Excerpts from Stoner's remarks:
As momentum for basic education has grown in the U.S. and globally, our focus has shifted beyond school enrollment to learning. Ensuring that the world’s poorest and most vulnerable children can learn to read, write, do basic math and acquire critical life skills remains one of the best investments the donor community can make toward eliminating global poverty.
BEC members have long recognized the power of community engagement to improve children’s learning. In places such as Pakistan, Ethiopia, Peru, and Guatemala, USAID programs are helping parents and community members to engage in children’s learning opportunities.
There is immense long-term potential for greater accountability at all levels and it is exciting that the Bank is looking at how to engage citizens more actively in their students’ learning. The Basic Education Coalition looks forward to working with the World Bank, to ensure that the focus remains on students’ learning and that citizens are contributing to learning goals in the most empowering and effective ways.
Watch the discussion on "Accountability in Education: The Role of Citizens in Accelerating Learning for All." Stoner's remarks start at 13:30, BEC ECD Co-Chair Katherine Merseth directs the panel to issues of early childhood education at 1:15:19.
BEC Delivers Keynote Remarks at World Bank's Roundtable on Social Accountability & Education