Publisher calls for African collaboration in education to gain global edge

African nations are realising that in order to be globally competitive, they need to work together to exchange ideas, and share professional expertise in education.

Speaking at the African Confederation of Principals Conference (ACP) in Mombasa, Oxford University Press (OUP) East Africa’s General Manager John Mwazemba noted that there have been gains in schooling in the African continent with most countries adopting new educational systems that are focused on skills development.

“The new education system is the vehicle through which Africa will empower its citizens with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable them to be socially and economically engaged and empowered”.

“OUP has been working in education in Africa for 100 years and it has vast experience and deep understanding of competency-based curricula,’’ Mwazemba said.

As Africans rise with purpose, the education they obtain has allowed them to enjoy prosperous careers. The access to education was formerly limited but now more African countries are strengthening their educational offerings.

This year’s  ACP theme Educating the African Child: Revalorising the Teaching Profession emphasises on the need for Africans to receive more opportunities in education, more educators need to be trained, more resources must be made available in schools and more licensed institutions should be operational. The status of education can be improved and more people can be reached if government lends a hand by investing in quality education.

 “Education techniques are evolving, more institutions are implementing the use of tech tools to improve teaching methods. The process of learning is elevated through access to tech devices and tech-based programmes. And technology in education brings benefits such as engaging lessons and the student’s growth in digital literacy,” noted Mwazemba.

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Sub-Saharan Africa’s poor performance in education is constraining the prosperity of its peoples.  Improving education in Sub-Saharan Africa is a daunting challenge, but remains key in the growth and the path towards greater prosperity.

OUP was the event organiser.