UNESCO, Morocco Kick Off Regional Workshop on Early Childhood Education – Morocco World News

Report on the Maghreb Regional Workshop for Advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4.2

1. Executive Summary

• Event: Regional Capacity Building Workshop for Maghreb Countries.
• Focus: Accelerating the early childhood agenda to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).
• Dates: November 24-27.
• Location: Rabat, Morocco.
• Organizers: UNESCO and the Moroccan Preschool Foundation (FMPS), with support from the Canadian government.
• Participants: Delegations from Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania; representatives from UNICEF and technical partners.

2. Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The workshop was convened in direct response to the urgent need to advance SDG Target 4.2, which calls for universal access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education by the 2030 deadline. A central component of this initiative is the deployment of the EPPE-PATT (Early Childhood Education and Protection – Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool), designed specifically to help nations achieve this goal.

• Primary Function: To enable countries to conduct a self-assessment of their early childhood education systems, identifying strengths and weaknesses in relation to SDG 4.2 benchmarks.
• Secondary Function: To serve as a policy-dialogue instrument, fostering collaboration among stakeholders to monitor progress and formulate effective strategies for achieving quality education for all.

3. Regional Challenges in Achieving SDG 4

While the Maghreb region has demonstrated progress, significant obstacles remain in achieving the equitable and quality early childhood education mandated by SDG 4. These challenges, highlighted in the 2022 Tashkent Declaration, directly impact the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda.

• Quality Assurance: Ensuring high standards in program deployment is a primary concern for meeting the “quality” component of SDG 4.2.
• Human Capital Development: The quality of training for early childhood education staff is a critical determinant of educational outcomes and a major challenge to be addressed.
• Equity and Access: Persistent disparities in access and quality between urban and rural areas hinder the goal of universal and equitable education stipulated in SDG 4.2.

4. Workshop Proceedings and Methodology

The four-day workshop was structured to provide comprehensive training and facilitate the practical application of the EPPE-PATT tool as a means to advance national education agendas in line with the SDGs.

1. Day 1: An introductory session provided an overview of the EPPE-PATT tool, its objectives, and its alignment with the principles of the Tashkent Declaration (governance, financing, policy, and participation).
2. Subsequent Days: The agenda included practical exercises and group discussions to deepen participants’ understanding of the tool’s application for national policy and system strengthening.
3. Field Visit: A visit to the Yaacoub Al Mansour preschool offered a practical demonstration of a quality-focused educational model, showcasing best practices in education and cognitive development.

5. Conclusion: Fostering National Consensus for SDG 4.2

The workshop represents a critical step in building regional capacity to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By equipping Maghreb nations with the EPPE-PATT tool, the initiative aims to build a national consensus among practitioners and policymakers on the requirements for high-quality early childhood education. This collaborative approach is essential for strengthening preschool systems and ensuring that every child has access to equitable and quality education, in direct fulfillment of SDG 4.2.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  This is the most explicitly mentioned SDG in the article. The text states that “countries face growing pressure to advance SDG 4.2, which calls for universal access to quality and equitable education.” The entire workshop and the EPPE-PATT tool are designed to support this goal by improving early childhood education systems.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article highlights disparities in early childhood education, noting that “gaps remain in access, quality, and governance, particularly between urban and rural areas.” By aiming for universal and equitable access, the initiative directly addresses the need to reduce inequalities within and among countries.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The initiative described is a multi-stakeholder partnership. The article details the collaboration between “the Canadian government, UNESCO,” the “Moroccan Preschool Foundation (FMPS),” and delegations from “Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania,” along with “representatives from UNICEF and other technical partners.” This collaborative effort to build capacity and share tools exemplifies the spirit of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

   The article directly names this target: “countries face growing pressure to advance SDG 4.2, which calls for universal access to quality and equitable education.” The workshop’s focus on strengthening preschool systems and the EPPE-PATT tool are aimed at achieving this target.

2. Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries.

   The article identifies training as a major challenge. It quotes Hélène Guiol saying, “One of the main challenges is the training … the quality of the provision depends highly on the quality of training on early childhood education staff.” The capacity-building workshop itself is a form of international cooperation for training and development.

3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

   The article’s emphasis on closing the gaps “particularly between urban and rural areas” in access to preschool education directly relates to this target. Ensuring universal access to early childhood education is a key step in promoting social inclusion from a young age and preventing future inequalities.

4. Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals.

   The workshop is a clear example of this target in action. It is described as a “regional workshop on capacity building for Maghreb countries” supported by the Canadian government and UNESCO to help Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania accelerate their early childhood agenda.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. System Strength and Weakness Assessment:

   The article introduces the “EPPE-PATT (Early Childhood Education and Protection – Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool)” which is explicitly designed to “help countries assess the strengths and weaknesses of their early childhood systems.” This tool functions as a comprehensive qualitative indicator, providing data on governance, policy, and quality that can be used to measure progress.

2. Quality of Education Provision:

   The article repeatedly emphasizes the “challenge on quality.” It implies that progress can be measured by assessing the quality of preschool programs. The visit to the “Yaacoub Al Mansour preschool,” which is built on pillars of “education, cognitive and sensory development, and learning,” serves as a model for what quality looks like, suggesting these pillars can be used as indicators.

3. Quality of Staff Training:

   The article directly links the quality of education to staff training. An implied indicator is the level and adequacy of training for early childhood education staff. Progress would be measured by an increase in the number of well-trained and qualified preschool educators.

4. Access and Participation Rates:

   While not providing specific numbers, the article’s focus on “universal access” and bridging the gap between “urban and rural areas” implies that participation rates in preschool education are a key indicator. Measuring the percentage of children enrolled in preschool, especially in underserved rural areas, would be a direct way to track progress towards Target 4.2.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: moroccoworldnews.com