Jordan Times
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Arab, G-8 education
ministers to convene in Amman
By Mohammad Ghazal
AMMAN — Arab education ministers along with their counterparts from the Group of
Eight (G-8) leading industrialised nations will convene on May 23 for a
conference on the development of education.
During the weekly press briefing yesterday, Minister of Education and Minister
of Higher Education Khalid Touqan said the conference would be preceded by a
preparatory meeting on May 22 to set the agenda for the ministerial meeting.
The conference, he said, would focus on factors of success in the educational
process, building partnerships, empowering women and deploying IT in special
education.
The Pakistani and Afghan education ministers will also take part in the event,
he added.
The conference will offer Arab education ministers an opportunity to build
partnerships with their counterparts in the G-8 and encourage exchange of
expertise.
It will also serve as a forum for showcasing local and regional educational
projects that need funding and assistance for implementation, according to
Education Ministry Spokesperson Ayman Barakat.
Topics on the conference's agenda include equality in education, illiteracy,
educational opportunities and the calibre of education.
Barakat underscored the importance of the conference, which will coincide with
the World Economic Forum to be held at the Dead Sea.
The ministry has sent invitations to all Arab and G-8 education ministers,
Barakat told The Jordan Times.
Invitations were also sent to UNESCO, the World Bank and the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.