IPNEd at the European Development Days in Brussels
Hon Neema Kichiki Lugangira MP speaks at IPNEd’s High-Level Panel at the European Development Days
Last week, we were delighted to be joined in Brussels by Hon. Neema Kichiki Lugangira, Member of Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania.
A global gateway to reimagine learning and skills for the future
On 21 June, IPNEd co-hosted a High-Level Panel entitled "A global gateway to reimagine learning and skills for the future" together with the European Commission (Directorate General for International Partnerships - DG INTPA) and the Global Student Forum. The panel formed part of the European Development Days in Brussels.
Representing IPNEd in the panel, Ms Lugangira was joined by Deputy Director for DG INTPA Marjeta Jager, Special Advisor to the UN Transforming Education Summit Leonardo Garnier Rimolo, Policy & Partnerships Fellow at Global Citizen Funmilayo Taiwo, Director for Education and Skills at OECD Andreas Schleicher and Steering Committee Member of the European Union Youth Sounding Board Christina Williams. The panel was moderated by Lynn Wesenbeek.
The panel reflected on how education can be transformed through creating and reinforcing connections - without compromising the aspects of inclusion, equity and quality as set out in SDG 4.
Marjeta Jager ensured that educational recovery and tackling the learning crisis were at the centre of the European Commission’s Global Gateway Strategy, and put emphasis on investing in education through quality of teachers, girls education, international partnerships and lifelong learning. She also highlighted the importance of intersectoral linkages, bringing together education, finance and labour market sectors.
Funmilayo Taiwo advocated for an integrated and unified approach to education and health, taking into account mental health and comprehensive sexuality education, alongside the right and access to information for young people.
Leonardo Garnier Rimolo spoke of addressing global disparities and investing in education to transform schools into places that welcome every child. He also called on enhanced global cooperation on high quality open resources for teachers.
Funmilayo Taiwo advocated for an integrated and unified approach to education and health.
Leonardo Garnier Rimolo spoke of addressing global disparities and investing in transforming education
Representing IPNEd, Neema Lugangira spoke of the critical role of parliamentarians in advocating for SDG 4 globally, and keeping governments accountable in fulfilling their education promises on national levels. She raised the importance of diversity in global decision making, not least in including voices from the global south.
Ms Lugangira called on the international community to take into account different global realities. She gave examples of nine out of ten children in sub saharan Africa having fallen into learning poverty as a result of COVID, of girls in Tanzania regularly missing school when they cannot access menstrual sanitary products, and of the crucial importance of school nutrition to incentivise broader school participation.
Lastly, Ms Lugangira raised the importance of ambitious domestic education financing. To address this need, IPNEd and the Global Partnership for Education are currently developing a Parliamentary Toolkit on Domestic Education Financing, which will be a resource for delivering better education budgets.
Representing IPNEd, Neema Lugangira spoke of the role of parliamentarians in advocating for SDG 4
Andreas Schleicher urged the audience not to underestimate the power of education to shape the future. Christina Williams concluded the panel by calling on legislators to produce ambitious education policies - and to live up to the promise of 12 years of free, inclusive, equitable, quality education.
Christina Williams concluded the panel by calling on legislators to live up to the promise of 12 years quality education
Meetings at the European Parliament and with other stakeholders
Whilst in Brussels, IPNEd liaised for Neema Lugangira to meet with a wide range of colleagues and education stakeholders.
From the European Parliament, Ms Lugangira met with IPNEd member parliamentarians and education champions Hildegard Bentele MEP, Karsten Lucke MEP, Janina Ochojska MEP, György Hölvényi MEP, Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana MEP, Hannes Heide MEP and David Lega MEP.
She also met with Leonardo Garnier Rimolo, Special Adviser to the Transforming Education Summit, H.E Jestas Abouk Nyamanga Ambassador of Tanzania to Belgium and representatives from the European Commission working on global education.
Being a keen champion for school nutrition, Ms Lugangira met with UN Assistant Secretary-General and coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Gerda Verburg, the Global Health Advocates and European Commission representatives working on global partnerships for nutrition and agriculture.
Whilst in Brussels, Neema Lugangira met with a wide range of colleagues and education stakeholders.
