Educating an African fit for the 21st Century: Collective Action for Quality, Inclusive and Life-long Transformative Learning.

• In Event: The Just Society: Collective impact -Bringing Children Furthest behind closer to enjoying the Right to Education in a changing world

Proposal

Due to the centrality of education in human development and the attainment of the SDGs, particularly SDG 4, most of the East African countries are undertaking concerted efforts to transform their education systems. The transformations include expanding access especially at basic education level, strengthening quality, inclusivity and shifting to competency-based learning. There is data demonstrating commendable outcomes especially in access, improvements in quality and infrastructure but with myriad challenges in several areas which at times negate some of the gains made. While there have been accompanying policy reforms, there have been challenges in policy implementation leading to, among others, lack of inclusive, quality and low access to the rightful benefits of education. Quality, access and inclusivity have thus been persistent challenges to education systems of most East African countries. Whereas there have been efforts made by the governments, several international and regional organizations and stakeholders engaged in the education sector, they undertake their activities in an uncoordinated way leading at times to duplication of efforts or less efforts directed to key focus areas and thus less impact, effect and transformation to the sector.

Through the East African Community (EAC)- the regional economic community of eastern Africa comprising eight countries (the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania), came up with a formidable platform/coalition for a coordinated approach to explore the educational challenges of the region. In collaboration with the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Education, the coalition organized the East African Regional Forum on Education that brought together key stakeholders from various sectors including ministries of education and related agencies, civil society, development partners and other stakeholders together. The forum explored the educational challenges facing the region and developed common action points for collective, coordinated and strategic actions. This was also to mark 2024 as Africa's Year of Education as designated by the African Union.

This presentation seeks to shed light on the contemporary developments and transformations in the education sector of the East African region and the coordination mechanisms being put in place. It will highlight some of the challenges, the actions being undertaken to address them and the roles of civil society organizations and international development partners. Ultimately, this will be the starting point of a transformative regional platform through which the eight countries can jointly share experiences, monitor progress and take up new approaches to better their education systems in a holistic way for the development of the development of all children.

Authors

• James Otieno Jowi, African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE)

• John Mugo, Zizi Afrique Foundation

• Margaret Wawira, Zizi Afrique Foundation