OIDEL, July 27, 2026
OIDEL is proud to actively contribute – together with other entities as the Institute for Education Policy de la Johns Hopkins University (EE. UU.) – to the international initiative advancing the Guiding Principles of Educational Pluralism.
This Initiative aims to provide international organizations and other relevant stakeholders with a set of principles that can help define the framework for discussion and action by States regarding educational pluralism.
The principles are being developed through an international, participatory process with 20+ scholars, social entities, and policy makers, and it is open to all interested contributors. Among the experts contributing to the initiative are Josefina Vázquez Mota, former Secretary of Education of Mexico; Lebogang Montjane, Executive director of the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA); Ashley Berner, Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy; Maria Smirnova, researcher and expert on education in Eastern Europe; and Ruhi Paul, Professor at the National Law University of New Delhi.
The consultations began in Geneva and continued at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, bringing together representatives of Member States, international organizations, academics and civil society. As a long-standing advocate for educational freedom, OIDEL co-sponsored the discussions and contributed its expertise on educational pluralism as a fundamental dimension of the right to education.
Participants discussed the respective roles of States, families, educational providers and civil society in ensuring quality, equitable and diverse education systems, while emphasizing the importance of placing the child and the learner at the center of education. Particular attention was given to balancing the State’s responsibility to guarantee the right to education with respect to educational pluralism and institutional autonomy.
The contributions gathered during the consultations will inform the next draft of the Guiding Principles, which will continue to be developed through regional consultations in Buenos Aires, Johannesburg and Washington, D.C.
Through its participation in this endeavor, Oidel reaffirms its commitment to educational freedom and the development of initiatives that strengthen a pluralistic educational society.
For more information, please visit : www.educationalpluralism.com
