Commonwealth Parliamentarians mark International Day of Education 2022

To mark International Day of Education on 24 January, Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth are celebrating the vital role of education for peace, development and democracy. This year, the theme for International Day of Education is ‘Changing Course, Transforming Education.' The aim of this year's campaign, according to UNESCO, is,

"to showcase the most important transformations that have to be nurtured to realize everyone’s fundamental right to education and build a more sustainable, inclusive and peaceful futures."

Parliamentarians have a vital role to play in the global effort to change course and transform education, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Founding Declaration of the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd), the only global parliamentary network dedicated to education, states that Parliamentarians,

"have a unique responsibility and platform to help deliver properly-funded and accountable systems of education that are high quality, inclusive and accessible to all children and young people."

Marking International Day of Education 2022, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary-General Stephen Twigg, a former Education Minister, said,

“Recent experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown us the vital importance of education for global development and democracy as well as children’s mental and physical health.

Commonwealth Parliamentarians are committed to universal education as a human right and as a key sustainable development tool as enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.

As we mark International Day of Education this year, the CPA celebrates the work of many Commonwealth Parliaments who provide resources and activities for education in their communities.”

The CPA has a range of resources available to support civic education on democracy, Parliaments and the Commonwealth. In 2021, the CPA launched an Engagement, Education and Outreach Handbook for Commonwealth Parliaments to provide guidance on why and how to engage, educate and communicate with the public on the role, work and importance of Parliaments as relevant and sovereign institutions. 

Watch | Twelve Years' Education for Every Child: Finding the Money

This webinar explores the role of the Commonwealth in supporting education funding post COVID-19. It was co-hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Council for Education in the Commonwealth, Commonwealth Consortium for Education and the International Parliamentary Network for Education.

The CPA has also produced a Teachers' Resource Pack, created in partnership with the British Council, which helps educators design lessons for children to learn about democracy, Parliament and the Commonwealth.

The CPA contributes to the education of young Commonwealth citizens through its annual Commonwealth Youth Parliament, which gives 18-29 year olds across the Commonwealth the opportunity to debate contemporary policy issues and learn about the functioning of parliamentary democracies.

To find out more about the history of International Day of Education, visit the UNESCO website.