EDUCATION
FOR ALL
Secondary anniversary of the Dakar Forum
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AT THIS
STAGE ?
 The
Senegalese Government, in co-operation with the World Bank, UNICEF,
UNDP, FNUAP and UNESCO are commemorating the second anniversary
of the World Forum on education for all which was held in Dakar
in April 2000.
The
objective of this initiative is to sensitize public opinion, mobilize
the different actors to futher commitment to the EFE process. The
EFA principal partners (UNICEF, World Bank, FNUAP and UNESCO) and
sponsors have, had the opportunity to congratulate the Senegalese
Government for having elaborated its national plan of action within
reasonable delay, reaffirmed their commitment, then called on all
and sundry (civil society, NGOs, the rural community, journalists,
parents' associations and students) to mobilize further to take
up the challenges posed by Education For AlI (EF A).
 As
observed by an EFA partner during the opening ceremony, progress
realized during the past two years does not seem satisfactory.
Generally
speaking, the main reasons that offer explanation to this lethargic
situation are summarized as:
- the
timidity of the major part of the technical and financial partners
in supporting the process ;
- lack
of commitment on the part of our governments and
- weak
institutional capacity at the national level.
 It
has to be emphasized that the contribution from the civil societies,
NGOs and rural communities remain in deficit in this process. The
latter justify their weak contribution not only on the basis of
lack of information about the process, the need to train actors
to perform this task well, but also as a result of their exclusion
from the decision making process.
The
role of UNESCO in the global strategy to mobilize all the actors,
partners and governments, to assure co-ordination between EFA partners
and maintain the dynamics of their co-operation will have to take
more of this dimension and develop strategies aimed at these basic
organizations. It must, however, be recognized that some important
stages have been crossed, despite the immense difficulties. The
chronological analysis of the state of advancement of EFA-NPA shows
it quite well.
 Nevertheless,
the obstacles are not insurmountable if the solicited partnership
could become reality. Countries that currently have a national plan
of action, are those whose governments are really committed to the
process, conscious of the challenges, which threaten the African
continent politically, economically and socially (80% of PDEF resources
come from national budget on education). Congratulations to Senegal,
Cameroon and aIl countries that are making serious efforts for the
success of the EFA objectives. It is not an easy task, it deserves
a lot of mobilization, commitment on the part of the actors and
support from development partners. It is only through an enhanced
and reinforced partnership that the objectives of EFA will become
a reality.
 The
initiators of this anniversary celebration consider it as a means
of "sustaining the dynamics of mobilization around objectives
realized through the assistance of the international community and
the large support it will continue to offer".
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