ADEA holds follow-up workshop for the implementation of Triennial recommendations

A two-day methodological workshop for the development of a conceptual and methodological approach for the implementation of the strategic policy framework to follow up on the Triennial ended on Tuesday 29 October, 2013 in Tunis. The workshop drew 33 experts from the ADEA Secretariat, the Working Groups, the Inter-Quality Country Nodes (ICQNs), Task Forces, and other stakeholders from Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Kano State (Nigeria), Mauritius, Niger, and representatives of the Youth and the African Diaspora. In addition, one of the ADEA Triennial General Coordinators, Mr. Richard Walther and three other thematic coordinators as well as the former Executive Secretary of ADEA, Mr. Ahlin Byll-Cataria also guided the discussions at the workshop.

The workshop reviewed the relationship between education and training and sustainable social and economic development in Africa and concluded that education and training are at the core of Africa’s economic and social progress, and should provide solutions to meeting Africa’s challenges both internally and globally. Participants also resolved that Africa should have ownership of its own development and that solutions should be found from within.

The Acting ADEA Executive Officer, Mr. Hamidou Boukary exposed the key messages and recommendations that emerged from the 2012 Triennial held in Ouagadougou, and gave a detailed analysis of the main thrust of the ADEA strategic policy framework.  In addition, Mr. Boukary also presented the new ADEA medium term strategic plan for 2013 through 2017, as well as its performance measurement plan.

It will be recalled that the theme of the 2012 Triennial was: ``Promoting critical knowledge, skills, and qualifications for sustainable development in Africa: How to design and implement an Effective response through education and training systems``. Three sub-themes evolved from this theme. They are (i) Common Core Skills for lifelong learning and sustainable development; (ii) Lifelong technical and vocational skills development for sustainable socioeconomic growth in Africa; and (iii) Lifelong acquisition of scientific and technological knowledge and skills for the sustainable development of Africa in the context of globalization.

This workshop was held to assist in the number of concrete actions expected to be taken by member states of the African Union in order to complement and implement components of the broader vision that the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, and the member states should be pursuing. On 28 January, 2013, the Assembly of African Heads of State and Government meeting at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa approved an initiative taken by Burkina Faso to promote critical skills on the African continent for accelerated and sustainable development, following a presentation made to them by the President of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Blaise Compaoré.