Last week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos participated in a G20 Education Ministerial Meeting in Argentina. The G20 is an international coalition of countries that make up the world's leading economies. The theme for the conference was "Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development," and focused on three major issues: the future of work, infrastructure development, and food sustainability.
At the meeting, the education ministers (or equivalent) for the entire G20 signed a declaration. The declaration recognized the value of education in helping individuals acquire the skills necessary to realize their full potential, stating "access to quality education is a human right."
Specifically, the declaration highlighted the importance of teacher training and recruitment, noting the need to "attract and retain the most suitable and passionate individuals from a diversity of backgrounds into the teaching profession." Indeed, "invest[ing] in teacher education" was included as a primary policy endorsement.
The document also noted how changing labor markets will have a significant impact on the workforce, and in response, education and training systems must be flexible and "curricula should be highly responsive to evidence-based practices, future employment trends, and design[ed] in collaboration with key stakeholders." Working with stakeholders, promoting connections to industry, and encouraging intergovernmental cooperation between national education and labor departments was a continuing theme of the declaration. Additionally, ensuring "the opportunity for work-integrated learning experiences" was featured as a policy endorsement.
The declaration also noted last year's statement from Hamburg, Germany, where the group noted the need "to educate and train people with the necessary skills for the future of work, [and] the importance of opportunities to re-and upskill [individuals] throughout their working lives…" Building upon this past statement, the G20 highlighted "the importance of promoting multiple and flexible pathways into lifelong education and training," including "technical and vocational education and training" and promoting more female participation in STEM fields.
In prepared remarks during the meeting, Sec. DeVos echoed many of these themes. “This gathering provides an important opportunity to learn from each other, acknowledging the vital link between education and the economy. Here, we can discuss our respective challenges, and, importantly, discuss ways to improve education for all students on their lifelong learning journeys as they prepare for today's and tomorrow's careers,” she said.
Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta was also present at the meeting. The G20 includes the United States, European Union and 18 other countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Comments