Yemen launches International Education Week

Yemen Observer: http://www.yobserver.com

Yemen launches International Education Week

Posted in: News Varieties
Written By: Eman al-Jarady
Article Date: May 3, 2008 - 5:41:00 AM

Many school children are attending classes in Yemen during International Education Week as part of UNICEF campaign.

The increasing number of illiterate people in Yemen is due to parents failing to enroll their children in school, according to Huda al-Ban, the Minister of Human Rights, at the launch of International Education Week (IEW). Every year, the world celebrates and promotes the benefits of international education and worldwide exchange during IEW; the celebrations also provide an opportunity for schools, colleges and organizations to demonstrate how being internationally minded has benefited their development.

IEW, which launched on Monday, is organized by the National Committee of Education for All and is headed up by the Deputy Minister of Education, Abdul-Aziz bin Habtor, in cooperation with UNICEF, under the slogan, “quality of education and ending the prevention of girls from education”.

During the launch Al-Ban spoke about education being the most important investment for Yemen’s future, but how education, and in particular girls’ education, faces many social and economic obstacles.

"International Education Week, under UNICEF’s supervision, aims to remind governments of their responsibility towards educating their nation’s children, and of the importance of raising well educated children. IEW also aims to promote the achievement of ‘Education for All’ by 2015," says Habtor.

"We have chosen you as examples of what different organizations involved in education have achieved in terms of improving the quality of education, teacher training and increasing the number of girls enrolling in school," says Habtor, pointing to the students in the audience.

Habtor said that his ministry has done many things to make primary and preparatory education obligatory for both girls and boys. He also talked about the measures taken in order to decrease the difference in enrolment rates between girls and boys, especially in the countryside. Habtor stated that such activities act as a reminder to countries all over the world of their commitment towards education and the need to enhance efforts of illiteracy eradication in order to reach the goal of ‘Education for All’ by 2015.

"The goals, which were adopted during the (UNESCO) World Education Forum in 2000, include: expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children; and, ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to free, good quality, compulsory primary education," points out Ansaf Qasim, the coordinator of NCE.

The official IEW website states, “We encourage the participation of all individuals and institutions interested in international education and exchange activities, including schools, colleges and universities, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, and community organizations.” Further information on International Education Week can be found at: www.iew.state.gov.