Accra, Sept 27, GNA - More than 3,000 Ghanaian headmasters and headmistresses are set to undergo training to bridge gaps among principals, who are sometimes appointed with little preparation for school leadership and in underprivileged areas though some lacked sufficient training. The training to be offered by GEMS Education, the world's largest kindergarten to grade 12 education provider, The Varkey GEMS Foundation and UNESCO, is part of the 9310,000 Principals Leadership Programme." The programme was announced former US President Bill Clinton as a =91Commitment to Action' at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on September 22, 2011.

It is considered to be the largest principals' training programme in the history of UNESCO.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Management of the Varkey GEMS Foundation and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra o= n Tuesday. The statement said former President Clinton is the honourary Chair of the Varkey GEMS Foundation. It said 93It is aimed that after the training, which will be conduct= ed in phases, the 3,000 principals will be equipped to not only provide pedagogical support, but assume a guidance and counseling role for teachers= , learners, and parents as well as planning and maintaining adequate financia= l material and teaching/learning material." The first phase of the programme will involve Ghana, Kenya and India and 10,000 school principals will be trained, across each country over four years.

This initiative will up-skill those school leaders and the multiplier effect will benefit thousands of teachers and up to 10 million children. The statement quoted Ms Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, as saying at the launch that 93This partnership between UNESCO and the Varkey GEMS Foundation (including GEMS Education) is an excellent example of the new platforms for the cooperation the world needs today." Ms Bokova said 93Tackling complex, global challenges requires also innovative and far reaching partnerships between the public and private spheres" adding 93GEMS Education works for education as a force for development, for individual realization, for tolerance and dialogue and indeed as a basic human right."

She said 93The initiative reflects calls from UNESCO and the Varkey G= EMS Foundation for the private sector to assist NGOs, International Government Organisations and Governments in supporting the UN Millennium Development Goals, including the need for access to quality education." She said 93The private education sector brings unique advantages in education that can complement the work of the non-profit sector." The statement also quoted Mr Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey GEMS Foundation and Chairman of GEMS Education, as saying at the launch of the initiative that 93I believe the private sector can work with NGO's and Governments, powerfully, to provide more education to those less fortunate.= "

Mr Varkey said 93The fact that 67 million children around the world h= ave no access to education is intolerable. Education is the most important issu= e in the world today."

He stated that 93For us to confront, collectively, some of the world= 's biggest challenges such as poverty, conflict, prejudice and intolerance we need to lift the standards of education worldwide." Mr Varkey said 93Earlier this year, GEMS Education announced that it would build its first international school in Nairobi, Kenya and is set to be the region's leading educational institution to mark GEMS' first ent= ry into Africa." He said 93GEMS Education has over 10,000 employees including a team o= f world renowned educators who have excelled in education reform, curriculum development and teaching and learning practices." He added that GEMS was also the first education company in the world t= o partner with UNESCO to improve teacher training.