Literacy

　　9．Given the low priority of adult literacy in national budgets and development assistance, and the continuous need for schools to attract and retain children for a full cycle of basic education, we recommend that Governments and EFA partners:

　　-Demonstrate political commitment by integrating literacy into education sector plans, based on the recognition of the fundamental importance for enjoying the right to education;

　　-Give higher priority to literacy in formulating education budgets;

　　-Implement a three-pronged strategy for literacy:

　　o quality education for all;

　　o significant expansion of targeted literacy, adult learning and continuing education programmes, using appropriate adult learning strategies and improving the training and conditions of facilitators;

　　o the development of sustainable literate environments．

　　10．Funding agencies are encouraged to work with governments to provide significant and regular funding and capacity development for effective literacy programmes．

　　11． We welcome the UNESCO Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) as a significant new strategy for achieving literacy for all within the framework of the UN Literacy Decade, and urge close collaboration．

　　Education for rural people

　　12． Since the majority of those left behind and excluded from education live in rural areas, education for rural people is vital and urgent．

　　13． We recommend that Governments and EFA partners:

　　-Invest more to reach and serve successfully the poorest, minorities, migrants, unorganised workers and other disadvantaged groups through best practices and other beneficial policies;

　　-Design and implement targeted strategies, an intersectoral approach and strong partnerships to cater to the diversity of situations and needs;

　　-In order to address the serious gap in the availability of teachers, design and urgently support strategies of teacher mobilisation and training programmes, including the UNESCO strategy for Teacher Training in sub-Saharan Africa． Where teachers remain insufficient in numbers, create alternative strategies and programmes．

　　-Promote the quality of teaching and learning, with special attention to the strategies for placing, supporting and retaining qualified and trained teachers in rural areas and improving their working conditions;

　　-Implement innovative measures, including curriculum reform, distance learning, non-formal education and application of ICTs, to improve relevance, respecting the diversity of local culture and languages, validating local knowledge and adopting flexible calendars;