Blaming just the teacher or the school for systemic educational problems can have serious negative side effects, warns a new report from the United Nations educational agency.
“Education is a shared responsibility between us all – governments, schools, teachers, parents and private actors,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in a press release.
“Accountability for these responsibilities defines the way teachers teach, students learn, and governments act. It must be designed with care and with the principles of equity, inclusion and quality in mind,” she added.
Putin ally in UNESCO crony row is favourite to take top job at United Nations when Ban Ki-moon steps down at the end of this year
Bulgarian Irina Bokova is said to be a ‘darling’ of President Vladimir Putin
Moscow educated diplomat hopes to succeed Ban Ki-moon in UN top job
But British diplomats have demanded a fraud inquiry
Appointment of underqualified deputy criticised as ploy to secure support
See more news on Vladimir Putin at www.dailymail.co.uk/putin
By Sam Greenhill for the Daily Mail
|
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3536896/Putin-ally-UNESCO-crony-row-favourite-job-United-Nations-Ban-Ki-moon-steps-end-year.html#ixzz4wbpzy5y6
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookA former communist backed by Vladimir Putin has become the frontrunner to take over the United Nations as its first ever woman chief.
Irina Bokova, a Bulgarian who was educated in Moscow and is said to be a ‘darling’ of Mr Putin, hopes to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down at the end of this year.
However the Daily Mail has obtained secret documents reflecting grave concern about her capacity to handle such an important job.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3536896/Putin-ally-UNESCO-crony-row-favourite-job-United-Nations-Ban-Ki-moon-steps-end-year.html#ixzz4wbpjBZbZ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The report, titled Accountability in education: meeting our commitments, looks at the different ways people and institutions can be held accountable for reaching the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goal for Education (SDG4).
The report, the second in the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) series, shows that blaming teachers for poor test scores and absenteeism is often both unjust and unconstructive.
“Using student test scores to sanction teachers and schools makes it more likely they will adjust their behaviour to protect themselves, which may mean leaving the weakest learners behind,” explained Manos Antoninis, Director of the GEM Report.
“Accountability must start with governments. If a government is too quick to apportion blame to others, it is deflecting attention away from its own responsibility for creating a strong, supportive education system,”
For example, that nearly half of teacher absenteeism in Indonesia in 2013/14 was due to excused time for study for which replacements should have been provided.
In Senegal, only 12 of the 80 missed school days in 2014 were due to teachers avoiding their responsibilities.
Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
In the European Union in 2009-2014, 38 per cent of education and training tenders only had one bidder, compared to 16 per cent of tenders in the construction sector, indicating that the risk of corruption is higher in education than in the building industry.
The report says that whereas transparency would help identify problems, only one in six governments publish annual education monitoring reports.
Former-UN-Secretary-General-Kofi-Annan-joined-in-the-celebration-of-Prince-Frisos-life
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses a news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva in this May 11, 2011 file photo. Ban is planning to formally announce his candidacy for a second five-term as U.N. secretary-general early next week, U.N. diplomats said on June 4, 2011. The former South Korean foreign minister had already received assurances of support from the U.S.and other key members of the U.N. Security Council, diplomats said in March, making his re-election all but certain. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/Files (SWITZERLAND – Tags: POLITICS HEADSHOT)
The report calls on governments to:
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
design accountability mechanisms for schools and teachers that is supportive and avoid punitive mechanisms, especially those based on narrow performance measures;
allow for democratic participation, respect media freedom to scrutinize education and set up independent institutions to handle complaints;
develop credible and efficient regulations with associated sanctions for all education providers, public and private, that ensure non-discrimination and the quality of education;
make the right to education justiciable, which is not the case in 45 per cent of countries. Via UN News Centre
