G-20 4th Education Working Group Meeting to be Organised in Pune

The Ministry of Education is gearing up to host the 4th Education Working Group (EdWG) meeting in Pune, Maharashtra. The highly anticipated event will take place from June 20th to 21st, 2023, and will witness the participation of 85 delegates from G-20 member countries, guest countries and esteemed organizations such as OECD, UNESCO and UNICEF.

Additionally, Ministers from 15 countries have confirmed their attendance for the Education Ministers' gathering on June 22, 2023, along with senior representatives from UNICEF, OECD and UNESCO.

Ahead of the event, the Secretary of Higher Education Shri K. Sanjay Murthy, and Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy (DOSeL) Shri Sanjay Kumar, interacted with the media during a pre-event press conference. They provided an overview of the ongoing G-20 4th EdWG meeting, Ministerial Meeting, Jan Bhagidari events and precursor events taking place in Pune.

Shri K. Sanjay Murthy highlighted the successful conclusion of the seminar on 'Accessible Science: Fostering Collaborations', organized in collaboration with IISER, Pune, and ELSEVIER. He informed that the report titled “The status and relevance of research collaborations for development, considering G20 nations" which was released by MoS for Education Dr. Subhas Sarkar earlier in the day at IISER, Pune, encapsulates essential insights on research collaborations and the surge in India's scientific community. He further shared that a seminar and exhibition will precede the main G20 EdWG Meeting. The seminar, themed "Ensuring Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, especially in the context of Blended Learning," will be held at Savitribai Phule Pune University on June 19th, 2023. The event will be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Education and External Affairs Shri Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

Distinguished speakers such as the Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra Shri Chandrakant Patil, and School Education Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar will deliver keynote addresses.  Prof Manjul Bhargava will give a presentation on the topic of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). The seminar will also include three panel discussions, which are as follows:

i) ‘Teaching Learning Approaches and Pedagogy for FLN in Blended Mode’ to be chaired by Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL

ii) ‘Role of Parents, Caregivers and Community Members in supporting FLN (Home Learning), Socio-emotional Skills and Health & Nutrition of Children’ to be chaired by Ms Aditi Das Rout, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development.

iii) ‘Capacity Building and Training of Teachers for FLN in the Context of Multilingualism’ to be chaired by Smt Nidhi Chhibber, Chairperson, CBSE.

The panel discussions will see participation of delegates from Spain, Australia, UAE, Indonesia, South Africa, USA, China, UK, and multilateral organizations like OECD and UNICEF.

A multimedia exhibition will also be held, showcasing best practices in education, FLN, digital initiatives, research and skill development. Over 100 exhibitors, including UNICEF, NSDC, NCERT, National Book Trust, Indian Knowledge Systems Division (IKS) and startup initiatives will present their contributions. This exhibition will be inaugurated  by Union Minister of State for Education Smt. Annpurna Devi on June 17th, 2023. It will be open to local institutions, students, academicians and researchers from June 17 - 22, 2023, except on 19th June.

The Secretary, DOSEL, Shri Sanjay Kumar informed that numerous activities, including Janbhagidari events, workshop, exhibitions, seminars and conferences have already been initiated from from 1st June, 2023.These are being held at State, District, Block, Panchayat, school level and higher education level to  involve people from all strata of life in the run up to the fourth Education Working Group Meeting of G20. Jan Bhagidari events were led by Kendriya Vidyalayas, higher education institutes, NCERT and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. The entire program is turning out to be a huge success, and has already witnessed a total participation of over 4 crore students, which is not only unprecedented, but also reflects a high level of interest and engagement among masses. He further added that, as a run-up to the main event, a two-day National Conference on Foundation Literacy and Numeracy -  ‘Creating the Base for Lifelong Learning’ will be organised from 17th to 18th June at Savitribai Phule University, Pune. The conference will help identify and discuss the best practices states are adopting in creating an environment that facilitates foundational literacy and numeracy in young learners. It will witness participation from the Education Departments of all States & UTs in India, Knowledge Partners of the Government of India, UNESCO & UNICEF and civil society agencies.

G20 Delegates will also participate in cultural events and dinners, showcasing Pune's vibrant cultural elements and thriving culinary scene. Additionally, excursions, such as a Heritage Walk of Pune City and International Day of Yoga celebrations will provide participants with opportunities to experience the rich heritage and traditions of Pune. The Education Ministers will be taken on a heritage tour of the Shaniwar Wada, post conclusion of the Education Ministers' meeting on June 22, 2023.