Maseru, Jan. 25—-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Mr. Antonio Guterres has in his message on International Day of Education encouraged countries to listen to the voices of young people.
He stated that they must act on the pleas of the young people for “qualified teachers, relevant skills and competencies training for a changing world and equitable access to technology.”
The UN Secretary-General described education as “a human right, and a springboard to greater opportunity, dignity and peace.” He thus called on all governments, partners and donors to prioritize education in their policies, budgets and recovery efforts.
“We must close the persistent gaps in financing, access and quality that lock young people out of the future they seek and deserve”, he said.
“Together, let’s build inclusive, resilient and innovative education systems for all people”, he added.
Meanwhile, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Director-General Mr. Khaled El-Enany emphasised that young people must be included in the construction of education.
” At a time when climate change and technological changes are affecting traditional teaching methods on a large scale, education can no longer be conceived of without young people’s input. It can no longer ignore the voices of those it is intended to benefit”, he said.
He pointed out that it is ”a collective responsibility to offer young generations, through education, better prospects for the future than those of the generations that came before.’
The UNESCO Director General insisted that young people have a rightful place at the decision-making table, not only as beneficiaries, but also as full-fledged partners.
The theme for International Education Day 2026 is, “The power of youth in co-creating education.”‘
Ends/SM/BM
