The Pan African Institute for Education for Development (IPED) in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), today organized a technical consultation on setting regional benchmarks for the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016 – 2025 indicators and the SDG 4 Education 2030 indicators. The consultation had in attendance Her Excellency, the Commissioner for the Human Resources, Science and Technology Department, Professor Sarah Anyang Agbor, Her Excellency, Honorable Minister for the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Agnes Nyalonje, The HRST Director, the Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Dr. Silvia Montoya. Others include representatives from ADEA and the Director for the Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR).
The consultation focused on dissecting technically, the seven global SDG 4 indicators earmarked for benchmarking and how the indicators of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025. This marks the first step towards establishing benchmarks for the monitoring and reporting process for the strategy.
Her Excellency, Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, the Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology Department, in her opening remarks, reiterated the need for IPED to mobilize and galvanize the right kinds of technical and financial partnerships towards strengthening the monitoring and reporting processes for the CESA and Agenda 2063 frameworks. In addition, she noted that the seven selected global indicators to be benchmarked need to be reassessed to include what has been set as priorities in Africa. The critical indicators of skills, learning outcomes and TVET as defined by the CESA framework need to be mainstreamed throughout the entire global and regional benchmarking process.
For Dr. Silvia Montoya (UIS) and Mr Mano (GEMR), it is clear that setting benchmarks at the global level is not possible without the regional level, given the very large differences in starting points between countries. Political commitment is key in adopting and monitoring benchmarks at the regional level.
The Honorable Minister of Education, Republic of Malawi, Dr. Agnes Nyalonje charged the African Union Commission to develop capacity building strategies towards supporting the various ministries of Education in responding to these global and regional indicators. She noted that not all member states are at the same level in terms of data collection and data management capacity as well as financial resources capacity to oversee the core processes.
Dr Mahama Ouedraogo, the HRST Director pointed out that the UIS and ADEA support will contribute significantly to implementation of the IPED mandate. He committed that IPED as an institution with the support of key partners will ensure that the right technical support and financial mobilization strategies towards strengthening national and continental EMIS systems will be put in place.
Mr. Adoumtar Noubatour, the Coordinator of IPED thanked the leadership of the HRST department and noted that the consultation marked the beginning of a key regional process of ensuring that clear, achievable and measurable targets are set. A draft outcome document to be presented during the global benchmarking meeting, slated for 28th November was presented.
A follow up consultation which will bring together all AU member states and Regional Economic Communities is planned for later in the year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
