Strategic Partner Meeting on Flexible Learning Strategies

Strategic Partner Meeting on Flexible Learning Strategies to Reach Out-of-School Children in Asia and the Pacific

14-15 November, 2013

Bangkok, 12 November 2013 – Massive strides have been made towards achieving universal primary education in Asia and the Pacific over the past decade. However, despite these advances millions of the region’s most vulnerable children remain out of school.

Identifying the root causes of this situation and sharing strategies to overcome it will be the focus of a meeting of senior education and policy advisers from around the region being held at UNESCO Bangkok headquarters on 14-15 November.

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 57 million children globally and 20 million in the Asia-Pacific region were not enrolled in primary and secondary schooling in 2011, representing a major barrier to Education for All goals.

Those excluded are among the region’s most marginalized groups – those in conflict zones, minorities, the disabled, the extremely poor and other vulnerable groups living on society’s fringes. Making sure that these groups have access to education means rethinking of the conventional strategy of “putting every child in school” and embracing more flexible options.

The Strategic Partner Meeting on Flexible Learning Strategies to Reach Out-Of-School Children in Asia and the Pacific will allow participants to share their strategies to help out of school children, identify common challenges and share experiences.

Participants will discuss and plan strategies to ensure adequate funding in education budgets for out of school children. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for participants to network and explore collaborative possibilities between governments and NGOs.

The meeting will build on a UNESCO-UNICEF conference last year where government representatives from 26 Asia-Pacific countries gathered to share flexible learning strategies that have successfully reached out of school children.

A website for the meeting, including the agenda and a live-streaming link, can be found here: http://flexlearnstrategies.net/event/

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