By Charmaine Ndlela
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and her Brazilian counterpart Camilo Santana on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that the department said was indicative of a “far-reaching and deepening cooperation” between the two BRICS nations.
The signing took place following the second day of the fourth G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) Senior Officials’ Meeting.
The partnership, according to the basic education department, will focus on teacher development and 21st-century skills, vocational education and training, and early childhood education through the exchange of best practices and pedagogical strategies.
It will also include the implementation of student-level information systems in schools, and the promotion of health and active citizenship.
“Through this partnership, we reaffirm our shared commitment to improving learning outcomes, promoting active citizenship, and ensuring that education continues to serve as a powerful tool for reducing poverty and inequality,” Gwarube said.
In June this year, during the BRICS Ministers of Education Meeting in Brazil, Gwarube and Santana signed an MoU to cooperate on teacher development, school nutrition and early childhood development. Said Gwarube at the time: “This MoU will assist mitigating poverty barriers to education. Participating in these multilateral platforms allows us to mobilise international resources to improve educational outcomes in our country.”
The G20 EdWG is focusing on three “critical priorities”: Quality foundational learning, mutual recognition of qualifications, and professional educational development for a changing world.
The ministers’ meeting will take place on Tuesday in Skukuza,
INSIDE EDUCATION
