Education planners and managers of the National Institute of Education Management work towards gender integration in educational planning
14 February 2017
- Ha Noi, 14 February 2017 – Education planners and managers (13 female and 4 male) enrolled in Viet Nam’s National Institute of Education Management (NIEM) increased their awareness and capacity in educational planning and management, with a focus on gender mainstreaming and girls’ and women’s education. The training, developed based on identified challenges and training needs of NIEM’s officers and trainers, provincial and district education managers, also provided guidance on policy and programme development to support girls’ and women’s education at local levels.
As part of one of the major components of the nation-wide Gender Equality and Girl’s Education Initiative in Viet Nam, members of NIEM partook in the training for capacity building to increase leadership capacity of female managers and to enhance girls and women’s education opportunities in district and provincial plans.
The training hosted by NIEM and led by two of the institution’s trainers, Ms. Pham Thi Lan and Ms. Le Thi Mai Phuong, focused primarily on establishing clear conceptual understanding of gender-related issues and the key role gender equality integration plays in education planning and management. Training content, developed based on findings and analysis of an online needs assessment of more than 50 education planners and managers, included videos, presentation and participatory discussions and activities which ensured the active involvement and contribution of all participants.
Throughout the training participants voiced every day examples of struggles and stories of gender discrimination and biases they face among their working environment as well as their broader experience within their homes and society. Using the results of the discussion and key documents including the Gender Equality Action Plan for the Education Sector (2016 - 2020), Law on Gender Equality and the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the 2011 – 2020 period, participants were encouraged to consider and develop programmes and policies that would promote gender equality at all levels, with special attention to disadvantaged and remote areas. The participants used SWOT and SMART analysis as well as principals of Results-Based Management (RBM) to develop relevant, measurable and time bound plans.
Attending the training, Mr. Le Phuoc Minh, Deputy Director of NIEM, expressed his appreciation to UNESCO for the quality technical support that has been provided in preparation for the trainings. He further went on to underscore that gender equality is essential not only for girls and women, but equally so to boys and men. Given the essential role of education planners and managers in shaping education policy and direction, Mr. Minh stressed the importance of the training as an ongoing effort to constantly improve one’s knowledge and understanding of the changing dynamics that gender plays in our society.
Additionally, Mr. Toshiyuki Matsumoto, UNESCO Education Programme Specialist, placed participant involvement as one of the core contributors to the success of the training as it ensures that the needs and questions of participants are well addressed. He further highlighted the importance of gender knowledge and skills, especially within the field of education wherein the lives of many are shaped by what they read in textbooks and learn in schools.
Upcoming trainings for provincial and district level education managers and planners will expand to others in Ha Noi as well as to those in Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. Using the results of pre- and post-tests, the training content, material and methodologies will be enhanced for the trainings to follow within the coming months.
For more information, please contact Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Nhung, Gender Programme Manager, at tt.nhung@unesco.org
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