The United Nations (UN) Philippines supports the designation of Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte as the national convenor in the upcoming education summit that will be held during the 77th UN General Assembly on Sept. 19 in New York, United States.
"I am optimistic that with Vice-President Sara Duterte as national convenor, the Philippines will chart a strategy and roadmap to address the learning losses caused by the pandemic and bring us back on track to achieving the global goals on education," said UN Resident Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez.
The upcoming Transforming Education Summit (TES) aims to "elevate education to the top of the global political agenda and to maximize public awareness and engagement."
The event will gather stakeholders from various sectors to create an inclusive venue to discuss actions needed to advance global education, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It will focus on coordinated efforts to curb the losses incurred by the education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the national convenor, Duterte will lead the formation of policies and conduct of activities of the national delegation prior to and during the summit.
Her team will conduct national consultations to "develop a shared vision, commitment, and alignment of action" to prepare for the summit.
During the summit, she will lead the presentation of these findings and collaborate with international constituents to ensure their proposed policies are "multisectoral, inclusive, and results-oriented."
The plans cover the goals of the Department of Education for the country from 2022 to 2030.
The UN Country Team will be deployed to support the national delegation.
The United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will also help in the in-country consultations.
"The government of the Philippines and the UN are actively engaged in the organization of country consultations, leading to the preparation of a solid country statement for the upcoming summit," read the statement released by the UN PH.