© UNESCO
In order to streamline national and international efforts in the field of literacy and adult education in the Arab region, the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Beirut developed the “Literacy Enhancement Arab Programme” (LAEP). LEAP is meant to be a regional coordination and support mechanism, jointly steered by UNESCO, ALECSO (Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization) and ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
In a regional consultation meeting with participants from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arabic Emirates, carried out on 15 – 16 November 2011 in Beirut (Lebanon), concrete activities, priorities and timelines for LEAP were discussed. The first and foremost problem in literacy and adult education underlined in the meeting concerns the lack and/or unreliability of data, and hence the clearest priority for LEAP is improved data collection methods. A second major issue is quality improvement. General priority issues include advocacy, clarification of concepts, capacity-building and the integration of adult education into overall planning.
To address these issues, LEAP will serve as a framework and practical mechanism for renewed momentum and coordinated activities in literacy and adult education. It is foreseen to be launched in the course of 2012, with evaluations in 2014 and 2016. LEAP will aim to promote literacy and adult education in the perspective of lifelong learning. The meeting also explored in what way LEAP can serve as a follow-up mechanism to the Belém Framework for Action. A first draft work plan for LEAP is under preparation, which will help to mark and strengthen the interfaces with the CONFINTEA follow-up.
