Luanda - The Angolan government has focused its efforts on implementing social and economic reforms to comply with various conventions and recommendations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the country’s Minister of Education Luísa Grilo Said Friday in France.
Speaking at the 42nd session of UNESCO's general conference, the minister highlighted, in the field of education, the launch of the Curriculum Transformation programmes for the General Education Subsystem, in partnership with UNESCO's International Bureau of Education (IBE), and the dissemination of digital technologies in schools.
Luísa Grilo, who is chairwoman of the Angolan National Commission for UNESCO, spoke on the launch of projects to empower girls, literacy, and strengthen the skills of education agents, through centers for continuous training.
The minister also spoke of the actions underway to promote the quality of higher education, development of scientific research, promotion of innovation and technological transfer, having highlighted the technological advances in broader access to internet and telecommunications services.
Regarding Social Action, Family and Gender, the minister highlighted the Integrated Local Development and Combating Poverty programmes, the Programme for the Promotion and Protection of Children's Rights, Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.
As regard to Youth and Sports, the minister said the UNESCO recommendation on doping in sport has been implemented in the country and that the cataloguing and preparation of the manual on traditional games is underway.
Luísa Grilo praised UNESCO's efforts to encourage young people from under-represented countries to take part in the Young Professional Programme, which resulted in the admission of two Angolan candidates to UNESCO's ranks.
In the cultural field, the minister emphasised the initiatives undertaken to identify and value different sites of historical interest, namely the Cuito Cuanavale Battle Site, the Cuanza corridor and the Sona Declaration, as cultural and intangible heritage, as well as the safeguarding of Mbanza Kongo as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The minister explained that an inventory of the national natural heritage is being made, with emphasis on the Okavango Delta, the Biosphere Reserves, the Welwítschia Mirabílis Protection Programme, among other nature reserves.
UNESCO is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN), based in Paris, which was founded on November 4, 1946 with the aim of guaranteeing peace through intellectual cooperation between nations and accompanying development. MGM/OHA/MRA/AMP
