Lionel warns UN about learning crisis

Former President of the Dominican Republic, Lionel Fernández, drew attention to the acute learning crisis globally, in both developed and underdeveloped countries, while highlighting the role of inclusive education in achieving sustainable development.

Fernandez, president of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode), was the keynote speaker at a special event on learning and training for the 2022 Sustainable Development Goals.

The event took place within the framework of the United Nations (UN) High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. At the opening of the event, Fernández shared the stage with the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), Colin Wickson, and the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Liu Zhenmin.

In his thesis, Fernandez emphasized that there is currently a profound crisis in learning globally.

“We see with great concern the case of the Dominican Republic, where the educational situation is very poor, as only 62 percent of students understand what they are studying,” he said.

The event attended by former President Fernandez was attended by experts, academics and diplomats focused on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations.

The former Dominican president’s participation was moderated by El Salvador’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ecriselda Lopez. The organizer of the event, UNITAR, is a training institute within the United Nations system that serves thousands of beneficiaries by undertaking over 500 research and capacity building activities annually.