EAC Steps Up Regional Education Cooperation as Nairobi Conference Pushes for Stronger Systems

Macharia David 

Taifa news 

East African Community (EAC) Partner States have renewed their commitment to strengthening education systems across the region, with leaders calling for greater cooperation, harmonised curricula and qualifications, improved teacher development and increased investment in skills and learning.

The call was made on Thursday during the opening of the 2nd EAC Regional Education Conference in Nairobi, which has brought together more than 600 education leaders, policymakers, researchers and development partners from the eight EAC Partner States.

“As regional integration deepens, our systems must become more interoperable. A child moving between Partner States should not have their education interrupted because they crossed a border,”

She stressed that curriculum transformation must be accompanied by teacher transformation, urging countries to regard teachers as a community of East African professionals.

Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs and Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, called for stronger regional cooperation and harmonisation of education systems.

Kadaga said education policies, curricula and qualifications should be aligned to facilitate the movement of learners and skills across Partner States while preparing young people for an increasingly interconnected East African economy.

Ariik Malueth, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, highlighted progress in developing regional frameworks to support cooperation in education.

Malueth said the EAC TVET Qualifications Framework has been developed and is awaiting approval, noting that it will support recognition of qualifications, skills mobility and stronger alignment between training and the regional labour market.

“At basic education level, the EAC has developed strategies to support harmonisation and strengthen the foundations for lifelong learning and skills development,” Malueth said.

He also pointed to efforts to improve education statistics and strengthen evidence-based policymaking, as well as the revision of primary school curricula to incorporate Statistics and build analytical capabilities from an early age.

At higher education level, Malueth said the EAC is advancing the East African Common Higher Education and Research Area, with a focus on harmonisation, innovation, partnerships and mobility of knowledge and skilled graduates.

Prof. Adolf Mkenda, Tanzania’s Minister for Education, Science and Technology, called for greater emphasis on foundational learning as a key pillar for improving education outcomes.

Prof. Mkenda also stressed the importance of continued investment in teachers, quality education and skills development to equip learners with the competencies and adaptability needed in a changing world of work.

The conference is addressing persistent challenges including learning gaps, unequal access, teacher shortages, inadequate resources and weak transitions between education levels.

Dr Mary Goretti, Executive Director of Uwezo Uganda and Board Chair of RELI Africa, said the conference provides an important platform for policymakers, researchers and practitioners to exchange evidence and develop practical responses to shared education challenges.

She called for stronger links between evidence, policy and implementation to ensure that reforms translate into improved learning outcomes.

The four-day conference is reviewing progress since the inaugural EAC Regional Education Conference held in Arusha in 2024. Key areas under discussion include foundational learning, teacher development, inclusive education, digitalisation, TVET, skills development, education-industry linkages, research, data, financing and governance.

The conference is expected to produce practical policy recommendations and a roadmap setting out agreed commitments, priority initiatives, timelines and next steps for strengthening education across East Africa.