Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan (CARK)

 EDUCATION FORUM

The Fourth Annual Meeting

6- 8 June, 2005

Dushanbe,  Tajikistan

 

Resolution

of the 4th Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan Education Forum, (CARK)

 

             We the representatives of Ministries of Education, educational, scientific, and research institutions of the Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan, and representatives of international organisations, have come together in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) 7-8 June, 2005 for the Annual Education Forum to continue a dialogue on improving the quality of and access to education in the framework of Education For All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and to evaluate implementation of the National Plans of Action for EFA.

 

              We highlight with satisfaction that the ideas of EFA have got the universal and concerned support in our countries, got into structure of our education policy and assist in education reform processes in CARK countries.

 

             We confirm that CARK Education Forum is a regional mechanism for the implementation of Global Education Forum’s recommendations in Dakar (2000) and provides the unique opportunity of sharing best practices on the education reform process on inter-country cooperation basis.

 

              We consider that discussion of improving of the quality of and access to education in this Forum is urgent and priority issue for all countries.

 

             We confirm our commitment to strengthen the joint efforts to provide effective development of national education system, to expand the cooperation between countries in partnership with international agencies and NGOs.

 

             The distinctive feature of the Forum is the welcome message of Rakhmonov E.Sh., President of the Republic of Tajikistan to the participants of the CARK Education Forum, where it was marked that: “Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan (CARK) Education Forum is rather effective mechanism policy coordination in education sector, expansion of cooperation at regional level, effective sharing of experience, searching and finding out the best ways of achieving the EFA goals”.

 

CARK Education Forum has demonstrated that each member country has made significant  progress in implementation of reform process in education system and to achieve the six EFA and MDG goals the process of education reform should be continued.

 

Based on above intensions we unanimously make the following decisions:

1)      To continue the practice of country case studies presentations on achievement of EFA goals. To improve the quality of case studies Ministries of Education of CARK countries, in partnership with international agencies, undertake measures on introducing mutually accepted and recognized educational statistics.

2)      To analyse the progress achieved by four thematic groups between intermediate period of the Forums and to strengthen the coordination of their activity.

3)      To expand activities of the Forum by creating the new thematic group on Early Childhood Development that will be led by Turkmenistan. It is recommended to the member countries to define a leader and staff  for national thematic group and submit information to the Executive Committee.

4)      To continue the practice of involvement of international experts in the Forum for sharing experience, to make deeper the research on education in Central Asian region.

 

CARK Education Forum confirms that:

  • The Executive Committee will coordinate appropriate activities until the next annual CARK Education Forum in 2006. The Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Tajikistan, National Coordinator on EFA  will lead the Executive Committee. Ministry of Education of the Republic of Tajikistan will form the Secretariat of the Forum headed by the Forum Coordinator.
  • The Secretariat will ensure the cooperation of the thematic groups during the sessions of the Executive Committee, in cooperation with the representatives of UNESCO, UNICEF and other organizations as well as will be responsible for bulletin publishing.
  • The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be held in November 2005 in Dushanbe. The Secretariat will prepare the report of the 4th CARK Education Forum with technical support of UNICEF and UNESCO and will present it at the Executive Committee Meeting. The Executive Committee will approve plans of work of sub regional thematic groups and establish the schedule of meetings until next Forum. The venue, date and topic will be determined by the Executive Committee.  
  • The Forum, through existing working mechanisms and networks, will mobilize national and international resources to facilitate affective work of the thematic groups.

 

The Forum addresses to all Ministries of Education of CARK countries to include the work of Executive Committee and thematic groups in their plans of actions.

 

The Forum will make every effort to ensure integration of the Forum Resolution and recommendations of thematic groups into national policy and development plans