Education is a priority area of G20: Dharmendra Pradhan
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a meeting on Wednesday ahead of the preparations for the G20 summit scheduled to take place next year in India. During it, Pradhan stated that education is one of the major sectors of the G20, and called for across-the-board preparations for the upcoming G20 summit.
Why does this story matter?
India's G20 Presidency is set to start on December 1, 2022, and will go on till November 30, 2023. India will host over 200 meetings starting this December. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India is set to invite the likes of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Spain, Bangladesh, Oman, Netherlands, Singapore, Egypt, Mauritius, and Nigeria as guest countries.
Want to showcase India's global contribution: Pradhan
The Union minister revealed that India is set to present a new educational layout that emerging economies can take up as a model. For the overall triumph of the summit, educational, students, and skilling institutions are set to be involved. Pradhan reportedly suggested flaunting the Indian knowledge systems' rich heritage and making people aware of India's global contribution.
Digital technology's role in today's education system
As per a senior official, seminars will be held by the Education Working Group regarding digital technology's role in education. "The Education Working Group will be holding seminars on the role of digital technology in education and TVET (technical and vocational education and training) and the future of work, leading to a meeting of G20 education ministers on June 28, 2023," he said.
G20 EdWG report
The 'Education Working Group' reportedly will release a G20 EdWG report, a summary of best practices, and information on the two seminar themes leading up to the G20 Education Ministers' declaration. Institutions like IIT Hyderabad, IIT Madras, IISC, NCERT, NSDC, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, OECD, UNICEF, UNESCO, etc., are knowledge associates under numerous priority sections.
Looking at India and global literacy rate
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), nearly 771 million adults worldwide, primarily women, still lack basic literacy skills. They lack basic writing and reading skills and face increased vulnerability every day. As per the National Survey of India's report, India's Literacy Rate in 2022 is 77.7%. This is a significant increase from 2011, when it was around 73%.
PM Modi meets global leaders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday had informal interactions with French President Emmanuel Macron, Uinted Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, United States President Joe Biden, and numerous other global heads ahead of the G20 summit and discussed a range of issues. Modi also met with Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, ahead of the G20 Summit and went over joint matters.
