The Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future aims to provide valuable insights into the current state of education and potential strategies for improving learning outcomes for students worldwide.

As an educator and GPE youth leader, I believe the forum hosted by Teach For All for the first time in 2025 in Singapore was a meaningful opportunity for cross-border learning and collaboration.

I had the opportunity to engage with fellow educators, policy makers and practitioners and most importantly, fellow young leaders from around the world to discuss the future of education.

Here I share my experiences and takeaways across the 3 days, including discussions on the purpose of education, the importance of inclusive classrooms, teacher development and collective leadership.

I had the privilege of attending several sessions and activities that provided valuable insights into the world of education.

I hope the ideas exchanged at the forum will continue to inspire innovation and progress in education globally.

Day 1: April 7^th, 2025 | Setting the Stage

On the first day, I attended the opening dinner which featured two inspiring speeches from:

• Wendy Kopp, Co-founder and CEO of Teach For All emphasized the importance of open dialogue and collaboration among experts in shaping the future of education.
• Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), provided an informative presentation highlighting the state of education worldwide, particularly in math and science.

These presentations left me with the insight that improving education requires creating safe and supportive learning environments that prioritize mental health and well-being for students.

The speakers' messages resonated with me as I firmly believe that promoting mental health and making learning more enjoyable can significantly enhance student outcomes.

One of the most memorable moments from the dinner was Wendy Kopp’s words, “You are in this room today and the next two days because of your unique experience and expertise.”

That message helped me feel welcomed as a young leader from Africa who sometimes struggles with self-doubt or feeling that I don’t belong.

Day 2 : April 8^th, 2025 | Rethinking Education’s Purpose

On day two, I participated in a stimulating discussion about the purpose of education led by some of the world's leading thinkers on transforming education: Richa Gupta, Suchetha Bhat and Kevin Joseph Francis among others.

They provided diverse perspectives that led to a rich conversation about why we educate and how we can make education more holistic in supporting students.

One particularly striking insight was the emphasis on empowering students to shape their own futures, rather than simply imparting knowledge.

The discussion also touched on the importance of incorporating social justice and human rights education into the curriculum to promote empathy and understanding among students. I left with a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of education and a renewed sense of hope for the possibilities ahead.

I felt privileged to engage in such a meaningful discussion with a distinguished group of thought leaders. After lunch, we began the first round of breakout rooms.

I attended the breakout room on “Developing Teachers and School Leaders” facilitated by Whetu Nathan - the Director of Education at Ako Mātātupu in New Zealand, a non-profit organization focused on training people to become impactful agents of change within education.

We heard reflections from Lindiwe Chitubura, a teacher and part-time Lecturer at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Romana Shaikh, the Co-Founder and Chief Programs Officer for Kizazi - a global non-profit promoting innovation in school model design, and Jeff Wetzler, the Co-Founder and Head of Labs at Transcend that works with communities to promote learning for all children.

I was happy to teach the room how to sign “Best friend” in sign language during an energizer game and to share my experience of teaching Mathematics in sign language. I emphasized the importance of empowering teachers to effectively cater to the different needs of learners.

From my perspective as a teacher in Zambia, I highlighted the urgent need for improved support and training for special education teachers in our region. Many of the existing special education teachers in Africa lack the necessary training and resources to adequately support learners with disabilities.

To address this issue, I suggested schools and governments prioritize investment in teacher training programs and increase funding for inclusive education. My aim was to draw attention to the importance of holistic student development that requires equipping teachers with the skills and support necessary to meet diverse learning needs.

I firmly believe that empowering teachers will ultimately lead to better educational outcomes.

In the second breakout session, we explored the topic “Learning From Transformational Classrooms & Schools: What are we learning from classrooms and schools that develop students holistically?”

This session was facilitated by Steven Farr, Chief Learning Officer, Classrooms at the Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future, with reflections from Raquel Jardim—a student leader from Brazil; Dr. Nicole Bien—the Chief Schools Officer for International Baccalaureate, Muhammad Nazmi, a teacher at SK Long Sebangang in Malaysia and 2025 Global Teacher Prize Finalist, and Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu who is a current doctoral student at the University of Oxford Department of Education.

Though I did not contribute to this discussion, I was deeply engaged. My takeaways were:

• The future of education must center collaboration, critical thinking and empathy.
• Schools and governments need to invest in teacher training programs, resources and support services to better meet the needs of learners with disabilities.
• Holistic student growth is possible in classrooms that prioritize curiosity, collaboration and compassion.

Teach For All’s Global Institute officially launched the Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future, emphasizing how this platform will continuously convene education experts to influence policy and promote effective practices globally.

Day 3 - April 9^th, 2025 | Hosting Table 9

On the final day, all participants gathered for a reflective session to revisit key learnings and explore strategies for advancing progress in global education.

The session opened with networking followed by a panel discussion featuring:

• Datuk Dr. Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Secretariat and former Director General of Education in Malaysia
• Nozimakhon Davletova, Head of the Department of Information and Analytical Support for Foreign Policy and Foreign Economic Cooperation in the External Relations, Department of the Presidential Administration in Uzbekistan, and Chairperson of the Council of Women Entrepreneurs
• Nick Ehrmann, Founder and past President of Blue Engine—a nonprofit focused on mentorship to support young students prepare for success in higher education
• Angie Murimirwa, CEO of CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education) and an Africa Education Medal 2024 finalist.

They explored both strengths and gaps in current global efforts to accelerate and sustain change in education, and emerging areas for future collaboration.

We then moved into an ‘open space’ session: “Collective Leadership in Action.” In the spirit of collective leadership, participants proposed their own discussion topics. I was honored that my proposed topic - “What about inclusive education?” - was selected. I hosted Table 9.

During this discussion, I shared the following suggestions based on my experiences:

• Increase funding for early years and inclusive education.
• Integrate multiple languages in schools and provide interpreters and Braille materials to ensure accessibility for all learners.
• Design disability-friendly school environments.
• Develop a revised curriculum tailored to the needs of learners with disabilities.

I learned from all the group members, especially Sandra Fomotskin from Estonia who shared her country's remarkable efforts to support inclusive education including:

• Early intervention services like speech and occupational therapy.
• Inclusive classrooms that integrate students with and without disabilities to learn together.
• Ongoing professional development for teachers so that they’re supported in teaching to different learning needs.
• A strong policy framework to institutionalize inclusive education practices.

Estonia’s approach reinforced for me the power of proactive, well-funded and inclusive policy. By adopting these policies, other countries can work towards creating more inclusive education systems that meet the needs of all learners.

We closed with a reflection on the question: “Where do we go from here?”

Wendy Kopp and Stanley Tan gave closing remarks focused on sustaining cross-border collaboration and moving from conversation to action through systemic change. I personally reflected on Wendy's speech with the question: “How can we stop dehumanizing collaboration?”—a powerful call to center empathy in our global efforts.

The Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future was a transformative and informative experience.

I especially appreciated that it was an intergenerational dialogue—something from which young people like myself are too often excluded.

The sessions and speakers provided rich insights and ideas and the forum offered a space for participants to learn from one another, network with like-minded peers and to co-create solutions for some of education’s toughest challenges.

To GPE, thank you for selecting and recommending me for this opportunity. Your support made sure I was informed, confident and prepared. I did not feel out of place, knowing the work GPE does and my work as a youth leader are both recognized and appreciated around the world.