The first day of the 3rd Education Ministers Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), being held in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of the Sultanate of Oman, and in coordination with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, kicked off on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024, in Muscat, under the theme: “Beyond Transforming Education Summit: From Commitments to Actions.”

The opening session, held under the patronage of Sheikh AbdulMalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, President of the State Council of the Sultanate of Oman, saw the presence of H.E. Macky Sall, former President of the Republic of Senegal, and H.E. Ameenah Garib-Fakim, former President of the Republic of Mauritius, as guests of honor, and a large number of ministers of education in the Islamic world, heads of international organizations, bodies and civil society institutions working in the fields of education, technology and innovation.

Following the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, Dr. Madiha Ahmed Al-Shaibani, Minister of Education, Chairperson of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, stressed in her address that transforming education and upgrading its contents is a joint responsibility that requires concerted efforts to fund education and enhance the preparedness and readiness of educational systems to face crises.

She also commended ICESCO’s proclamation of the Year of Youth, given their pivotal role in leading societies towards progress and development, and reviewed Oman’s efforts to advance the field of education and provide a sustainable educational environment adaptable to future digital transformations.

In his address, H.E. Macky Sall pointed out that the Islamic world’s history has witnessed outstanding contributions to knowledge dissemination, adding that our heritage reminds us of our responsibility to preserve the status of science and education in a rapidly evolving era.

In her address, Ms. Ameenah Garib-Fakim highlighted women’s contributions and pivotal role in building the Islamic civilization through participation in decision-making, adding that investment in girls’ education is an imperative to ensure a brighter future.

For his part, Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), expressed his sincere thanks to the Sultanate of Oman for hosting this landmark event, stressing that the Organization has made enormous efforts to ensure the success of this historic conference and called at the United Nations Transforming Education Summit for a change in education curricula and methods of bringing up future generations to keep up with requirements of the times.

He also touched on the future of educational systems in light of the technological revolution and artificial intelligence, stressing the need to strike a balance between technological progress and the utilization of human capacities, while emphasizing the pivotal role of the family in supporting the educational process.

ICESCO DG concluded his address by reiterating the Organization’s commitment to seizing development opportunities and assisting Member States to adopt an innovative approach to modernize educational systems, announcing in this context that ICESCO has been named a Champion after obtaining the “Certified Innovative Organization” certification from the Global Innovation Institute, in recognition of its outstanding efforts in the field of innovation and development.

Afterwards, a young man and a young woman from the Sultanate of Oman presented their learning experiences with Outward Bound Oman. Subsequently, participants watched a documentary video on education in the Sultanate of Oman.

In her video message, Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, emphasized that this conference represents a critical point in the march of education, bringing together Member States to assess their commitments and develop ambitious future plans, stressing that its outcomes will serve as a clear roadmap to strengthen education systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).