Dhaka: A two-day global forum titled ‘The 4th Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF)’ began in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday initiating a debate on how education can be made everyone’s business.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is leading Bangladesh delegation in the Forum. Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO Secretary M Manjur Hossain and Commercial Counselor of Bangladesh Consulate in Dubai Dr Rafique Ahmed are also in the Bangladesh delegation.  

The Education Minister at the Forum shared Bangladesh’s success stories in the education sector and described various programmes taken by the government for improving the quality of education, said a ministry release.  

He also shared his experiences with the delegations of other countries attending the biggest forum of the world in education sector.  

Over 70 eminent speakers, including over 22 Education Ministers, are scheduled to address the event to provide compelling insights on making education everybody’s business, according to organisers.

There will be a panel discussion on how the challenge of ensuring refugee children receive a quality education is addressed, whether displaced internally or abroad.

Education technology providers from Silicon Valley will discuss how digital world opportunities can be harnessed for student betterment.

Leading the key plenary sessions are Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Sir Martin Sorrell, Group CEO of WPP.

Other key speakers participating in the two-day event include Prof Mohammad Thneibat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of Jordan; Elias Abu Saab, Education Minister of Lebanon; Arne Duncan, United States Secretary of Education from 2009 through early 2016 and Tariq Al Gurg, CEO, Dubai Cares.

This year’s GESF, whose partners include UNESCO, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Dubai Cares, will witness intense debates on reconciling the relevance, excellence and inclusiveness of both public and private learning environments through the collective responsibility by politicians, business leaders, educationalists and media professionals.

The GESF is convened by the Varkey Foundation and held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.