Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dr Filimon Manoni, commended the commitment of implementing agencies and member countries to the implementation of the first phase of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) Programme.
When delivering his remarks during the 3rd day of the Pacific Heads of Education Systems Steering Committee Meeting (PHES SC), he also reiterated the Secretariat’s commitment to supporting the work on the PacREF Programme in achieving its objectives and goals in the region.
“The Secretariat continues to highlight education and its role in delivering on our Leaders’ vision through key policy areas and existing regional frameworks and commends the PacREF Facilitating Unit for taking this forward,” Dr Manoni said.
“We continue to thank you and all our partners for continuing to progress implementation through collaboration and on-going commitment despite these challenges”.
I also thank the Global Partnership for Education for its funding support towards implementing PacREF, and the support from Implementing Agencies.”
Dr Manoni further highlighted the Pacific Leaders’ long-term vision and commitment articulated in the ‘2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
“The Strategy sets out our long-term vision of prosperity, harmony, peace and security and commitment to work together as a region to achieve this vision and recognises the role of education as the strategic pathway to driving the future we want for our children,” he added.
The PHES – SC meeting involved presentations and valuable discussions around topics relating to enhancing and strengthening education in the region through PacREF, more specifically, the progress of the first phase of the Programme, the upcoming Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) and other PHES matters.
The meeting was held from 21-23 November 2022. It brought together PacREF implementing agencies, including the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (SPC-EQAP), The University of the South Pacific (USP – PTAFE, Discipline of Education, Institution of Education), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and heard inputs from PacREF’s regional partner, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Representatives from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) also updated participants on planning towards the upcoming CPEM, which will be held in Aotearoa, New Zealand, in March next year.
The PHES-SC was convened jointly by UNESCO and USP through the PFU with the support of the PIFS.
