families. They are also being denied the health support they normally get through school. This could do lasting damage, so when schools reopen it is critical that these meal programmes and health services are restored, which can also help to draw the most vulnerable children back to school,” said David Beasley, WFP Executive Director. The best interests of children and overall public health considerations – based on an assessment of the associated benefits and risks to education, public health and socio-economic factors – must be central to national and local authorities’ decisions to reopen schools, the guidelines say. Schools must look at how they can reopen better – with improved learning and more comprehensive support for children at the school including health, nutrition, psychosocial support and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. As countries grapple with when to reopen schools, UNESCO, UNICEF and WFP – as part of the Global Education Coalition – urge governments to assess the benefits of classroom-based instruction compared to remote learning, and the risk factors related to reopening of schools, noting the inconclusive evidence around the infection risks related to school attendance. Jointly presented for the first time during a meeting of education ministers convened by UNESCO yesterday on planning for the reopening of schools, the guidance includes:  Policy reform: Policy implications address all dimensions of the guidelines, including clear policies for school opening and closure during public health emergencies, reforms needed to expand equitable access for marginalised and out of school children as well as strengthen and standardize remote learning practices. Financing requirements: Address the impact of COVID-19 on education and invest in strengthening education systems for recovery and resilience. Safe operations: Ensure conditions that reduce disease transmission, safeguard essential services and supplies and promote healthy behaviour. This includes access to soap and clean water for safe handwashing, procedures on when staff or students feel unwell, protocols on social distancing and good hygiene practices. Compensating learning: Focus on practices that compensate for lost instructional time, strengthen pedagogy and build on hybrid learning models such as integrating approaches in remote and distance education. This must include knowledge on disease transmission and prevention. Wellness and protection: Expand the focus on students’ well-being and reinforce the protection of children through enhanced referral mechanisms and the provision of essential school-based services including healthcare and school feeding. Reaching the most marginalised: Adapt school opening policies and practices to expand access to marginalised groups such as previously out-of-school children, displaced and migrant children and minorities. Diversify critical communications and outreach by making them available in relevant languages and in accessible formats. "Once schools begin to reopen, the priority becomes reintegrating students into school settings safely and in ways that allow learning to pick up again, especially for those who suffered the biggest learning losses. This is a critical moment as it is the launching pad for a new normal that should be more effective and equitable. To manage reopenings, schools will need to be logistically prepared with the teaching workforce ready. And they will need to have plans specifically for supporting learning recovery of the most disadvantaged students. The guidelines offer a framework for moving forward that the major UN agencies are aligned around," said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. ***** Notes to editors About UNESCO: UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. About UNICEF: UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. About World Food Programme: The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. For further information, please contact: Georgina Thompson, UNICEF, +1 917 238 1559, gthompson@unicef.org David Orr, WFP, +39 340 246 6831, David.orr@wfp.org George Papagiannis, UNESCO: Tel: +33 1 45 68 17 06, g.papagiannis@unesco.org URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/new-guidelines-provide-roadmap-safe-reopening-schools ⓒ Shutterstock Teacher Task Force calls to support 63 million teachers touched by the COVID-19 crisis 2020-04-15 Around 63 million primary and secondary teachers around the world are affected by school closures in 165 countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They are on the frontlines of the response to ensure that learning continues for nearly 1.5 billion students, a number that is predicted to rise. Everywhere, together with school leaders, they have been rapidly mobilising and innovating to facilitate quality distance learning for students in confinement, with or without the use of digital technologies. They are playing a key role also  in communicating measures that prevent the spread of the virus, ensuring that children are safe and supported. This unprecedented situation is putting  teachers, students and families under stress. In some cases, teachers who may already be exposed to the virus themselves are trying to manage the anxiety of being told to work in situations where the COVID-19 risk is spreading. Others are dealing with the stress of of delivering quality learning with tools for which they have received little or no training or support. In many countries, contract teachers, substitute teachers and education support personnel risk seeing their contracts broken and their livelihoods disappear. The Teacher Task Force, an international alliance working for teachers and teaching, has issued a Call for Action on Teachers to ensure that teachers are protected, supported and recognised during the crisis. Leadership and financial and material resources for teachers are necessary to make sure that quality teaching and learning can continue at a distance during the crisis, and that recovery is rapid. The Task Force is calling on governments, education providers and funders – public and private – and all relevant partners to:  Preserve employment and wages: This crisis cannot be