UN Secretary-General Urges Investment in Education
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, emphasized education as the foundation of social progress and urged governments to invest in education. He called on the international community to implement the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession’s recommendations to end the global shortage of teachers.
Current Educational Challenges
Speaking at the Second World Summit for Social Development, Guterres highlighted serious issues facing global education:
- 272 million children and youth remain out of school
- The world is experiencing a shortage of 44 million teachers
“Education can be an engine of transformation for societies and economies. But only if we can repair the cracks in this vital foundation, and strengthen education systems for the future,” stated the UN Secretary-General.
Key Areas Requiring Immediate Action
Guterres identified four critical priorities for urgent attention:
- Closing the education financing gap
- Ensuring education access for the most vulnerable populations
- Ending the global teacher shortage
- Delivering quality, holistic education
Supporting the Teaching Profession
Addressing the teacher shortage is imperative, requiring urgent support for educators worldwide. The 59 recommendations by the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession offer a clear blueprint for this effort.
Author’s summary: António Guterres calls for urgent global investment in education and action to solve the severe teacher shortage, highlighting key priorities for transforming education systems and ensuring equitable access.