Phone-based platforms are a major focus of the company, Facebook's mobile chief says
By Stephen Lawson
SAN FRANCISCO, 13 JULY 2010 - Facebook has about 150 million mobile users, up from just 100 million in April, and is counting on cell phones as the key platform for the future, according to the social-networking giant's head of mobile products, Eric Tseng.
"Mobile is fast becoming our growth lever," Tseng told attendees at the MobileBeat 2010 conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had pegged the number of mobile users at 100 million at the f8 developer conference in late April. Facebook has about 500 million members overall.
Over the next six months, Facebook's mobile platforms will "catch up" with its PC browser-based interface. Among other things, the company will soon update the application programming interfaces for its Android and iPhone apps, Tseng said. The company is also working to expand its "social graph," which extends features of Facebook onto other sites, to take advantage of mobile use. For example, a lunchtime promotion for a nearby restaurant might become more effective if it incorporated ratings by a mobile user's Facebook friends, he said.
But mobile may be even more important beyond the smartphone-heavy developed countries, according to Tseng. In many poorer countries, mobile devices are the first on-ramp to the Internet for most consumers, and Facebook is developing ways for them to become members and use the social network without ever starting up a PC.
Working with Indian carrier Airtel, Facebook set up a mobile-only user experience in which the carrier's subscribers can join Facebook on a phone. The company is even experimenting with serving subscribers that don't have data plans, running a trial in which one carrier is allowing subscribers to browse the stripped-down, text-only 0.facebook.com mobile service free of charge. This has drawn users into Facebook while also getting them into the mobile data world, Tseng said.
In what may be good news for Facebook users, Tseng said the company has no interest right now in putting ads on mobile Facebook, because it's still focused on expanding mobile use. However, it would be fairly straightforward technically to do so, he added.
Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/news/articles/mobile-facebook-users-hit-150-million
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
More Malaysian businesses turn to social networking - mis-asia.com - 14 Jul 2010
Social networking platforms as mainstream business tools.
By AvantiKumar
Social networking platforms are increasingly being used as mainstream business tools in Malaysia, said global workspace solutions provider Regus.
Regus regional vice president, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, William Willems, said:
“Two out of five businesses report successful new customer acquisition through social networks, according to a global online survey conducted by research firm Unwired Ventures. In Malaysia, 51 per cent of businesses have successfully used social networks to win new business.”
Willems said relatively little analysis was available regarding the real use that businesses make of social networking and whether hard business could be generated through this channel. “The survey asked business leaders not only whether they had made any customer wins using social networking, but also whether they believed the channel effective enough to be awarded its own portion of marketing budget.”
“About 27 per cent of businesses around the world have set aside a proportion of marketing budget specifically devoted to social networking activities,” said Willems. “In Malaysia specifically, 41 per cent of businesses have actively set aside a proportion of marketing budget devoted to social networking activities.”
“The research showed that 70 per cent of respondents in Malaysia used social networking to keep in touch with contacts although only 35 per cent had found employment through social networks,” he said.
“A full 81 per cent believe the main usefulness of social networks was the possibility to manage and connect to customer groups,” said Willems. “Seventy-six per cent of respondents (compared with a global figure of 44 per cent) declared they were impressed by audio/visual animations on a company profile.”
More than 500,000 clients a day use Regus facilities across a global footprint of 1,000 locations in 450 cities and 80 countries. The survey results are from 15,000 respondents around the world, comprising top management and professionals, managers, executives and business persons (PMEBs).
A mainstream business tool
Willems said while globally, social networks were still being used for their original range of functions, small and medium businesses (SMBs) were a little more likely than average to use social networking.
“Perhaps due to this greater than average effort with the medium, 44 per cent of small companies around the world have successfully acquired new customers through social networking compared to medium companies (36 per cent) and large businesses (28 per cent),” he said. “The only exception to this trend is that a smaller than average number of employees at small firms had found new employment through social networking.”
