Clinton calls for improving education access

Clinton's comments came during his keynote address on the first day of the Global Education and Skills Forum hosted in Dubai by GEMS Education.

Shaikh Mohammed with Bill Clinton. Photo: Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times

Former US president Bill Clinton has urged the global community to invest more in building education resources, at a global education conference in Dubai.

Addressing delegates from 65 countries, he said: 'Young people who have education are likely to earn great income, resist conflict and support democracy. Individual quality education is still profoundly important to get young people off to a good start in life.'

Clinton's comments came during his keynote address on the first day of the Global Education and Skills Forum hosted in Dubai by GEMS Education.

'In poor countries, the most important thing is to build a system for all the children that need to be educated. The important lesson is we can do something and we should. Among the things we need to give special attention is equal education opportunities for girls.'

'When young women have education, they marry later, have fewer children, get better prenatal care and their children have high survival rates. The children themselves are more likely to attend school and study further.'

The former president highlighted the urgency to improve education as he said more than 100 million children still don't go to school worldwide.

Clinton also discussed the situation of Syrian refugee children with His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who attended the keynote address.

'I would like to thank Shaikh Mohammed for his friendship, hospitality and wise leadership in the region at a time when we need it more all over the world,” remarked Clinton.

More than 1,100 delegates from around the world are attending the two-day conference in Dubai.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE