The Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting nominations and submissions for the Good Practice Awards 2018. The Awards, held triennially since 2009, highlight good practices in education, and encourage, reward and generate enthusiasm within the education sector.

The awards coincide with the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, the 20th session of which will convene in Fiji in 2018.

Any organisation, whether public or private, including Commonwealth ministries of education, educational institutions and civil society organisations advising in or delivering education and learning in Commonwealth countries, can nominate themselves or be nominated. The formal and non-formal education sectors span from early childhood education to adult education, including primary, secondary and tertiary education, technical and vocational education and training, and skills development.

A good practice submission must be a policy, programme, project or strategy that has made a positive difference to learners, whether children, young people or adults, or to the education system of a Commonwealth member country in respect of one or more of the five categories for 2018. The five categories are:

Category 1: Eliminating gender disparities in education, especially for girls and women.

Advancing education and learning for girls and women. Fostering empowerment and eliminating gender-based violence through education.

Category 2: Delivering quality education and learning in difficult circumstances. Delivering education in difficult environments. Reconfiguring the financing of education for people living in difficult situations. Providing education and learning against all odds.

Category 3: Education and learning to improve employment opportunities for young people.

Education initiatives that provide learning and training experiences that increase employment opportunities for young people. These can include science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives.

Category 4: Education as a powerful response to climate change.

Equipping learners for the inevitable changes in the climate (adaptation) while inculcating a greater understanding of and responsibility for the environmental consequences of human actions (mitigation).

Category 5: Education and pathways to peace.

Educating for peace, preventing conflict and promoting a culture of peace and good citizenship through education. Building a fair and inclusive Commonwealth that embraces diversity.

Declaring the competition open at the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters on October 20, the Fiji high commissioner reiterated his country’s “wholehearted” commitment to access to quality education for all.

Jitoko Tikolevu said his country supports the “use of education to champion the delivery of climate change and green initiatives, as well as the delivery of the sustainable development goals”.

“Guaranteeing inclusive, equitable and quality education for all is a big challenge in the Commonwealth and across the globe. This is why, since 2005, the Commonwealth Secretariat has been recognising innovations that can remove barriers to sustainable development,” said Dr Joanna Nurse, head of health and education at the Secretariat.

She added: “This is an unmissable opportunity to share new strategies and policies that are proven to work. For the first time, we will have regional winners. This means we will be able to hand more of these prestigious awards to the organisations that are improving the lives and prospects of so many Commonwealth citizens.”

Application forms are accessible at www.thecommonwealth-educationhub.net/practice-centre/good-practices/good-practice-awards-2018/

Submissions must be received by 15 February 2017. Completed application forms should be sent by e-mail to educationawards@commonwealth.int and/or posted to: The Co-ordinator, Education Good Practice Awards, Health and Education Unit, Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, United Kingdom.