ADEA reiterates support to Africa’s Agenda 2063 during the launch of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa Thematic Cluster on STEM Education

Published on Monday, 24 October 2016
CESA Thematic Cluster on STEM Education: Group picture | Photo credit: CEMASTEA | Photo editing: ADEA

The African Union Commission (AUC) has resolved to use existing structures in implementing the continental agenda (Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want), its 10-year strategy (the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025 or CESA 16-25) as well as the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2024. The Inter-Country Quality Node (ICQN) – structure that the Association for the Development of Education (ADEA) helped to establish – has been recognised as a good model that incorporates groups of countries coming together to share ideas, innovative practices and experiences in tackling common developmental challenges. It is therefore seen as a fitting platform for domesticating the continental frameworks and strategies. In the same vein, AUC is using other existing entities such as the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) and the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI) for this purpose. It is against this background that AUC, in partnership with CEMASTEA, held a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya from 29th to 30th September 2016, bringing together key partner agencies working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Africa, and senior government officials, to launch the CESA thematic cluster on STEM Education in order to strengthen the teaching and learning of these subjects across all levels of education in Africa. ADEA, represented by Mr. Shem Bodo, Senior Programs Officer, actively participated in the launch.

In his opening remarks, the ADEA representative reiterated the Association’s continued technical support to AUC’s continental agenda, from the 2nd Decade of Education for Africa 2006-2015, and now Agenda 2063 and its corresponding ten-year strategy on education (CESA 16-25). He highlighted the fact that the second strategic objective of ADEA’s current strategic plan exclusively focusses on supporting these continental frameworks. In addition, the upcoming 2017 Triennale in Morocco will be on the transformation of Africa’s education and training to better contribute to the actualisation of both the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063. The theme of the Triennale is "Revitalizing education towards the 2030 Global Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063"), and the second of the four sub-themes is on promoting science, mathematics and ICT, focussing essentially on STEM. He underscored the fact that the work of the ICQN on Mathematics and Science Education (ICQN-MSE) embraces science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Head of Education Division in AUC’s Human Resource, Science and Technology Department, Dr. Beatrice Njenga, highlighted the need for Africa to focus on higher education in terms of increasing access, quality and relevance. There is also need to elevate the status of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) / Technical Vocational Skills Development (TVSD). Other issues that emerged from the discussions which followed the launch include the need for a vigorous awareness campaign on the patenting of Africa’s innovations and availing CESA 16-25 in Braille as well as in local and national languages.

The meeting developed a Terms of Reference for the Cluster, and the partners present agreed to submit draft action plans for supporting the Cluster in their respective work programs. Representatives from Congo Brazzaville and Kenya’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology graced the meeting, together with representatives from GESCI, UNESCO IICBA, Kenya National Academy of Sciences, the Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Kenyatta University and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), among others.

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Or visit the following websites: www.au.int/en/hrst and www.cemastea.ac.ke