“On a sector basis, the ICT, retail, media and marketing, and consultancy sectors made an above-average use of social networking, while manufacturing, financial services, and the health sector were lagging behind,” said Willems.
“Only 19 per cent of companies in the financial services sector had devoted budget to their social networking activities compared to 38 per cent in the retail and media and marketing sectors,” he said. “Also in the financial services sector, only 26 per cent of companies had successfully won new customers via social networking compared to 48 per cent and 46 per cent in the media and marketing, and ICT sectors.”
“Our global survey has revealed that social networking has finally become a mainstream business tool,” said Willems. “Although there is a hard core of sceptics globally who do not believe that social networks will become a significant method of reaching customers and prospects, a significant proportion of firms are devoting real marketing budgets through the medium to acquire new customers and keep existing ones.”
"This survey indicates that organisations that have not yet ventured into the world of social networking may be missing out on sizeable business opportunities," he said. "[For instance,] the Netherlands (48 per cent), India (52 per cent), Mexico (50 per cent) and Spain (50 per cent), recorded the highest levels of new customer acquisition via social networking.”
Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/news/articles/more-malaysian-businesses-turn-to-social-networking
By AvantiKumar
Social networking platforms are increasingly being used as mainstream business tools in Malaysia, said global workspace solutions provider Regus.
Regus regional vice president, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, William Willems, said:
“Two out of five businesses report successful new customer acquisition through social networks, according to a global online survey conducted by research firm Unwired Ventures. In Malaysia, 51 per cent of businesses have successfully used social networks to win new business.”
Willems said relatively little analysis was available regarding the real use that businesses make of social networking and whether hard business could be generated through this channel. “The survey asked business leaders not only whether they had made any customer wins using social networking, but also whether they believed the channel effective enough to be awarded its own portion of marketing budget.”
“About 27 per cent of businesses around the world have set aside a proportion of marketing budget specifically devoted to social networking activities,” said Willems. “In Malaysia specifically, 41 per cent of businesses have actively set aside a proportion of marketing budget devoted to social networking activities.”
“The research showed that 70 per cent of respondents in Malaysia used social networking to keep in touch with contacts although only 35 per cent had found employment through social networks,” he said.
“A full 81 per cent believe the main usefulness of social networks was the possibility to manage and connect to customer groups,” said Willems. “Seventy-six per cent of respondents (compared with a global figure of 44 per cent) declared they were impressed by audio/visual animations on a company profile.”
More than 500,000 clients a day use Regus facilities across a global footprint of 1,000 locations in 450 cities and 80 countries. The survey results are from 15,000 respondents around the world, comprising top management and professionals, managers, executives and business persons (PMEBs).
A mainstream business tool
Willems said while globally, social networks were still being used for their original range of functions, small and medium businesses (SMBs) were a little more likely than average to use social networking.
“Perhaps due to this greater than average effort with the medium, 44 per cent of small companies around the world have successfully acquired new customers through social networking compared to medium companies (36 per cent) and large businesses (28 per cent),” he said. “The only exception to this trend is that a smaller than average number of employees at small firms had found new employment through social networking.”
“On a sector basis, the ICT, retail, media and marketing, and consultancy sectors made an above-average use of social networking, while manufacturing, financial services, and the health sector were lagging behind,” said Willems.
“Only 19 per cent of companies in the financial services sector had devoted budget to their social networking activities compared to 38 per cent in the retail and media and marketing sectors,” he said. “Also in the financial services sector, only 26 per cent of companies had successfully won new customers via social networking compared to 48 per cent and 46 per cent in the media and marketing, and ICT sectors.”
“Our global survey has revealed that social networking has finally become a mainstream business tool,” said Willems. “Although there is a hard core of sceptics globally who do not believe that social networks will become a significant method of reaching customers and prospects, a significant proportion of firms are devoting real marketing budgets through the medium to acquire new customers and keep existing ones.”
