UNESCO Education Strategy 2014-2020 is a result of extensive collective work in UNESCO’s Education Sector over the past two years.

UNESCO Education Strategy 2014-2020 is a result of extensive collective work in UNESCO’s Education Sector over the past two years. It elaborates on UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (2014–2021), which was drafted by the Organization’s Secretariat and approved by the 37th session of its General Conference in November 2013. This strategy elaborates on the education component of the Medium-Term Strategy. While continuing to focus efforts on the ‘unfinished business’ of EFA, such as literacy, teachers and vocational skills development, UNESCO will lead and advocate for strengthened action towards empowering learners to be creative and responsible citizens. In a world of change, when individuals are increasingly called upon to make a positive contribution to their communities through the promotion of peace, solidarity, and respect for others and the environment, Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education must also be considered crucial elements for well-rounded educational systems.

UNESCO’s work in education will cover all 13 thematic areas outlined in Chapter 3 throughout the eight years of this strategy, but will be rolled out in two main implementation phases, each giving increased emphasis to different aspects or priority areas.

UNESCO’s work in education will cover all 13 thematic areas outlined in Chapter 3 throughout the eight years of this strategy, but will be rolled out in two main implementation phases, each giving increased emphasis to different aspects or priority areas.

The first four years (2014–2017) of implementation will aim to achieve 13 expected results through two biennial budgets (2014–2015 and 2016–2017). For each budget period, implementation and progress towards the achievement of the results will be monitored according to defined milestones and/or performance indicators as part of the Organization-wide monitoring and evaluation process. Given the rolling nature of the four- year programme, the transition from one biennium to the next will be accompanied by a review of implementation and results achieved, assessment of lessons learned and remaining challenges, as well as corrective actions, including budget adjustments, for the following biennium. The first biennium will be characterized by a last big push towards the EFA goals, groundwork for the global stocktaking of EFA since 2000 and preparation of the post-2015 education agenda. This forward-looking agenda will involve regional and global events characterized by forward-looking debates aimed at stimulating discussion on the role of education in development after 2015, in close coordination with all EFA partners. The second biennium will entail translating the agenda into concrete action at country level by putting the new framework for action into operation and assisting countries in setting up national education targets within the global ones, and in adapting national education monitoring systems to the new agenda.

The drives of the second implementation phase (2018–2021) will depend largely on decisions of the international community concerning the post-2015 education agenda and its universal relevance. During this phase, UNESCO will seek to strengthen its relevance to all Member States, regardless of its economic development, by giving increased emphasis to the universality of its education programme in terms of outreach (countries) and content (holistic approach), as well as to innovation in education and the ability to respond through education to contemporary and future challenges.