From August 12th to 15th, 2024, HakiElimu proudly participated in the Inaugural East African Community Education Conference and the Celebration of the AU Year of Education. The event, held in Arusha, Tanzania, brought together key stakeholders from across the region under the theme, "Educating an African Fit for the 21st Century: Collective Action for Quality, Inclusive, and Lifelong Learning in East Africa."
The conference provided a vital platform for HakiElimu to engage with policymakers, educators, and other likeminded stakeholders in discussions aimed at transforming the education landscape in East Africa. Our team was actively involved in various sessions, sharing insights and strategies to ensure that education systems in the region are equipped to meet the needs of all learners in the 21st century.
Throughout the event, HakiElimu’s representatives participated in both key speakers’ plenary sessions and breakout sessions that addressed critical issues, including the implementation of competency-based curricula, access to quality education in low-income urban areas, child protection, safe school and the re-entry of teenage mothers into the education system. These discussions were crucial in shaping a collective approach to building resilient, inclusive, and quality education systems across East Africa. We presented a paper on the implementation of competency-based curriculum which emerged as one of the areas of great concern since it is not implemented as envisioned since 2005. However, countries differ and therefore, it is worth to learn from one another.
As we move forward, HakiElimu remains committed to contributing to the realization of the conference’s vision. Our participation in this inaugural event underscores our dedication to advocating for educational reforms that prioritize equity, inclusivity, and lifelong learning opportunities for all children in the region.