Bonn, Germany  - Government ministers from around the world Tuesday began a three-day conference designed to lay the groundwork for improving access to education around the world.

One of the goals of the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development is to help the 75 million children around the globe who have no access to schooling.

The goal was set in a programme called the UN Decade, which was established five years ago. The conference in the former West German capital of Bonn is reviewing progress made so far and looking at the future.

The meeting should use the remaining time to work out measures to provide "education for all," said Graca Machel, Mozambique's former education minister and the wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela.

More than 50 education ministers and 700 other delegates are attending the meeting, which will also discuss cooperation and implementation of educational practices to help present and future generations.

German Education Minister Annette Schavan said the conference should build support for the idea that education for sustainable development should play a greater role than it has done in the past.

"Local action has global consequences," she said, pointing out the education was the cornerstone of future-oriented prosperity.

UNESCO's director general for education, Nicholas Burnett, said improved cooperation among states was the best way to promote education for sustainable development. (dpa)