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Background
Every country has a formal education
system which serves many purposes. Education provides basic literacy, numeracy
and initial learning skills, imparts higher levels of knowledge and learning abilities,
along with life skills, to a relatively large part of the population, serves as
a socializing institution, and passes on cultural, political and moral values.
 Economic
and human capital development
Development research has also firmly demonstrated the value
of higher levels of education for socio-economic development, poverty reduction,
higher incomes and employment. The increased competition and globalization of
economic activity, acceleration in technological and scientific knowledge and
the information revolution continue to raise the value of education and training
in preparing individuals for future employment, upgrading skills for greater workplace
mobility, and underpinning wealth creation and economic development through human
capital formation. The ILO's World Employment Report, 1998-99 has pointed out
the key role played by appropriate levels of supporting skills derived from good
education and training systems – rich in content and ways of learning – in encouraging
the transition to a different economic base and to higher productivity of individual
firms. Equally important, education and skills development are essential, though
not sufficient conditions for employment-intensive growth.
More broadly, the structural changes societies and economies
are undergoing require the permanent renewal and use of knowledge, skills and
learning abilities. Shaping and managing change mandates lifelong learning available
to all. It is a vital issue for social cohesion and sustainable development of
human societies. There is a consensus that lifelong learning, the comprehensive
provision of purposeful learning opportunities throughout every individual's life
span, should become the conceptual basis guiding all future education and training,
and that it is at the heart of labour and social issues. In addition to social
justice and sustainable economic development objectives, learning throughout life
serves in the preparation for democratic citizenship, living together in peace,
and personal and social fulfilment.
Photo: EFA Forum/Ademola Idown
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