Education has the power to transform lives and is at the heart of UNESCO’s mission to build peace, eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development. Right now, 750 million adults – two-thirds women – still lack basic literacy skills. Around 264 million children and youth are out of school and the international community must have almost 69 million new teachers to reach the 2030 education goals. These challenges can be tackled effectively through education reforms. However, these can only take place when countries have the capacities to put this change into action.
As well as trained staff, countries need efficient organizational processes, functioning institutions and the tools and resources to design, implement and manage tailored education policies and plans. This is where the CapED Programme steps in. By mobilizing UNESCO’s global network, the Programme provides selected countries with a cohesive package of support. It works alongside stakeholders to reinforce national capacities to undertake evidence-based education reforms that fit into their national priorities and respond to SDG4 commitments, in order to offer quality education opportunities to all.