ADEA’s Triennale Consultation for East Africa Region highlights the importance of quality education and lifelong learning

The Republic of Kenya hosted from 30th August to 1st September 2016, the three-day ADEA 2017 Triennale Regional Consultation Meeting at its state of the art facility, the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi’s Lower Kabete.

The meeting brought together over 50 participants among them leading experts and renowned practitioners in the field of education. 

The programme featured presentations and discussions focussing on Sub-theme 1 of Triennale: “Implementing Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development”. Several papers were presented during the consultative meeting and the ensuing discussions were devoted to information sharing on innovations around the various thematic orientations. The three day consultations provided an in-depth look at issues and challenges affecting education and training in Africa, alongside concrete evidence and innovative strategies designed for workable solutions. 

The forum explored the following eight key areas:  

  • Education quality and life-long learning for sustainable development
  • Innovative and inexpensive initiatives that have successfully expanded provision and improved education
  • Equitable access to quality and affordable Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) or tertiary education, including post graduate
  • Curriculum models that have established effective linkages between the education system as a whole and the labour market
  • Innovative programs that promote conditions for advancing gender and equity in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Africa
  • Alternate non formal education models for out of schools children 
  • Approaches in promoting education quality and measuring acquisition of literacy and numeracy
  • Practices that increases supply of qualified teachers including female teachers, mathematics and technology.

The closing ceremony ended with remarks from Mr. Waithaka of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology representing Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education. He reiterated the host Ministry and country’s pride in hosting the forum and thanked members for their participation in, and contributions to, the meeting’s success.

Overall, the meeting presented an excellent opportunity for meaningful exchange and networking on matters education in the continent and indeed the rest of the world with a general feedback indicative of a great success.
ADEA acknowledged and appreciated all those who played a part in organising, running and resourcing this meeting. Among them the Country Team led by the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; the FAWE Team under the leadership of its Executive Director and sub-theme coordination, the Triennale General and Quality Assurance Consultants for the technical guidance of the Forum, and the country and partner representatives for their valuable contributions. ADEA also extend its gratitude to the team of rapporteurs as well as the support staff at the Kenya School of Government whose dedication contributed to the success of the meeting. 

The next meeting before the ADEA’s flagship event, the 2017 Triennale, will be the Continental Consultation and Validation Meeting which will be held on November 22nd - 23rd in Cairo, under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Egypt.