a pretext to lower standards and norms, or push aside labour rights. The salaries and benefits of the entire teaching and education support staff must be preserved. Prioritise teachers’ and learners’ health, safety and well-being: Teachers need socio-emotional support to face the extra pressure being put on them to deliver learning in a time of crisis as well as provide support to their students in these anxious circumstances. Include teachers in developing COVID-19 education responses: Teachers will have a crucial role in the recovery phase when schools reopen. They must be included at all steps of education policy-making and planning. Provide adequate professional support and training: Little attention has been given to providing teachers with adequate training on how to ensure that learning continues. We must move swiftly to ensure that teachers receive the necessary professional support. Put equity at the heart of education responses: Greater support and flexibility will be needed for teachers who work in remote areas or with low-income or minority communities, to ensure that disadvantaged children are not left behind. Include teachers in aid responses: The Teacher Task Force urges financing institutions to help governments support education systems, particularly the teaching workforce’s professional development. Such support is particularly urgent in some of the world’s poorest countries, which are already struggling to meet education needs because of critical shortages of trained teachers. For more information, download the call in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. *** The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 is a global network of over 90 governments and some 50 international and regional organisations (including UN organisations, civil society organisations, the teaching profession and foundations) working to promote teachers and teaching issues. Its Secretariat is hosted by UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/teacher-task-force-calls-support-63-million-teachers-touched-covid-19-crisis © UNESCO Almaty Международный день спорта на благо развития и мира, 6 апреля 2020-04-09 2020 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace will encourage people to be active while experiencing containment measures,foster solidarity, community and team spirit and raise awareness about COVID-19.The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading to more countries, territories and regions of the world at an alarming rate and physical and social distancing practices are becoming commonplace to stop the spread of the disease. The closure of gyms, sport facilities and stadiums, public pools, dance studios, and playgrounds mean that many of us are not able to actively participate in individual or group sporting or physical activities, nor watch live sporting events. As a result, the global sporting community is facing serious challenges due to measures imposed in countless countries around the world.On 6 April 2020, the IDSDP will be a moment when UNESCO will join the global efforts to encourage everyone to be active, stay well and demonstrate solidarity during this period of physical and social distancing. This team spirit will help us all get through the current challenges together.UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office in cooperation with the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan intends to launch an online information campaign in the framework of the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace, which emphasizes the importance of physical activity and sports in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle to limit the impact of COVID-19.In response to global developments concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace will focus on the health benefits of participating in sporting and physical activity, especially in this time of uncertainty and social distancing.Sport has the power to change the world; it is a fundamental right, a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and promote sustainable development and peace and well as solidarity, and respect. Through our unique individual skills and collective power, we can come together and share creative ways to improve our health and well-being through sport and physical activity - even from the confines of our own homes.For the International Day of Sport this year, let’s #BeActive and healthy to beat #COVID19.General tips for staying active and latest information of COVID-19.     URL:http://en.unesco.kz/international-day-of-sport-for-development-and-peace-6-april © UNESCO UNESCO launches CodeTheCurve Hackathon to develop digital solutions in response to COVID-19 2020-04-07 UNESCO, in partnership with IBM and SAP, has launched the CodeTheCurve Hackathon to support young innovators, data scientists and designers across the world to develop digital solutions to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from its terrible impact on the health of thousands so far, the COVID-19 crisis is having profound effects on societies, from reliable information sharing to education, with school closures currently affecting more than 1.5 billion students across the planet.“Solving this unprecedented global crisis will require the collective expertise and imagination of all of us,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. “We know that there are young women and men around the world with new and innovative ideas on how technology can help us handle the pandemic, but they need support to bring them to fruition. Through this Hackathon, in association with our partners, we hope to help make these ideas a reality.” CodeTheCurve is organized in two phases, beginning with a video competition for ideas, it will be followed by a Hackathon among 40 selected teams. The Hackathon will run until 30 April 2020. Participating teams will work on one of three main themes: 1) Ensuring continued learning 2) Data management and information, and 3) The present and the future: societal and health issues. “With so many young people currently at home due to COVID-19 school closures, 183 countries impacted, and a need for practical, fun, and virtual education, the IBM Z team