International Conference on Education

Workshop 2B. 8 September 2004

Quality Education and Social Inclusion

The workshop dealt with (i) the sources of the problem, (ii) how education can promote social inclusion? and (iii) what is quality education in the service of social inclusion?

(i) The sources of the problem are: globalization, social segregation caused by economic competition, increased social divisions at national and international levels, failure to eradicate extreme poverty, the resulting marginalization and exclusion leads to violence and insecurity in society, learners being detached from their environment. 
(ii) Education can promote social inclusion by enhancing equality of access to knowledge for a growing number of people, being concerned about the most fragile people, teaching young people how to learn to live together, involving key people such as Ministers and religious leaders in education as well as educationalists, establishing an international fund, as encouraged by UNESCO, to help the poorest countries.
(iii) 1. The content and knowledge of formal educational programmes should be redefined to ensure young people get a relevant education. They should be educated in a way that equips them to fully participate and contribute to the development of their future.
2. Treating all young people in the same way can generate new 
inequalities, therefore positive discrimination should be considered in order to promote a level playing field for all young people.
3. The role of teachers is fundamental. Teachers should be retrained where so that they are equipped to meet the challenges of today’s educational demands.


Concluding points:

· There are important challenges and dangers facing the future of democratic societies.
· There is a need to be dynamic, open and have new ideas.
· There is still much to do because of social inequality – the difficulties of schools are largely linked to the familial and social environments of the learners.
· There is hope though, and this evident form the confidence and optimism that one can sense at this conference.