Universal access to quality and inclusive education is at the heart of development. This is something we all recognize, yet one of greatest challenges facing us, is the development and successful execution of effective public policies to promote equal opportunity through education.

The current global discussion on education is focusing more and more on the link between education, equity, and social inclusion. From a development perspective, it demands that we continue to match education to the challenges, problems, and opportunities facing our countries.

The state of the world today requires a crucial rethinking of the traditional approach to the education. Overcoming poverty and marginalization are no longer our only motivators. Today we are in need of an education system that can also promote equality, understanding and tolerance. Education is an important channel to foster values and norms, attitudes and behavior that will contribute to peace and stability.

It is my belief that the debate on education cannot be conducted in isolation. We must ensure the objectives of our educational policies are completely aligned with our development goals. In many countries in our Hemisphere we observe a disconnection between what the education system supplies and the changing demands of the labor market. Through education economies benefit from the knowledge and skills our students acquire and through that become valuable contributors to prosperity and growth.

The one-size fits all approach to education no longer applies. The challenges facing our countries are diverse, and our responses must be sensitive to this reality.

The Organization of American States remains committed to working with Member States on these issues. The history of inter-American dialogue and cooperation on education goes back to 1998, when, in the framework of the Second Summit of the Americas, the Heads of State instructed the OAS to coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders in the education area, so that this commitment would be institutionalized in formal mechanisms for promoting dialogue and cooperation among the countries.

Seven Inter-American Meetings of Ministers of Education have been held since then, in Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Ecuador, and Suriname.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Progress in policy dialogue and cooperation processes in education among the member states was initially facilitated by the establishment in 2003 of the Inter-American Committee on Education whose Technical Secretariat is the Department of Human Development, Education, and Employment. The Inter-American Committee on Education (CIE) is a permanent ministerial dialogue mechanism responsible for the development of and follow-up on the lines of action established by the Ministers of Education to respond to the mandates emanating from the Summits of the Americas.

And today we stand on the verge of creating new and exciting history following a very interesting proposal from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Maria Holguin, at the Regular General Assembly in Asuncion, where she proposed to consider the creation of an Inter-American Institute for Education, a specialized agency that would be able to serve member state in a more effective manner, that would bring together several stakeholders, including the private sector. This proposal seamlessly coincides with the discussions we had with the Ministers of Education present at the 2nd edition of the Caribbean Virtual Educa in April this year in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza has asked me to lead the follow up to this proposal and to chair the Task Force which will be established later this week. Very soon I hope to have an opportunity to inform CIDI about the objectives, approach and work plan of this Task Force.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the OAS therefore is committed to continue working with countries to further develop initiatives on such topics as teacher training, access to quality training opportunities, and the use of new information and communication technologies. Initiatives focused on building capacities in institutions and among individuals for the implementation of educational policies and programs.

These efforts would not have been possible without the involvement and leadership of the ministries of education. Accordingly, this meeting of the CIE affords an opportunity to foster a policy dialogue that can focus on the member states’ priorities in the education area and, in light of those priorities, review alternatives for action so as to make them effective.

The objective, as we begin to develop a hemispheric vision in education is to achieve quality and inclusive education for all people of the Americas. We must consider how our work can be coordinated with other organizations and institutions, such as multilateral organizations, cooperation agencies, and private sector and civil society organizations, so that we can have greater impact.

I therefore encourage all member states to become actively involved in the policy dialogue process, which opens a genuine window of opportunity for the member states to take ownership of this working process within the CIE, which makes education the protagonist in our countries’ development agenda.

I wish you a productive and successful meeting, and I look forward to your outcome.

Thank you.