Nearly three years after endorsing the agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals and two years after the adoption of Continental Strategy for Education in Africa 2016-2025 ( CESA16_25) African countries have yet to achieve internationally and regionally agreed targets. Many countries have also fallen short in implementing CESA goals into their national education policies, plans and practices.
It is within this context that UNESCO and the Government of Kenya agreed to convene a three day Pan African High Level Conference on Education. Members of the African Union and other key education partners also took part in the proceedings which were held in Nairobi on Friday.
The meeting provided an opportunity to share progress, success stories and challenges in the advancement of the education agenda as well as take stock of the Sustainable Development Goal agenda 4(SDG_4) and CESA 16-25. Countries in attendance also hoped to agree on ways to introduce a curriculum more focused on science and technology.
While officially opening the function, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta recognized the need for a collaborated effort in implementing the education agenda 2030.
‘’Africa has made good progress, most children are in school, strides have been made to ensure curriculum is more relevant.’’ Said President Kenyatta
He further stated “it is regrettable that progress has been slow, only 7 countries have achieved university primary enrollment. Africa has the answer as to why half of the children are out of school”.
Also present was the African Union Commission representative Sarah Enow Agbor who hailed the work of UNESCO. UNESCO has been on the forefront in strengthening synergy and articulation between global, continental and regional frameworks.
Agbor further reiterated the need for improving early childhood education and TVET as well as investing in infrastructure and training people with disability.
PACE 2018 has allowed the African countries present to reflect and prepare for two upcoming major global events in the education sector, The Global Education Meeting(GEM, December 2018) and the High Level Political Forum (Helpful 2019) both intended as mechanisms for monitoring progress of the global education agenda.
