Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Philip Mpango, has urged for joint and concerted regional efforts to address the challenges in the East African Community (EAC) education sector. His call came during the opening ceremony of the Inaugural EAC Regional Education Conference, held in Arusha, Tanzania, from August 12th to 15th, 2024.
The four-day conference, themed “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Collective Action for Quality, Inclusive, and Life-long Learning in East Africa,” focuses on improving education across the region. Vice President Mpango emphasized the need for EAC Partner States to enhance their education systems to meet the demands of the modern world, stressing the importance of embracing global education reforms that prioritize flexibility and technology integration.
“It’s upon us to invest in education, adopt innovative approaches, and ensure quality learning opportunities for every child. Together, we can create an education system that not only addresses today’s challenges but also ensures a prosperous future for the region,” stated H.E. Mpango.
Acknowledging the significant challenges facing the region’s education sector, the Vice President highlighted the importance of increasing teacher capacity, improving funding, and embracing digitization. He pointed to Tanzania’s efforts to update its curriculum to better prepare students for the modern world, noting the introduction of two streams within the secondary education system—one focused on general education and the other on vocational education. “We will have some students who will graduate with both a secondary school certificate and a Vocational Training Certificate,” he added.
Vice President Mpango also emphasized the need for more investment in education infrastructure, including the construction of classrooms and housing for teachers, improving the teaching environment, and ensuring the availability of teaching aids and materials such as books and computers.
The conference aims to facilitate discussions on building resilient education systems that address the diverse needs of learners and improve the quality of education across the EAC. Participants will develop and share best practices for implementing evidence-based, innovative, and sustainable education solutions. Additionally, the conference seeks to establish a regional network and forum to strengthen multi-sectoral partnerships for advancing education in the EAC and to enhance quality education for disadvantaged children.
EAC Secretary General H.E. Veronica Nduva highlighted the importance of the regional education conference, stating, “Today marks a milestone as we launch our first regional conference on education. It shows our collective commitment to education as a key to our children’s futures.” She acknowledged the progress made in the region’s education sector but stressed the need to address ongoing challenges, including rising dropout rates and the need for foundational learning.
Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, Hon. Prof. Adolf Mkenda, also addressed the conference, underscoring the government’s commitment to improving the quality and accessibility of primary and secondary education. “We are committed to continuing investing in infrastructure development, teacher training, and ensuring the availability of quality learning materials,” he stated, noting that regional educational infrastructure investment is critical to facilitating productive educational reforms.
The event was attended by several high-profile figures, including Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Dennis Londo; African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, H.E. Prof. Mohamed Belhocine; Head of the EU Delegation, H.E. Christine Gau; EAC Deputy Secretary General Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth; and various heads of delegations and institutions.