"This survey indicates that organisations that have not yet ventured into the world of social networking may be missing out on sizeable business opportunities," he said. "[For instance,] the Netherlands (48 per cent), India (52 per cent), Mexico (50 per cent) and Spain (50 per cent), recorded the highest levels of new customer acquisition via social networking.”
Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/news/articles/more-malaysian-businesses-turn-to-social-networking
Pilot programme to aid preschoolers with developmental needs sees success - CNA - 06 July 2010
SINGAPORE: A pilot programme that seeks to help preschoolers with developmental needs overcome their learning gaps has seen success, spelling new hope for this group of children.
Mission I'mPossible is a first-of-its-kind programme that takes a community-based and family-focused approach to better prepare such children for mainstream schools.
The programme started its pilot run in July last year, with 22 PAP Community Foundation (PCF) centres in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
To date, 980 pre-schoolers have been screened and 92 children have successfully completed the programme.
Under the programme, each child has a customised education plan (IEP) to help in learning.
The child receives general learning support, speech and occupational therapy.
More than 90 per cent of children who have undergone the programme have shown improvement.
70 per cent of the kindergarten teachers at the 22 PCF centres have also been trained to screen and detect students with developmental needs, and provide them with better support in class.
The pilot programme is a joint effort by the Lien Foundation, KK Women's and Children's Hospital's Department of Child Development and PAP Community Foundation.
It's hoped that the community-based model of care can now be further replicated. - CNA/jm
Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067795/1/.html
Factsheet: http://www.lienfoundation.org/press/MIP%20press%20release_Final_6July.pdf
Mission I'mPossible is a first-of-its-kind programme that takes a community-based and family-focused approach to better prepare such children for mainstream schools.
The programme started its pilot run in July last year, with 22 PAP Community Foundation (PCF) centres in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
To date, 980 pre-schoolers have been screened and 92 children have successfully completed the programme.
Under the programme, each child has a customised education plan (IEP) to help in learning.
The child receives general learning support, speech and occupational therapy.
More than 90 per cent of children who have undergone the programme have shown improvement.
70 per cent of the kindergarten teachers at the 22 PCF centres have also been trained to screen and detect students with developmental needs, and provide them with better support in class.
The pilot programme is a joint effort by the Lien Foundation, KK Women's and Children's Hospital's Department of Child Development and PAP Community Foundation.
It's hoped that the community-based model of care can now be further replicated. - CNA/jm
Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067795/1/.html
Factsheet: http://www.lienfoundation.org/press/MIP%20press%20release_Final_6July.pdf
Singapore Preschools to Receive USD $2 Million Cloud Computing Power from Lien Foundation and Salesforce.com Foundation - lienfoundation.org - 24 May 2010
More than 600 Teachers & Administrators across 60 Non-Profit Preschool Centres to Benefit from USD $2 Million Philanthropic Cooperation
SINGAPORE, May 24, 2010 – The Salesforce.com Foundation, the global leader in integrating philanthropy and business, together with Lien Foundation, a Singapore philanthropic house, announced today a USD $2 million joint initiative aimed at transforming Singapore’s non-profit, preschool sector.
Modeled after Salesforce.com Foundation’s unique 1/1/1 model, Lien Foundation and Salesforce.com Foundation have agreed to pull in resources worth USD $1 million each to transform one education sector in Singapore. Lien Foundation has committed USD $1 million in capital to support the implementation of IT solutions and accompanying hardware to 60 nonprofit preschool centres over the next year and a half. Salesforce.com Foundation will donate USD $1 million in licenses to give more than 600 teachers the ability to update and manage student data in the cloud.
“It is rare to have two foundations– one from the East and one from the West – coming together for an initiative of this size, and with the common interest to enhance the productivity of non-profits through harnessing the power of infocomm technology,” said Mr Lee Poh Wah, Chief Executive Officer of Lien Foundation. “We expect the combined resources from Lien and Salesforce.com Foundation to inspire a major transformation in Singapore’s preschool sector over the next year.”
