1. Right to Education
The right to education has been strongly affirmed in international law, most importantly in the Convention against Discrimination in Education (1960). The World Education Forum (2000) reaffirmed education as a fundamental human right, and set objectives for achieving EFA goals based upon political commitments by the international community to achieve the right to basic education for all.The Millenium Declaration (2000) affirmed by world leaders the same year and reaffirmed at the UN Summit in 2005 form an agenda for reducing poverty and improving lives. Two of them echo EFA goals 2 and 5: MDG 2 and MDG 3.
2. Equity in Education
Equity in education is the means to achieving equality. It intends to provide the best opportunities for all students to achieve their full potential and act to address instances of disadvantage which restrict educational achievement.It involves special treatment/action taken to reverse the historical and social disadvantages that prevent learners from accessing and benefiting from education on equal grounds.
3. Inclusive Education
The World Conference on Special Needs Education in Salamanca, Spain (1994) was the major impetus to an inclusive education. The Conference proclaimed that “regular schools with (an) inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all…”.This vision was reaffirmed by the World Education Forum meeting in Dakar, 2000.
4. Quality Education
The World Declaration on Education for All (1990) was emphatic about the necessity of providing education for all children, youth and adults that is responsive to their needs and relevant to their lives. This paved the way for the concept of quality expressed in terms of needs-based criteria. Addressing the crisis in quality learning requires redefining what education systems are for.
5. Lifelong Learning
The Belém Framework for Action refers to lifelong learning as “an organizing principle of all forms of education”. Two ground-breaking reports on lifelong learning by UNESCO (Learning to Be, Faure Report, 1972; Learning: The Treasure Within, Delors Report, 1996) articulated fundamental principles of lifelong learning. The Belém Framework for Action now also affirms the role of lifelong learning in addressing global educational issues and development challenges.
