1. VIII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education Executive Summary Background and Rationale for the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda as the chosen theme for the VIII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education. Presented by the Delegation of Panama December 5th, 2014

2. This proposal, which was submitted by the former President of the CIE- the Minister of Education and Community Development of Suriname- and then taken over and supported by the new elected President of the CIE and Minister of Education of Panama, was built on the following key elements: Contextual Analysis: review and reduction in the number of mandates; Review and analysis of mandates of the last three ministerial meetings on education: Medellín (2007), Quito (2009) y Paramaribo (2012); Choice of common themes: teacher training, quality, equity, and inclusion, ICTs and comprehensive early childhood care and attention; Addition of a new theme –STEM-, an initiative by the Presidency The necessity and appropriateness to revitalize the policy dialogue and the cooperation, as well as to promote resource mobilization. 2 Background of the proposal on the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda

3. The importance given by the current Presidency of the CIE to the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda, with a collaborative and intersectoral approach: To build a strategic vision on education in the Americas that avoids the duplication of efforts and enhances both resource mobilization and the impact of sub regional and hemispheric programs and initiatives. To promote policy dialogue at the highest level, the exchange of experiences and cooperation among Member States, as factors that would contribute to enhance multiple national efforts as well as to generate additional resources, knowledge, necessary partnerships and regional integration; all key elements that will lead to the transformation of education in the Americas Background of the proposal on the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda

4. Panama, the host country for the VIII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education and the current President of the CIE, emphasizes on the importance of initiating the discussion about the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda as an excellent opportunity to create a permanent, flexible and innovative space that will: -Contribute to the establishment of a roadmap on education in the Americas, with a collaborative and intersectoral Inter-American vision; -Focus political attention and available resources on priority topics identified by OAS Member States; -Speed up mechanisms of policy dialogue and technical cooperation among Ministers of Education, and between them and institutions from different sectors of the society; -Encourage the exchange of educational solutions and practices, as well as the transfer of lessons learnt and accumulated educational knowledge, through the creation of flexible and innovative mechanisms aimed at operationalizing the regional commitments adopted by Member States. Adoption of the process of construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda as the chosen theme for the next Ministerial Meeting

5. Components for the construction process of the Inter-American Education Agenda - Themes Thematic framework on which the Inter- American Education Agenda would build on: Lines of action and sub- themes on which countries were consulted through A survey form (September- October 2014): 18 countries responded. Subregional group discussions during the VI Regular Meeting of the CIE (October 2014) 5

6. a) Strategic Lines of Action: LINE 1: Promoting and Monitoring Policies of Quality, Equity, and Inclusion. LINE 2: Strengthening Initial Teacher Preparation, Professional Development, and the Teaching Profession. LINE 3: Comprehensive Early Childhood Care. b) Cross-cutting lines of action: Promoting the teaching and learning of STEM in grades K-12, using modern pedagogy. Use of information and communications technology in teaching and learning processes. 6 Panama Proposal: Construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda

7. 1.1.a) Investment in public education -Improve the distribution and application of public spending on education based on national circumstances and goals. 1.1.b) Educational Policies of equity, quality, and inclusion -Creation of a culture of follow-up, monitoring, and evaluation. -Enhance information systems with statistics and indicators broken down by region. 1.1.c) Comprehensive Education Centers -Improve the quality of services offered by education centers in terms of:.infrastructure; connectivity; accessibility; transportation; nutrition; scholarships. 7 Panama’s Proposal: Construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda Sub-themes Line 1

8. 1.1.d) Educational programs -Boost the development of educational programs that promote: respect for diversity and intercultural awareness; art; environmental education; recreation; experimentation, development of critical, comprehensive, and analytical thinking skills; students’ communications skills; civic education; student participation; learning and using sign language and Braille. 1.1.e) Special education needs Promote the development and use of tools that enable early detection of children with special education needs. Bolster teachers’ ability to detect and manage special education needs in a timely fashion. 1.1.f) New information and communications technologies Promote the use of ICTs in teaching and learning processes and the adaptation thereof to effectively support the attainment of learning objectives. 8 Panama’s Proposal: Construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda Sub-themes Line 1

9. 2.1.a) The teaching profession -Work to bring dignity, revitalize, and develop the teaching profession. 2.1.b) Teacher training -Attract and retain talented individuals with vocation to the teaching profession. -Increase teachers’ and administrators’ access to innovative plans for initial, continuing, and relevant training, with special emphasis on: special education; the use of ICTs in teaching and learning processes; modernization of education management; timely detection and management of special needs. 2.1.c) Academic and professional mobility -Increase opportunities for working teachers and school administrators to participate in academic mobility programs and sub-regional and regional internships. 2.1.d) Communities of practice -Increase opportunities to learn about educational experiences and exchange education- related ideas and options as part of the development of innovative pedagogical practices. 9 Panama’s Proposal: Construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda Sub-themes Line 2

10. 3.1.a) Preschool education -Universalize preschool education 3.1.b) Comprehensive care -Promote both formal and informal comprehensive care of children ages birth to 5, providing timely stimulation and paying attention to their psychological and emotional needs. 3.1.c) Comprehensive development of children -Enhance the development of programs that encourage artistic expression and physical and recreational activity in children. 10 Panama’s Proposal: Construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda Sub-themes Line 3

11. Panama’s Proposal: Working Methodology for the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda 3 Working Groups will be formed; 1 per each strategic line of action. Each Working Group will be comprised by those countries that are particularly interested in each of the lines of actions. Each Working Group would be comprised by one President and one Vice- President, to be elected at the VIII Inter- American Meeting of Ministers of Education. 11

12. Coordinate with each Working Group the development and monitoring of the implementation plan to be pursued. Explore jointly with the Working Groups, opportunities to develop partnerships and resource mobilization for supporting the implementation of projects related to each of the lines of action and sub-themes included in the Inter-American Education Agenda. 12 Panama’s Proposal: Working Methodology for the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda The relationship between the Authorities of the CIE and the Executive Committee, and the Working Groups

13.  Provide technical assistance to the CIE authorities and Executive Committee, as well as to the Working Groups, considering both their requirements as well as the availability of budget resources for this purpose.  Disseminate all work plans and progress reports submitted by the working groups in order to encourage their sharing and the creation of opportunities for synergy and coordination; Periodically report to the OAS permanent missions on the progress made in the construction of the Inter-American Education Agenda, primarily via the distribution of reports prepared by the working groups 13 Panama’s Proposal: Working Methodology for the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda Within the framework of the construction of the Inter-American Education Agenda, the Technical Secretariat is expected to:

14. To approve the process of the construction of an Inter-American Education Agenda, with an intersectoral and collaborative approach, that builds on the formulation of comprehensive lines of action and specific sub-themes. To complete the organizational structure of the CIE, by electing the positions that have not yet been assumed within the Executive Committee of the CIE. Each Working Group would be comprised by one President and one Vice- President, both positions should be assumed by Ministries of Education. Following- up the next Ministerial Meeting, initiate the construction of an Inter- American Education Agenda. Working Groups should define the goals to be accomplished in each of the lines of action and sub-themes. To agree that cooperation should become the most utilized strategy for the construction of the Inter-American Education Agenda, as well as the basis for promoting and strengthening the policy dialogue, an on-going exchange of educational practices, the definition of educational goals and the identification of educational solutions that respond to the diversity of situations of the different countries. 14 The expectations of the host country and the President of the CIE, Panama, regarding the results of the next ministerial meeting

15. Thank you very much!