“The idea behind Salesforce.com Foundation’s 1/1/1 model is to harness the power of a company’s resources, such as the intellectual wealth of its employees, technology or products and financial resources to support organizations that are making the world a better place,” said Suzanne DiBianca, Executive Director, Salesforce.com Foundation. “We are proud to join forces with Lien Foundation and use our collective resources to radically transform the nonprofit, preschool sector in Singapore.”
The project will begin its implementation with a pilot in five major non-profit preschool operators, including Presbyterian Community Services (PCS) and Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS). The pilot is scheduled to begin in June this year.
Mr Laurence Wee, Executive Director, PCS said, “The quality of preschool education is not only dependent on teachers but also the infrastructure that can aid or hamper their teaching. Unfortunately, preschools from the nonprofit sector often face intense competition for resources and have minimal IT infrastructure and limited funds. We believe this initiative can help empower our staff and children to their greater potential.”
This project is timely for Ms Nadhira Koyakutty, Head, Early Childhood Education, PPIS. She said, “IT is an important tool that we use to support our curriculum. With greater IT access and support to help our teachers become more productive, we can expect a very positive impact on teaching. For instance, we can reduce manual tasks and unnecessary duplication of work. We look forward to streamlining the students’ records, creating lesson plans creatively and having regular and better feedback with parents through the new system. Ultimately, we hope to enhance our children’s education in their most formative years.”
Source: http://www.lienfoundation.org/press/SFDC%20Lien%20Foundation%20Release%20Final%20.pdf?id=2002
SINGAPORE, May 24, 2010 – The Salesforce.com Foundation, the global leader in integrating philanthropy and business, together with Lien Foundation, a Singapore philanthropic house, announced today a USD $2 million joint initiative aimed at transforming Singapore’s non-profit, preschool sector.
Modeled after Salesforce.com Foundation’s unique 1/1/1 model, Lien Foundation and Salesforce.com Foundation have agreed to pull in resources worth USD $1 million each to transform one education sector in Singapore. Lien Foundation has committed USD $1 million in capital to support the implementation of IT solutions and accompanying hardware to 60 nonprofit preschool centres over the next year and a half. Salesforce.com Foundation will donate USD $1 million in licenses to give more than 600 teachers the ability to update and manage student data in the cloud.
“It is rare to have two foundations– one from the East and one from the West – coming together for an initiative of this size, and with the common interest to enhance the productivity of non-profits through harnessing the power of infocomm technology,” said Mr Lee Poh Wah, Chief Executive Officer of Lien Foundation. “We expect the combined resources from Lien and Salesforce.com Foundation to inspire a major transformation in Singapore’s preschool sector over the next year.”
“The idea behind Salesforce.com Foundation’s 1/1/1 model is to harness the power of a company’s resources, such as the intellectual wealth of its employees, technology or products and financial resources to support organizations that are making the world a better place,” said Suzanne DiBianca, Executive Director, Salesforce.com Foundation. “We are proud to join forces with Lien Foundation and use our collective resources to radically transform the nonprofit, preschool sector in Singapore.”
The project will begin its implementation with a pilot in five major non-profit preschool operators, including Presbyterian Community Services (PCS) and Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS). The pilot is scheduled to begin in June this year.
Mr Laurence Wee, Executive Director, PCS said, “The quality of preschool education is not only dependent on teachers but also the infrastructure that can aid or hamper their teaching. Unfortunately, preschools from the nonprofit sector often face intense competition for resources and have minimal IT infrastructure and limited funds. We believe this initiative can help empower our staff and children to their greater potential.”
This project is timely for Ms Nadhira Koyakutty, Head, Early Childhood Education, PPIS. She said, “IT is an important tool that we use to support our curriculum. With greater IT access and support to help our teachers become more productive, we can expect a very positive impact on teaching. For instance, we can reduce manual tasks and unnecessary duplication of work. We look forward to streamlining the students’ records, creating lesson plans creatively and having regular and better feedback with parents through the new system. Ultimately, we hope to enhance our children’s education in their most formative years.”
