国际英语新闻:9 major developing countries, UNESCO call for int'l cooperation in realizing education for a

NEW DELHI, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Education ministers and officials from nine major developing countries on Saturday called for more international cooperation among themselves and with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for realizing the goal of education for all by 2015.

The countries, which are also known as E(standing for education for all)-9, issued a document entitled The New Delhi Commitment: Delivering Inclusive, Relevant Quality Education for All, saying that the nine countries will strive to increase financial allocations for education, while winding up the Ninth E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting on Inclusive, Relevant Quality Education for All held since Thursday in the Indian capital.

The E-9 countries include India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Brazil and Mexico. The Delhi meeting was hosted by Indian government and UNESCO.

During the three-day meeting, officials from India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia and Egypt discussed the achievement made by their own countries in enhancing education for children, especially those of rural-remote areas, ethnic-religious minorities, poverty-stricken families with special needs and of conflict affected areas. They also made suggestions on policies and ways to realize by 2015 the goal of education for all set by the 2012 Paris Communique on Literacy.

Some attendants pointed out that the status of the development of education also varies greatly among the nine countries, with China, Brazil and Mexico leading the way in achieving quality education for all.

Amajit Singh, additional secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources of India, said India and China can carry out exchanges in teachers' training, and India would like to learn from China its experience in setting up schools for migrant population in big cities and rural villages.

"The pupil-teacher ratio of China and Indonesia is 16 to one, while that of India is 35 to one. We need to double the number of our teachers and focus on financing schools in rural areas," he said.

Pakistani Minister of Education and Training Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf said Pakistani government attaches great importance to education of female students. A conference on female children education will be jointly held by the Pakistani government and UNESCO in Paris at the end of this year. Pakistan will also host the next review meeting of the E-9 education ministers in Islamabad.