World Declaration of Education for All and Framework of Action

Abstract

The continuing demand for this little volume re flects both the widespre a d c o n c e rn over inadequacies in education systems around the wo rld and the growing re c ognition of the vital importance of basic education for social progre s s . The Wo rld Decl a ration on Education for A l l and its companion Fra m ewo rk fo r Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs, adopted by the Wo rld Confe rence on E d u c ation for A l l ( Jo m t i e n , Th a i l a n d, M a rch 1990), h ave proved useful guides for gove rn m e n t s , i n t e rn ational orga n i z at i o n s , e d u c at o rs and development professionals in designing and carrying out policies and strat egies to improve basic e d u c ation serv i c e s . The Jomtien Confe rence was cl e a rly a major milestone in the intern at i onal dialogue on the place of education in human development policy, and the consensus re a ched there has given re n ewed impetus to the wo rl dwide drive to p rovide unive rsal pri m a ry education and eliminate adult illitera cy. It has also i n s p i red effo rts to improve the quality of basic education and to find more coste ffe c t ive ways to meet the basic learning needs of va rious disadva n t aged popul ation gro u p s . The ori ginal pre fa c e, wh i ch fo l l ow s , p rovides additional back ground on the Jomtien Confe rence and the two texts it adopted. Th ey we re fi rst publ i s h e d in a single volume by the Inter- A ge n cy Commission that orga n i zed the Jo m t i e n C o n fe re n c e. Subsequently, UNESCO took over this responsibility on behalf of the INTERNAT I O NAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM ON EDUCATION FOR A L L , the global mechanism established to promote and monitor progress towa rd the Jomtien go a l s . As we near the mid-decade point, the time has come to take stock of the p rogress ach i eve d, o b s t a cles encountere d, and prospects for further progress in m oving towa rd Education for All. In this task, the two texts in this volume will s e rve as important re fe rences in assessing progress and planning further action. In order that the D e cl a rat i o n and the Fra m ewo rk for A c t i o n become more w i d e ly known and discussed, I would invite re a d e rs to share this volume with c o l l e ag u e s , s t u d e n t s , and other concerned pers o n s , and also to quote fre e ly fro m the texts in their own writings. A dditional copies can be obtained from the Fo rum's Secre t a ri at at UNESCO in Pa ri s