G20 Summit: World leaders vow to support developing nations to rebuild accessible, effective education systems

NEW DELHI: Underlining that access to education is a human right and a pivotal tool for inclusive and sustainable economic recovery, the Bali G20 declaration on Wednesday vowed to act in solidarity with developing countries to rebuild more resilient, tech-enabled, accessible and effective education systems.

The declaration also vowed to continue to advance women’s and girls’ equal access to inclusive and quality education, including participation in STEM education, women entrepreneurship through MSMEs, and women’s and girls’ access in leadership positions.

"We will empower relevant actors within and beyond G20 to remove barriers to education, improve teaching and learning environments, and support transitions within and across all stages of education, with emphasis on women and girls," it said.

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The declaration, issued at the end of the two-day summit in this Indonesian city, noted that access to education is a human right and a pivotal tool for inclusive and sustainable economic recovery. "We will act in solidarity in particular with developing countries to rebuild more resilient, tech-enabled, accessible, and effective education systems. We also underscore the importance of learners’ well-being in their preparation for work and meaningful participation and contribution to a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable society," it said.

The declaration reaffirmed the importance of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and G20's commitment to SDG4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and training. "We are committed to promoting lifelong learning at all levels amidst the changing nature of work and encourage partnership in this regard," it said.

India will be having the presidency over G20 Summit 2023. Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan immediately held a high-level meeting for the preparation of G20 summit 2023 in India. India’s G20 presidency is an opportunity to present India’s template for education which can be a global model for all emerging economies.