Education World Forum Conversations

Mercedes Miguel, Minister of Education of Buenos Aires

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Mercedes Miguel, Minister of Education of Buenos Aires and former National Secretary for Innovation and Educational Quality, Mercedes reflects on the "Secondary Learns" reform for Buenos Aires, and its mission to improve literacy, numeracy, and student well-being, with a view to transitioning students from passive participants to active learners through reorganized teacher roles and classroom cell phone bans. Mercedes reflects on the critical challenges of transforming an obsolete system, the value of global cooperation, the implications of AI, and the necessity of prioritizing social-emotional skills to foster a lifelong love for learning.

Luis Benveniste, Senior Advisor Education and Skills, World Bank

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Luis Benveniste, Senior Advisor and Acting Global Director of Education at the World Bank. Benveniste reflects on the global learning crisis and the necessity of prioritizing foundational literacy and numeracy to bridge the skills gap currently hindering youth employment and economic growth. He addresses the critical challenge of tight fiscal environments, advocating for innovative results-based financing and the protection of education budgets. He highlights the value of EWF for sharing evidence-based solutions and the opportunities presented by digital technologies like AI. Benveniste concludes by advocating for making foundational learning by grade three a non-negotiable national target to ensure education translates into productive careers and life-long fulfilment

Laura Frigenti, CEO, Global Partnership for Education

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Laura Frigenti, CEO of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the largest fund exclusively dedicated to financing the education sector. Laura provides an overview of GPE and how it operates, and reflects on the double challenge facing low income countries of addressing niversal enrollment and foundational skills while simultaneously adapting to a labor market changing at an unprecedented speed. She also reflects on the current international financial landscape highlighting the potential of innovative financing approaches. She concludes by advocating for a lifelong learning model that facilitates a smoother transition from school to jobs.
 

Charles Clarke, former UK Secretary of State for Education and Skills

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Charles Clarke, former UK Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the ideator of the Education World Forum. Clarke reflects on the original vision of EWF as a platform for ministers to collectively address the challenges of transforming education and its evolution into a significant global gathering. He highlights the critical importance of high-quality early childhood education to build foundational confidence and the necessity for continuous teacher professional development. He further discusses the need for proactive engagement with artificial intelligence to equip children for a tech-dominated world, and the political complexities of education reform. Clarke concludes by emphasizing the value of international dialogue and integrated tertiary education in enabling students to contribute meaningfully to the wider society and economy.

Nick Gibb, Former Minister for Schools, United Kingdom

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò speaks with Nick Gibb, former UK Minister of State for Schools. Nick reflects on his decade in office and the drive to shift the national education system toward an evidence-informed, knowledge-rich curriculum, underscoring the impact of direct instruction. He discusses the challenge of confronting entrenched ideologies that favour student-centred and competency-based models of teaching and learning, and highlights the success of pairing greater school autonomy with strong accountability frameworks. Nick also considers the value of EWF as a distinctive platform for fostering ministerial relationships and advancing policy dialogue, and concludes by calling for a renewed global commitment to foundational literacy, arguing that ensuring every child can read by age ten is both an urgent and achievable priority for the international community.

Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Armenia

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia. Minister Andreasyan reflects on the comprehensive reforms within Armenia’s 2030 Education Strategy, highlighting the transition toward a competency-based curriculum, significant investments in school infrastructure, and the expansion of pre-school accessibility. She reflects on the challenges posed by technological developments like AI, the necessity of supporting teacher well-being, and the value of EWF as a vital platform for global solidarity and sharing research-driven solutions. Minister Andreasyan concludes by advocating for education as a fundamental public good and emphasizing the importance of ensuring the right to education for every child worldwide

Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sierra Leone

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education of Sierra Leone. Minister Wurie reflects on the challenge of managing rapidly expanding access while simultaneously improving the quality and relevance of the education system, highlighting the modernization of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and initiatives aimed at establishing a parity of esteem for technical and academic pathways and empower young people as productive job creators. She discusses the findings of the recent national education sector review, the necessity of gender inclusivity in historically male-dominated fields, and the value of EWF for fostering international partnerships, sharing examples of initiatives implemented in Sierra Leone following partnerships established at EWF.

Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report at UNESCO. Antoninis reflects on the history of the GEM Report and on the main findings of the first report in the "Countdown to 2030" series. He highlights the paradox of rising out-of-school populations alongside improving completion rates, driven by a dramatic decline in repetition rates within education systems, and emphasizes the necessity of equitable financing, noting that fewer than one in ten countries currently have a strong equity focus in their education spending. He discusses the methodological challenges of collecting quality data to inform international benchmarking and the importance of focusing on "what matters", such as values and justice, over quick-fix solutions.

Stella Christie, Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Indonesia

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Stella Christie, Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Indonesia. Vice Minister Christie reflects on the challenge of cultivating a robust research culture in a system traditionally focused on teaching, highlighting a strategic three-prong approach involving popularizing science through social media and a significant increase in research funding aimed at driving innovation and economic growth. She discusses the complexities of maintaining educational quality during rapid institutional expansion, the strategic role of Transnational Education (TNE) and special economic zones in driving standards, and the implementation of the Garuda High School initiative designed to bridge socioeconomic gaps and empower talented youth from across the Indonesian archipelago.

Jonathan Dewsbury, former Director for Education Estates and Net Zero, DfE, England and Eliska Gooch, Youth Sustainability Champion

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Jonathan Dewsbury, former Director for Education Estates and Net Zero at the Department for Education (DfE) in England, and Eliska Gooch a Youth Sustainability Champion. Jonathan reflects on the strategic integration of environmental stewardship within the UK education system, highlighting how the DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy aims to embed sustainability across the curriculum, careers, and the physical education estate to prepare for a net-zero economy. He discusses the success of the National Education Nature Park in reconnecting learners with nature and the Climate Ambassadors Network’s unique approach to providing schools with expert-led, technical support for climate action planning. Eliska explores the transformative role of youth voice in policy-making, acting as a bridge between students and government ministers to ensure climate education is both meaningful and empowering, sharing her experience as a Youth Sustainability Champion