Briones highlights factors on benchmark education

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones underscored three crucial factors in setting international and regional benchmarks for the Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) 2030 indicators to monitor the real progress of member states in UNESCO’s 2021 Global Education Meeting (GEM).

In the Ministerial Segment of 2021 GEM last 13 July, Briones noted that national policies, financing, and efforts at the regional level should be taken into account in establishing relevant benchmarking indicators.

“We have to look at the legal framework because countries, which are now being benchmarked according to comparative standards, are not necessarily similar in the legal framework, especially in the role of the head of the state who manages the struggle against Covid,” the Education chief stated.

“The matter of financing is crucial and for the past 50 years, we’ve been talking about financing development. And, we have not found a solution, particularly for middle and lowerincome countries. Benchmarking can be influenced by the availability of financing,” she continued.

Briones pointed out that the Philippines implemented a blended learning approach similar to other countries in Southeast Asia and developed a learning continuity plan to address the challenges in education amid the pandemic.

Briones was one of over 80 education representatives and advocates worldwide who attended the 2021 GEM Ministerial Segment and reaffirmed their commitment to improving international cooperation among the education sector.