Source: http://www.lienfoundation.org/press/SFDC%20Lien%20Foundation%20Release%20Final%20.pdf?id=2002
Social networking services set to replace e-mail by 2014 for business users - mis-asia.com - 7 July 2010
Gartner report indicates increase in global wireless e-mail users
By Anuradha Shukla
HONG KONG, 7 JULY 2010 – Commoditisation of wireless e-mail is increasing, according to Gartner which attributes the reason to standardisation, interoperability and growing competition from e-mail servers and services.
Social networking is increasingly complementing e-mail for interpersonal business communications as wireless e-mail integrates with social networking and collaboration.
The research firm says this increase in demand is addressed by vendors by pursuing differentiation in the areas of collaboration, applications and the cloud.
80 million business users
Worldwide wireless e-mail users are increasing in number and by year-end 2014, they will reach one billion. Gartner estimates that global business wireless e-mail accounts were more than 80 million in early 2010.
These accounts included large, mid-sized and small organisations, as well as individual professionals. Monica Basso, research vice president at Gartner, noted that the primary reason for the increase in the adoption of wireless e-mail is the resulting gains in productivity.
Today, enterprise wireless e-mail is still a priority for organisations, whose mobile workforce are up to 40 per cent of the total employee base. Basso added that although most mid-sized and large organisations in North America and Europe are using enterprise wireless e-mail already, on average, they are for less than five per cent of the workforce.
Converging social paradigms
What makes wireless e-mail attractive to users is its ability to make their e-mail account accessible and usable via mobile networks on mobile devices. Because social networking is increasing in popularity, by 2014, such services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 per cent of business users.
Commenting on the cloud, Basso said that due to the ease of access, the cloud will generate indirect competition in the wireless e-mail software market and will transform it in the long term.
"Cloud e-mail offerings from software and service players, such as Google's Gmail, will begin to be adopted, pulling wireless e-mail implementations into the cloud as well,” said Basso. “Research In Motion and other wireless e-mail vendors will build partnerships with cloud providers to address their customers' cloud strategies.”
Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/cio_focus/technology/social-networking-services-set-to-replace-e-mail-by-2014-for-business-users
By Anuradha Shukla
HONG KONG, 7 JULY 2010 – Commoditisation of wireless e-mail is increasing, according to Gartner which attributes the reason to standardisation, interoperability and growing competition from e-mail servers and services.
Social networking is increasingly complementing e-mail for interpersonal business communications as wireless e-mail integrates with social networking and collaboration.
The research firm says this increase in demand is addressed by vendors by pursuing differentiation in the areas of collaboration, applications and the cloud.
80 million business users
Worldwide wireless e-mail users are increasing in number and by year-end 2014, they will reach one billion. Gartner estimates that global business wireless e-mail accounts were more than 80 million in early 2010.
These accounts included large, mid-sized and small organisations, as well as individual professionals. Monica Basso, research vice president at Gartner, noted that the primary reason for the increase in the adoption of wireless e-mail is the resulting gains in productivity.
Today, enterprise wireless e-mail is still a priority for organisations, whose mobile workforce are up to 40 per cent of the total employee base. Basso added that although most mid-sized and large organisations in North America and Europe are using enterprise wireless e-mail already, on average, they are for less than five per cent of the workforce.
Converging social paradigms
What makes wireless e-mail attractive to users is its ability to make their e-mail account accessible and usable via mobile networks on mobile devices. Because social networking is increasing in popularity, by 2014, such services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 per cent of business users.
Commenting on the cloud, Basso said that due to the ease of access, the cloud will generate indirect competition in the wireless e-mail software market and will transform it in the long term.
"Cloud e-mail offerings from software and service players, such as Google's Gmail, will begin to be adopted, pulling wireless e-mail implementations into the cloud as well,” said Basso. “Research In Motion and other wireless e-mail vendors will build partnerships with cloud providers to address their customers' cloud strategies.”
Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/cio_focus/technology/social-networking-services-set-to-replace-e-mail-by-2014-for-business-users
Singapore's ITE praised in Unesco report - pressrun.net - 23 Feb 2010
Singapore's Skills Development Fund and vocation education system are praised in Unesco's 2010 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Reaching the Marginalized.
The report, available on the Unesco website, says:
The report quotes from Education in Singapore: Developments since 1965 by Goh and Gopinathan. Here is the long quote, which appears in a box headlined: Singapore's 'jewel in the system':
Source: http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2010/02/singapores-ite-praised-in-unesco-report.html
Report: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001866/186606E.pdf
The report, available on the Unesco website, says:
Republic of Korea and Singapore both aligned vocational programmes with the needs of high-growth sectors, identifying skills bottlenecks and, as the economy developed, gradually shifting the focus of training from secondary schools to specialized technical institutes and higher education.
Two distinctive features of the vocational success story in East Asia have been missing from the policy environment of many other developing countries. The first is rapid economic growth, which has created demand for skilled labour and resources for training. Second, provision of technical and vocational education in countries such as the Republic of Korea and Singapore has been integrated into broad-based national strategies for industrial development, employment creation and raising living standards through higher levels of skills and productivity.It notes:
Singapore’s Skills Development Fund and Malaysia’s Human Resources Development Fund are financed by a 1% levy on wages, with the revenue used to subsidize training for workers in smaller companies. Singapore’s fund reaches 65% of enterprises with between 10 and 49 workers.
The report quotes from Education in Singapore: Developments since 1965 by Goh and Gopinathan. Here is the long quote, which appears in a box headlined: Singapore's 'jewel in the system':
By helping drive economic growth, overcome shortages of skilled labour and reduce social inequalities, technical and vocational education has played a central role in turning Singapore into a high-income country with one of the world’s best-performing education systems. The education minister has described the Institute of Technical Education as ‘a shining jewel in our system’.
The Institute of Technical Education was established in the early 1990s in response to growing concerns over the education system’s ability to meet the demands of a more productive economy and the needs of the young. It is meant for students who register low scores in general academic education. Courses are designed by government and industry. Companies value its graduates highly: over 90% of students were employed within six months of graduating in 2007. As the economy has evolved, the institute has responded with innovative programmes, including partnering with global industry to set up centres of technology in niche areas such as industrial automation, offering joint certificates with companies such as Microsoft and linking with institutes in Germany to offer diplomas in machine technology.
Perhaps the institute’s greatest success has been in combating the stigma associated with vocational education. Successive governments have invested heavily in training teachers, involving the private sector as well, so that the institute’s facilities are comparable to those of the country’s universities. Qualifications from the institute can be used as a route into tertiary-level technical education through polytechnics, or back into academic education through universities. The emphasis on giving confidence to students and tackling the perception of technical and vocational education as a sign of failure helps explain why Singapore’s model has succeeded where others have failed.--- Goh, C. B. and Gopinathan, S. 2008. Education in Singapore: Developments since 1965. Tan, J.-P. and Fredriksen, B. (eds),
Source: http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2010/02/singapores-ite-praised-in-unesco-report.html
Report: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001866/186606E.pdf
About Education for All - UNESCO
The Education for All movement is a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults. The movement was launched at the World Conference on Education for All in 1990 Conference on Education for All in 1990 .
Ten years later, with many countries far from having reached this goal, the international community met again in Dakar, Senegal and affirmed their commitment to achieving Education for All by the year 2015. They identified six key education goals which aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015.
As the lead agency, UNESCO is mobilizing and harmonizing the international efforts to reach Education coordination for All. Governments, development agencies, civil society, non-government organizations and the media are but some of the partners working toward reaching these goals.
The drive to achieve the EFA goals also contribute to the global pursuit of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially MDG 2 on universal primary education and MDG 3 on gender equality in education, by 2015.
