The latest round of the coveted Commonwealth Education Good Practice awards is now open to organisations that are delivering innovative education projects around the Commonwealth. Civil society groups, ministries of education and other private and public organisations can be nominated or nominate themselves for the accolade. Organisations vying for the award must demonstrate excellence in one of five key areas of education delivery. These include supporting quality education in difficult environments, initiatives that link education to employment, creating learning opportunities that promote gender equality, climate action and pathways to peace.
Declaring the competition open yesterday at the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters, the Fiji high commissioner reiterated his country’s “wholehearted” commitment to access to quality education for all.
Jitoko Tikolevu said his country supports the “use of education to champion the delivery of climate change and green initiatives, as well as the delivery of the sustainable development goals.” Fiji, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the Commonwealth, will host the 2018 Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers (20CCEM).
“Guaranteeing inclusive, equitable and quality education for all is a big challenge in the Commonwealth and across the globe. This is why, since 2005, the Commonwealth Secretariat has been recognising innovations that can remove barriers to sustainable development,” said Dr Joanna Nurse, head of health and education at the Secretariat.
She added: “This is an unmissable opportunity to share new strategies and policies that are proven to work. For the first time, we will have regional winners. This means we will be able to hand more of these prestigious awards to the organisations that are improving the lives and prospects of so many Commonwealth citizens.”
Winners will be given the opportunity to travel to Fiji to showcase their work at 20CCEM. Submissions can be programmes, projects, policies or strategies that have made a positive difference to primary and secondary school children, their teachers, or the education system of a Commonwealth country.