Last week a senior delegation from ERF, led by its President Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam, met with officials from the Guatemalan Ministry of Education, with both parties recognising the strategic importance of intersectoral collaboration to achieve common aspirations.
The three-day visit was marked by high-level meetings with the Minister of Education, H.E. Dr Oscar Hugo López Rivas, and the Vice-minister, H.E. Mr Héctor Alejandro Canto Mejía. The discussions highlighted the vital role of education in shaping a modern Guatemala, as well as the contributions of great thinkers such as Paulo Freire and Edgar Morin in articulating an alternative, humanistic vision of education.
Additionally, the Delegation met with the congressional Commission of Education, Science and Technology of the Congress, presided by Félix Ovidio Monzón Pedroza, to discuss of the importance of civil society engagement in the development of educational policy.
The central role of a cross-sectoral approach in education reform was further developed as the Delegation met with the Guatemalan National Board of Education. The Board keenly emphasized the unique culture and customs of Guatemala, by virtue of its internal diversity, and the necessity for education to reflect this reality.
The official visit to the Republic of Guatemala culminated on Wednesday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by ERF and the Ministry of Education. The MoU aims to develop and implement a plan of action to achieve balanced and inclusive education through the involvement of local and national stakeholders.
The partnership with the Guatemalan Ministry of Education represents a path to a more dynamic education system, establishing networks of synergy, working together to develop, promote and embed balanced and inclusive education for all.
