Held in a hybrid format, the consultation brought together young people to discuss the future of education and learning beyond 2030.
As 2030 approaches, the international community is considering the future direction of the global education agenda. Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) sets global commitments for inclusive and equitable quality education, while UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development: Towards achieving the SDGs (ESD for 2030) promotes the integration of sustainable development principles into education. As the current agenda approaches its 2030 horizon, UNESCO has launched the global Education Beyond 2030 consultation process to identify priorities for education and learning beyond 2030 in light of emerging social, environmental and technological challenges.
Meaningful youth participation is a key principle of this process. Together with the SDG 4 Youth & Student Network, UNESCO is conducting global youth and student consultations with young people aged 11 to 30 to ensure that their perspectives, experiences and aspirations are reflected in shaping the future education agenda.
The national consultation in Kazakhstan brought together participants from different age groups, youth organizations and UNESCO Clubs, including young people with disabilities and those from vulnerable and underrepresented communities. Members of the UN Youth Advisory Board in Kazakhstan also supported the interactive sessions, helping facilitate group discussions and promote active youth participation.
Participants worked in three age groups and explored their vision for society and education beyond 2030. They discussed the changes needed in learning, the strengths of existing education systems that should be preserved, the role young people themselves can play in transforming education, and the support they need to do so. The discussions resulted in a set of key priorities, expectations and proposals from young people in Kazakhstan for the future of education.
Children are shaped in schools, and children, in turn, shape society. The world will undergo profound changes in the future, and education will change with it. I believe that schools and other educational institutions should not simply provide knowledge, but also inspire and motivate learners, foster values and develop transferable skills such as responsibility, communication, critical thinking and creativity. The world is changing rapidly, expectations are evolving, and some professions may no longer exist in the future. The school of the future should therefore focus first and foremost on developing these skills and values, while ensuring equal access to quality education that responds to the realities of tomorrow’s world. The future lies in education.
Samiya Yesengeldiyeva, 14 y.o., student at Nazarbayev Intellectual School
The proposals and recommendations developed during the consultation constitute Kazakhstan’s national contribution to the global Education Beyond 2030 process. Together with the outcomes of other national consultations and the global youth survey, they will inform the development of the Youth Education and Learning Agenda beyond 2030, which will be presented to UNESCO Member States in the framework of the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development and contribute to the development of a new international framework for education beyond 2030.
