THE Ministers of Education and educationists from East and Southern Africa who convened in Harare this week for the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ) Convention deliberated on the quality of education systems in the region and standardising curriculums across Africa.
To improve basic education in Africa, SEACMEQ research programmes have been identified as key in influencing policy changes towards transforming the African education sector.
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Makgabo Reginah Mhaule said the transformation of Africa’s education system can only be achieved if African countries work together.
“We have to take a deliberate stance to change how we run basic education so that as a region we lay the correct foundation not only for literacy but innovation as well. There has to be a standard across Africa, one that allows young learners to explore and be innovative. Research has shown that more needs to be done by African countries to equip learners with quality education that is relevant in this era,” Dr Mhaule said.
Botswana’s Assistant Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Mr Justin Hunyepa reiterated that a standard has to be created so that Africa’s education system moves forward.
“Our education system has to speak to the change in technologies that is happening. We have to embrace our heritage to utilise it in our education so that we appreciate our own knowledge systems. ,” he said.
Chairperson of SEACMEQ, Dr Torerai Moyo who is also Zimbabwe’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education highlighted the importance of continued research as a step towards transforming Africa’s education sector.
“A standard across Africa in terms of education is critical and the curriculums have to be the same so that we speak to the same things. Apart from literacy, we are moving with innovation and so there has to be a deliberate effort by the region to say this is the standard for our learners. We are a rich continent and it is high time we inculcate a culture of appreciating our natural resources and teach our learners to be innovative even from a young age. If we work towards that then our education will help us improve as a region,“ he said.
SEACMEQ has successfully completed five large-scale studies which are having a huge impact on the education sector in East and Southern Africa, with most countries, including Zimbabwe having adopted new curriculums.