is excited to launch CodeTheCurve with UNESCO, SAP, and our collaborators. Empowering youth with tech skills, entrepreneurial zest, professional development, and mentorship is really the secret sauce for inspiring the world to transition from consumers of technology into creators, makers, and doers empowered by technology,”says Melissa Sassi, Global Head – IBM Z Global Student Hub & IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator. Participating ‘Hackers’ will receive experience pitching their innovative solutions from relevant and supportive organizations that have been brought together under the umbrella of CodeTheCurve. The selected teams will be able to benefit from a series of webinars and activity kits offered by partner organizations, such as IBM, SAP, FOSSASIA, and iHackOnline. “During these unprecedented times, we need to empower young innovators as they engage in finding solutions to this crisis,” says Claire Gillissen-Duval, Director of EMEA Corporate Social Responsibility and Africa Code Week co-founder at SAP. “True to SAP’s vision of helping the world run better and improving people’s lives, our colleagues will resolutely support the CodeTheCurve hackathon by mentoring participants.” The CodetheCurve initiative is supported by UNESCO, IBM and SAP, and the generous contribution of TruChallenge.co.uk, AngelHack, iHackOnLine and with the collaboration of Pamplemousse Communication. The initiative builds upon UNESCO’s long-standing efforts to foster digital skills and professional development competencies for youth, with a particular focus on young women software developers and designers. YOUR IDEAS CAN CHANGE OUR FUTURE!PARTICIPATE IN THE CodeTheCurve HACKATHON!REGISTER ON CODETHECURVE.ORG: http://codethecurve.org  Media contactBernard Giansetto b.giansetto@unesco.org(link sends e-mail) +33 (0)1 45 68 17 64More information on UNESCO information programme URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-launches-codethecurve-hackathon-develop-digital-solutions-response-covid-19 ⓒ UNESCO UNESCO rallies international organizations, civil society and private sector partners in a broad Coalition to ensure #LearningNeverStops 2020-04-01 At a time of when 87% of the world’s student population is affected by COVID-19 school closures, UNESCO is launching a global education coalition to support countries in scaling up their best distance learning practices and reaching children and youth who are most at risk.  Over 1.5 billion learners in 165 countries are affected by COVID-19 school closures. “Never before have we witnessed educational disruption on such a scale,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Partnership is the only way forward. This Coalition is a call for coordinated and innovative action to unlock solutions that will not only support learners and teachers now, but through the recovery process, with a principle focus on inclusion and equity.” Since closing schools to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have been deploying distance learning solutions and grappling with the complexity of provisioning education remotely, from delivering content and supporting teachers to providing guidance to families and addressing connectivity challenges. Equity is the paramount concern because closures disproportionately hurt vulnerable and disadvantaged students who rely on schools for a range of social services, including health and nutrition. “We must speed up the ways we share experience, and help the most vulnerable, whether or not they have internet access”, said Angelina Jolie, UN High Commission for Refugees Special Envoy, who partnered with UNESCO in the establishment of the Coalition.  UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohamed expressed the UN’s full commitment to the Coalition, warning that “for millions of children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, school closures could mean the loss of a vital safety net – of nutrition, protection and emotional support.” She added, “This is not a time to deepen inequalities. It is a time to invest in education’s power to transform. As we embark on the decade of action of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, our responsibility as a global community is to leave absolutely no one behind.”  Multilateral partners, including the International Labor Organization, the UN High Commission for Refugees, The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Food Programme and the International Telecommunication Union, as well as the Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait, the OIF (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie) the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Asian Development Bank have joined the Coalition, stressing the need for swift and coordinated support to countries in order to mitigate the adverse impacts of school closures, in particular for the most disadvantaged.  The private sector, including, Microsoft, GSMA, Weidong, Google, Facebook, Zoom, KPMG and Coursera have also joined the Coalition, contributing resources and their expertise around technology, notably connectivity, and capacity strengthening. Companies using learner and educational data have committed to uphold ethical standards.  Philanthropic and non-profit organizations, including Khan Academy, Dubai Cares, Profuturo and Sesame Street are also part of the Coalition, mobilizing their resources and services to support schools, teachers, parents and learners during this time of unparalleled educational disruption. Media outlets are also invited to join the Coalition, as has done the BBC World Service as part of its commitment to supporting young people in lockdown across the globe. The BBC will be producing advice, stories, and media education materials to help isolated young people understand how the Coronavirus may affect them. With its emphasis on equity and gender equality, the Global Education Coalition will respond to countries’ specific needs, as envisaged during the meetings of Education Ministers convened by UNESCO. It will endeavor to match needs with free and secure solutions, bringing partners together to address connectivity and content challenges among others. It will provide digital tools and learning management solutions to upload national digitized educational resources, and curate resources for distance learning and strengthen technical expertise using a with a mix of technology and community approaches, depending on local contexts. In all interventions, special attention will be placed on ensuring data security and protecting the privacy of learners and teachers.  