Focus will be on Teacher Training to improve educational standards in developing countries

Dubai, UAE, March 28, 2011:GEMS Education, the world's largest kindergarten to grade 12 education provider, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), have entered into a teacher training partnership agreement to raise the standards of teaching in the developing world.

In signing the agreement today, GEMS Education, which is based in Dubai, has become the first education company in the world to partner with UNESCO to improve teacher training.
 
Irina Bokova, the Director General of UNESCO said: "The shortage of quality teachers globally is one the biggest challenges we face in achieving the goal of Education for All. Without quality teachers for all, there is no education for all. Under this new partnership with GEMS Education, which has over 50 years of experience, we will be aiming to take a giant leap towards closing the gap in the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom."

The Founder and Chairman of GEMS Education, Sunny Varkey said, "Teachers create the leaders of tomorrow and I firmly believe that they are the real nation builders.  This agreement is an example of GEMS offering the experience and expertise of our world-class educationists to influence how teachers are trained globally. GEMS is also establishing teacher training colleges in India and the UAE."

The agreement falls under the auspices of the Varkey GEMS Foundation, a not for profit education foundation launched in December, 2010 with the goal of reaching 10 million underprivileged children globally.

The agreement reached between the two global leaders in education will give an impetus in lifting teacher effectiveness in classrooms, which will in turn raise the standards of education being delivered to students.  

Through the agreement, both parties will also seek to co-fund interventions in specific countries to improve teacher effectiveness by designing teacher training programmes that promote - especially - the advancement of girls in math, science and technology.

Top educationists from the GEMS team will also provide strategic insight and exchange of expertise on teacher training and leadership development through a regular and structured dialogue with UNESCO.

Vikas Pota, CEO of the Varkey GEMS Foundation said, "In the presence of President Bill Clinton at the launch our Foundation, we committed to work strategically to tackle the twin challenges of promoting universal access to education, and also to raise the standard of classroom learning. With respect to the latter, we believe that by focusing on teacher education and effectiveness, we raise the bar and promote better teaching standards. We look forward to working with UNESCO to improve the lives of future generations by investing in the most critical resource and support to ensure global prosperity - our teachers."

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About UNESCO:
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, was founded on 16 November 1945. UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values.  It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO's mission and activities.

About GEMS Education:
GEMS Education has a global network of world class international schools. With 50 years of experience in education, GEMS provides high quality holistic education to over 100,000 students from 150 countries. It employs over 9,000 education professionals, specialists and staff from around the world.

The GEMS approach to learning focuses not only on academic excellence, but also in helping students develop their character and creativity so that they achieve their full potential as human beings.  The GEMS Education school model is unique in the world because it offers a broad range of curricula across a range of tuition fees making private education more accessible to the broader community. GEMS Education also supports Governments' education reform agenda by working with Ministries of Education to lift school performance and improve the standards and expertise of government schools across the globe. GEMS Education has offices in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, India and Singapore.

For media information, please contact:
Michelle Robinson
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +971 433 44550
Mob: +971 503 792 575
Email: m.robinson@asdaa.com  

© Press Release 2011