UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

DEBAT DE POLITIQUE GENERALE (suite)
GENERAL POLICY DEBATE (continued)
DEBATE DE POLÍTICA GENERAL (continuación)
ОБСУЖДЕНИЕ ВОПРОСОВ ОБЩЕЙ ПОЛИТИКИ (продолжение)
19. The PRESIDENT:
This brings us to the end of my report on this morning’s meeting of the General Committee. We can now
continue with the general policy debate. I apologize to the speakers who were held up by this report. May I now
invite His Excellency the Honourable Edward Khiddu Makubuya, Minister for Education and Sports of Uganda.
Your Excellency, would you please take the floor.
20.1 Mr MAKUBUYA (Uganda):
Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Director-General and his representative,
Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, permit me to
begin by congratulating you, Madam President and members of the General Committee on your election to the
high offices of this Conference. Allow me to commend the Director-General, the Executive Board and the
Secretariat for their excellent stewardship of our UNESCO up to the close of the second millennium.
20.2 I further commend you for the reorganization and presentation of document 30 C/5. The innovations in
that document will enable the stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the progress and achievements made in
programme implementation and utilization.
20.3 May I take this opportunity also to pay special tribute to Mr Federico Mayor, the Director-General, for
his vision, zeal and dedication to the work of the Organization. My delegation acknowledges his concern for the
marginalized. Mr Mayor will in particular be remembered for promoting the culture of peace.
20.4 Madam President, as we come to the end of the present Medium-Term Strategy, we recognize the need
to consolidate what has been achieved. In regard to the conclusions of major UNESCO conferences, we appeal
for UNESCO’s support for capacity-building to translate the action plans into national policies and strategies and
their eventual implementation. I call upon UNESCO not to lose sight of its development cooperation action,
which contributes to the visibility of UNESCO at the level of the Member State. May I point out that the increase
in the budget for the Participation Programme, the mobilization of extrabudgetary resources and the use of NGOs
in the field are key factors for success in this regard.
20.5 The above strategies should be accompanied by increased efficiency in the decentralization process. In
the case of Africa, the two Regional Offices in Nairobi and Dakar need strengthening with increased financial
and human resources. The strengthening of National Commissions should take top priority in the decentralization
process because they are the local “mirrors” of UNESCO. They should be assisted in developing their capacities
to execute projects and programmes on behalf of UNESCO.
20.6 Madam President, turning to the major programmes, Uganda endorses the thrust of Major Programme I,
focusing its attention on providing basic education for all children; promotion of education for marginalized
groups with emphasis on the girl-child and people with disabilities; enhancing guidance and counselling
programmes; fostering literacy and non-formal education among young people and adults; reform of general
secondary and technical and vocational education as envisaged in the recommendations of the Second
International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education just concluded in Seoul in the Republic of Korea,
and a commitment to the implementation of the Declaration and the Framework for Action of the World
Conference on Higher Education.
20.7 Uganda has taken a holistic approach to the promotion of education. Following up the Jomtien
Conference on Education for All, the Government of Uganda embarked on Universal Primary Education (UPE)
in January 1997. Under UPE, the government has abolished school fees and ordinary school charges in
government primary schools. Consequently, enrolment has dramatically risen from 2.6 million in 1996 to
6.5 million pupils in 1999. We have also put in place the Education Strategic Investment Plan covering the years
1998 to 2003. The thrust of the Plan is to pool resources and invite development partners to support national
priorities in education through the sector-wide budget support modality. Copies of the Plan are available to
delegates attending this 30th session of the General Conference.
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