Context: This was a paper written by myself for an online conference.
[Committee: United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
Country: The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland
Agenda: Ensuring Quality Education And Increasing Accessibility To E-Learning For Children]
'“A child without education is like a bird without wings.” – Traditional Tibetan proverb
In this modern era, today's
youth have faced various disasters, including the recent pandemic,
Russo-Ukrainian conflict, and natural calamities, leaving them disheartened.
The UK delegation aims to address the unspoken crisis resulting from these
events in this paper. Historically, in times of crisis, schools often close due
to funding issues, denying education to many children which is why the Tibetans
liken uneducated children to wingless birds. Afflicted nations must choose
between protecting education or boundaries. The UK promotes quality education
and e-learning to empower communities worldwide. We aim to highlight the
problem, share our actions, and propose solutions.
Firstly, how do we define
children who miss education? As per the UK's government consultation centres,
it's when compulsory school-age children aren't registered in a school or lack
proper education. Why do children lack quality education? Economists and
educators cite reasons, including those exacerbated by global conflicts. These
challenges include poverty, conflicts, disasters, school closures,
infrastructure deficits, funding shortages, and gender/race/religion
discrimination. Some statistics on this front would be: 11.72% of global
children attend school, leaving 88.28% who do not. 27M kids in 24 war-torn
nations can't resume school, with the Taliban alone affecting 20.3M women, based
on UNICEF data. According to statistics, girls are 2.5x more likely to drop out
of school than boys which is why the UK aims to resolve this crisis by
providing free and fair education for all.
Some may question why the
UK has the authority to dictate global education standards, given its limited
experience in this field. However, we assert our right to speak on these
matters as we have firsthand experience and are leaders in funding and promoting
online education. We partnered with other nations to shape our educational
systems globally. Initiatives like the International Education Strategy,
Keeping Children Safe In Education Policy, and PSHE and RSE policies led by
organizations like the UK Council for Child Internet Safety and National Online
Safety have enhanced access to quality education. In online education, we
implemented policies such as Education For A Connected World, Digital
Resilience Framework, Online Media Literacy Strategy, and Accreditation For
Online Education Providers. We also provided 18.07M laptops and tablets during
the pandemic, aiding e-learning in the UK and showcasing our commitment to
education and setting a global example. We have established a platform to
address and overcome these challenges.
Given the problems mentioned earlier, the delegation of the UK aims to propose solutions to address the complications caused so far. We firmly believe that educating today's youth is crucial for the future of the world which is why we would like to propose some solutions to alleviate the complications that have been caused up till now, keeping in mind all sides of the conflict and also noting the honourable efforts put up by various United Nations offices, especially the UNICEF and UNESCO, which has been pivotal in the spread of quality education to all children.
The following measures include:
1) Making
primary education free and compulsory, providing opportunities for higher
education, and ensuring free access to higher education,
2) Providing
basic education for all children through free meals and health programs,
advocating for the nationalization of SDG 4, and integrating education-focused
planning into government policies,
3) Supporting
quality education without discrimination, as outlined in Article 23 of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child,
4) Expanding
digital tools and platforms to reach underprivileged students, along with
providing e-learning infrastructure and devices to impoverished students.
Many nations may scoff at prioritizing education over other aspects of governance, but Benjamin Franklin's famous maxim, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest," serves as a reminder to us all that the future of the world lies with today's youth and that educating them should be a top priority, which is where we conclude our statements.
Bibliography:
https://www.canva.com/learn/25-quotes-show-education-important/
https://www.gov.uk/search/policy-papers-and-consultations
https://www.unicef.org/media/138021/file/SDG%204%202023%20rev.pdf
https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child'
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