Global Coordination
At the global, regional and national level, UNESCO is working towards deepening partnerships and alliances, building consensus and harmonizing partners’ contribution and participation. EFA partners in this coordinated effort include governments, international organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors, civil society and the private sector.
Among the main EFA coordination mechanisms are the High-Level Group and the Working Group.
The High-Level Group
Convened annually by the Director-General of UNESCO, it brings together some thirty Ministers of Education and of International Co-operation, heads of development agencies and representatives of civil society an the private sector. Its role is to sustain and accelerate the political momentum created at the World Education Forum and serve as a lever for resource mobilization.
The Working Group on Education for All
The Working Group on Education for All provides technical guidance and promotes information exchange between all partners in the Education for All drive. It comprises representatives of all the key EFA stakeholders.
The Global Action Plan
The Global Action Plan is a global strategy developed to improve international and country-level coordination for Education for All. It aims to clarify the roles of the five international agencies spearheading the global EFA movement (UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and the World Bank) and define their coordinated, joint action at the global level. Ultimately, it aims to achieve better and more targeted action on the ground, at the country level.
The EFA Global Monitoring Report
The annual Global Monitoring Report is the world’s most respected publication on progress that countries and agencies are making towards the EFA goals, providing the latest data available alongside in-depth analysis. It includes an EFA Development Index which measures the extent to which countries are meeting the EFA goals especially in primary education, adult literacy, gender parity and quality.
EFA Global Action Week
A worldwide advocacy campaign organized each year at the end of April to celebrate the anniversary of the World Education Forum held in 2000 in Dakar. It aims to mobilize governments and the international community to keep their promise to achieve Education for All by 2015.
Source: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=50558&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Ten years later, with many countries far from having reached this goal, the international community met again in Dakar, Senegal and affirmed their commitment to achieving Education for All by the year 2015. They identified six key education goals which aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015.
As the lead agency, UNESCO is mobilizing and harmonizing the international efforts to reach Education coordination for All. Governments, development agencies, civil society, non-government organizations and the media are but some of the partners working toward reaching these goals.
The drive to achieve the EFA goals also contribute to the global pursuit of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially MDG 2 on universal primary education and MDG 3 on gender equality in education, by 2015.
Global Coordination
At the global, regional and national level, UNESCO is working towards deepening partnerships and alliances, building consensus and harmonizing partners’ contribution and participation. EFA partners in this coordinated effort include governments, international organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors, civil society and the private sector.
Among the main EFA coordination mechanisms are the High-Level Group and the Working Group.
The High-Level Group
Convened annually by the Director-General of UNESCO, it brings together some thirty Ministers of Education and of International Co-operation, heads of development agencies and representatives of civil society an the private sector. Its role is to sustain and accelerate the political momentum created at the World Education Forum and serve as a lever for resource mobilization.
The Working Group on Education for All
The Working Group on Education for All provides technical guidance and promotes information exchange between all partners in the Education for All drive. It comprises representatives of all the key EFA stakeholders.
The Global Action Plan
The Global Action Plan is a global strategy developed to improve international and country-level coordination for Education for All. It aims to clarify the roles of the five international agencies spearheading the global EFA movement (UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and the World Bank) and define their coordinated, joint action at the global level. Ultimately, it aims to achieve better and more targeted action on the ground, at the country level.
The EFA Global Monitoring Report
The annual Global Monitoring Report is the world’s most respected publication on progress that countries and agencies are making towards the EFA goals, providing the latest data available alongside in-depth analysis. It includes an EFA Development Index which measures the extent to which countries are meeting the EFA goals especially in primary education, adult literacy, gender parity and quality.
EFA Global Action Week
A worldwide advocacy campaign organized each year at the end of April to celebrate the anniversary of the World Education Forum held in 2000 in Dakar. It aims to mobilize governments and the international community to keep their promise to achieve Education for All by 2015.
Source: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=50558&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)