Specifically, the Coalition aims to:  Help countries in mobilizing resources and implementing innovative and context-appropriate solutions to provide education remotely, leveraging hi-tech, low-tech and no-tech approaches Seek equitable solutions and universal access Ensure coordinated responses and avoid overlapping efforts Facilitate the return of students to school when they reopen to avoid an upsurge in dropout rates  “We are working together to find a way to make sure that children everywhere can continue their education, with special care to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, in a video message marking the Coalition’s launch, together with UNESCO Director-General and other personalities.  **** Media contact: Clare O’Hagan, UNESCO Press Service, c.o-hagan@unesco.org+33 01456 81729 URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-rallies-international-organizations-civil-society-and-private-sector-partners-broad © UNESCO Almaty Call for Volunteers to Become a Part of UNESCO's Project on Empowerment of Rural Youth in Kazakhstan 2020-03-31 The UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office is looking for volunteers who will be trainers in five functional areas and will improve the knowledge and skills of young people in remote and rural areas of Kazakhstan. The number of youth in Kazakhstan exceeds 4 million. According to statistics, in early 2018, 56.5% of young people lived in urban areas and 43.5% in rural areas. As a result, the high proportion of rural youth in Kazakhstan also indicates the need to ensure that both groups have equal access to quality education, science, culture and social life to avoid discrimination, marginalization and radicalization.Despite the effort, there is sufficient evidence today to show that there is a significant difference in the development potential of young people from rural areas, which can be explained by: lower level of education, lack of development skills and abilities to succeed urbanization and access to urban labour market, lack of textbooks for self-study in the mother tongue (usually Kazakh), and limited opportunities for rural teachers to improve their skills and knowledge outside of general education programmes. All this has led to severe imbalances between and unequal socio-economic opportunities between the two groups. According to national and international estimates, rural youth are more than six months behind urban youth due to lack of training.Therefore, in the light of these issues, the UNESCO Almaty Office with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, is implementing a programme to develop the skills and key capabilities of youth in Kazakhstan, with a focus on young people in remote and rural areas.As a part of this program, UNESCO consultants developed a training manuals kit in five areas:• Global citizenship education;• Education on ecology and biodiversity within the framework of the ‘Man and the Biosphere’ programme;• Youth for cultural heritage;• The foundation of youth entrepreneurship and project planning;• Media and information literacy, with a focus on digital literacy and related competencies;The next step in project implementation will be the integration of teaching aids into the informal education process.The key concept of the training program is to create a team of young volunteers in five areas based on the developed modules. Based on the successful completion of the training , volunteer trainers will be able to conduct the same trainings independently for young girls and boys aged 16 to 25 in remote and rural areas.To implement the project, UNESCO Almaty Office will provide technical and financial support to volunteer trainers from different regions of the country. Funds will be allocated for preparing training materials, rental of premises, office supplies, transportation costs and meals for participants.Young people can participate in the project, provided that:• 23 - 35 years old;• Experienced in volunteer and teaching activities;• Fluent in Kazakh and / or Russian language;• Have good communication skills and hope to bring positive changes in their communities.To participate, you must fill out an application form by May 10, 2020.Interviews with candidates will be held from May 11 to May 15, 2020. URL:  http://en.unesco.kz/call-for-volunteers-to-become-a-part-of-unesco-s-project-on-empowerment-of-rural-youth-in © myboys.me/Shutterstock.com Distance learning solutions 2020-03-27 The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have a wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. They are categorized based on distance learning needs, but most of them offer functionalities across multiple categories. Digital learning management systems  Blackboard – Resources and tools to transition and deliver quality teaching and learning online. CenturyTech – Personal learning pathways with micro-lessons to address gaps in knowledge, challenge students and promote long-term memory retention. ClassDojo – Connects teachers with students and parents to build classroom communities. Edmodo – Tools and resources to manage classrooms and engage students remotely. Edraak (link is external) – Arabic language online education with resources for school learners and teachers. EkStep (link is external) – Open learning platform with a collection of learning resources to support literacy and numeracy. Google Classroom (link is external) – Helps classes connect remotely, communicate and stay-organized. Moodle (link is external) – Community-driven and globally-supported open learning platform. Nafham (link is external) – Arabic language online learning platform hosting educational video lessons that correspond with Egyptian and Syrian curricula. Schoology (link is external) – Tools to support instruction, learning, grading, collaboration and assessment. Seesaw (link is external) – Enables the creation of collaborative and sharable digital learning portfolios and learning resources.  