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in the vision of change, capable of leading the drive for change, mastering information
technologies, resourceful, seasoned professionals who are capable of interacting with
colleagues and students, knowledgeable about modern sciences and the culture of their
societies”.6
ALECSO has launched a Strategic Plan for the period 2017-2022 entitled “Plan for the
Development of Education in the Arab World” which identified the following as the major
shortcomings in the education system of the Islamic world:
 High illiteracy rate
 Social vulnerability
 Deficient educational curricula
 Poor teacher training
 Girls’ unequal access to education
 Low attention to pre-school education
 Low enrolment rates in primary school
 Low achievement in scientific subject
 Low outputs in secondary education
 Lack of planning and coordination in vocation and technical education
 Lack of quality in higher education
 Low scientific research performance
 Low spending on education
The strategic plan has 8 focus areas and goals which include that of “combating illiteracy in the
Arab World Goal” by developing literacy and adult education policies7 . The fifth goal is about
improving “younger generations’ interaction with technologies and social media” whole the
sixth goal is “Activating the role of community institutions in promoting education Goal”. The
latter includes increasing the role of the family in the education and protection of children. The
last goal is to “develop Member States’ policies and programs, and increase efforts for more
efficient use of sciences, scientific research and technologies”.
Another international forum exclusively dedicated to educational development is E-9. Launched
in 1993, is particularly notable as it is the only policy forum exclusively dedicated to education
that brings the most educationally challenged Arab, Asian and African members of the OIC.
Indirectly, therefore, it offers unique South-South cooperation within the OIC. E-9 is comprised
of the nine most highly-populated countries of the South – these also include 5 OIC countries --
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. The five OIC members of E-9 face similar
challenges – they account for the majority of the OIC’s illiterate adults and out-of-school
children. Therefore the E-9 Initiative serves as an additional forum for these five high-
population OIC countries to address their common education challenge, exchange best practices
and track progress towards the SDG 4 target of achieving quality education for all.8
Significant progress has been achieved in the OIC members of E-9 since the initiative was
launched in New Delhi in 1993. These includes universalizing primary education and reduction