ROTA, UNESCO sign cooperation pact to boost educational goals in Asia

The agreement was signed by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Reach Out To Asia and Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO during a special ceremony which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha.

As per the joint initiative - known as 'ROTA-UNESCO Cooperation' - the organizations agreed to foster their collaboration in UNESCO's educational objectives in general and Education For All (EFA) goals - which seeks to provide literacy to the global population; as well as education in conflict programmes.

ROTA and UNESCO will foster cooperation for the World Digital Project, wherein ROTA will serve as a focal point for inclusion of Arab and Asian contribution to the project. The two establishments will also work together on tailored projects, including education, micro-finance and skills-building for sustainable development.

Voicing her comments on this landmark agreement with UNESCO, Omnia Nour, Director of ROTA, said:

"We are confident that this letter of intent with UNESCO will be of great benefit to ROTA in our march forward. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to expand our access to more educational opportunities across Asia, which is our primary objective. The agreement is yet another testimony of ROTA's commitment to community service and education for everyone across Asia, helping us building bridges across cultures and a better future for all."

The agreement illustrates the key role to be played by ROTA and UNESCO to enhance the participation and cooperation with Arab and Asian countries in which ROTA implements projects for the ASPnet and UNITWIN programmes, besides collaborating in best practice sharing and coordination in inclusive education.

ROTA will also participate in the Consultative Council for the Non-governmental Organizations especially with respect to Education for All and cooperate with UNESCO in sharing information and expertise with regards to alternative energy sources aimed at sustainable development. ROTA and UNESCO will also work together to design and enhance tailored educational methodologies for refugees in the Middle East and Africa.

According to the 2008 EFA Global Monitoring Report and the Regional Mid-Term Review, the number of children enrolled in primary school across the Arab world increased by nearly 12% between 1999 and 2004, while in the secondary level, the enrolment was up 25% since 1999 to reach 28 million students.

Most of the Arab States devoted at least one-fifth of total government expenditure to education in 2005. Despite these positive trends, the report also states that six million primary school age children are still out of school in the Arab states and literacy remains a major challenge. The average adult literacy rate has increased by 21% between 1985-1994 and 1995-2004 periods to 70% but continuing population growth has offset these gains.