Skooler (link is external) – Tools to turn Microsoft Office software into an education platform. Study Sapuri (link is external) – Japanese language online learning platform for middle school students. Systems purpose-built for mobile phones  Cell-Ed (link is external) – Learner-centered, skills-based learning platform with offline options. Eneza Education (link is external) - Revision and learning materials for basic feature phones. Funzi (link is external) – Mobile learning service that supports teaching and training for large groups. KaiOS (link is external) – Software that gives smartphone capabilities to inexpensive mobile phones and helps open portals to learning opportunities. Ubongo (link is external) – Uses entertainment, mass media, and the connectivity of mobile devices to deliver localized learning to African families at low cost and scale. Ustad Mobile (link is external) – Access and share educational content offline. Systems with strong offline functionality  Can’t wait to Learn (link is external) – Gaming technology to deliver quality education to children, including those in conflict contexts.  Kolibri (link is external) – Learning application to support universal education. Rumie (link is external) – Education tools and content to enable lifelong learning for underserved communities. Ustad Mobile (link is external) – Access and share educational content offline. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Platforms  Alison (link is external) – Online courses from experts. Canvas (link is external)– Lifelong learning and professional development for educators. Coursera (link is external) – Online courses taught by instructors from well-recognized universities and companies. EdX (link is external) – Online courses from leading educational institutions. University of the People (link is external) - Online university with open access to higher education. Icourses (link is external) – Chinese language courses for university students. Future Learn (link is external) – Online courses to help learners study, build professional skills and connect with experts. Self-directed learning content  Byju’s (link is external) – Learning application with large repositories of educational content tailored for different grades and learning levels. Discovery Education (link is external) – Free educational resources and lessons about viruses and outbreaks for different grade levels. Geekie (link is external) – Portuguese language web-based platform that provides personalized educational content using adaptive learning technology. Khan Academy (link is external) – Free online lessons and practice in math, sciences and humanities, as well as free tools for parents and teachers to track student progress. Available in 40+ languages, and aligned to national curriculum for over 10 countries. KitKit School (link is external) - Tablet-based learning suite with a comprehensive curriculum spanning early childhood through early primary levels. LabXchange (link is external) – Curated and user-created digital learning content delivered on an online platform that enables educational and research experiences. Mindspark (link is external) – Adaptive online tutoring system that helps students practice and learn mathematics. Mosoteach (link is external) – Chinese language application hosting cloud classes. OneCourse (link is external) – Child-focused application to deliver reading, writing and numeracy education. Quizlet (link is external) – Learning flashcards and games to support learning in multiple subjects.  Siyavula (link is external) – Mathematics and physical sciences education aligned with South African curriculum. YouTube (link is external) – Huge repository of educational videos and learning channels. Mobile reading applications  African Storybook (link is external) - Open access to picture storybooks in African languages.   Global Digital Library (link is external) – Digital storybooks and other reading materials easily accessible from mobile phones or computers. Lezioni sul sofà – A collection of Italian language books for children, complemented with read-aloud features as well as videos discussing books and art. StoryWeaver (link is external) – Digital repository of multilingual stories for children. Worldreader (link is external) – Digital books and stories accessible from mobile devices and functionality to support reading instruction.  Collaboration platforms that support live-video communication  Dingtalk (link is external) – Communication platform that supports video conferencing, task and calendar management, attendance tracking and instant messaging. Lark (link is external) – Collaboration suite of interconnected tools, including chat, calendar, creation and cloud storage. Hangouts Meet (link is external) – Video calls integrated with other Google’s G-Suite tools. Teams (link is external) – Chat, meet, call and collaboration features integrated with Microsoft Office software. Skype (link is external) – Video and audio calls with talk, chat and collaboration features. Zoom (link is external) – Cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat and webinars. Tools to create of digital learning content  Thinglink (link is external) – Tools to create interactive images, videos and other multimedia resources. Buncee (link is external) – Supports the creation and sharing visual representations of learning content, including media-rich lessons, reports, newsletters and presentations. EdPuzzle (link is external) – Video lesson creation software. Kaltura (link is external) – Video management and creation tools with integration options for various learning management systems. Nearpod (link is external) – Software to create lessons with informative and interactive assessment activities. Pear Deck (link is external) – Facilitates the design of engaging instructional content with various integration features. Squigl (link is external) – Content creation platform that transforms speech or text into animated videos. URL:https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures/solutions