Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25 January 2019: The African Union Commission (AUC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) which sets out the framework for cooperation in order to ensure closer collaboration and exchange of information between AUC and AfECN, in a manner that creates synergistic relationships and partnerships situating Early Childhood Education and Development within the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25).
The 3rd Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology (STC-EST 3) was held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa from 10 – 13 December 2019. The Ministerial Session was held on 13 December and preceded by the Senior Officials/Experts Session from 10 - 11 December 2019. Among other key issues, the Ministers elected a new Bureau and considered the Experts Report on Education, Science and Technology, from the Commission and Partner Organisations and the Civil Society, and made the recommendations for consideration by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The following Member States attended the meeting: Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Republic, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
DECISIONS OF MINISTERS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
The Ministers,
(a) COMMEND the Commission for efforts in Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) through establishment of the ECED Cluster under the umbrella of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-2025);
(b) CALL FOR a regional study to understand ECED financing models and levels in the region and recommend practical solutions for achieving ECED target as articulated in CESA 16-25 and SDG 4:
(c) REQUEST the Commission in partnership with the coalition of stakeholders in the CESA ECED Cluster to identify and mobilize champions to strengthen advocacy for key priority areas of ECED; and;
(d) SUPPORT the efforts of the Government of Seychelles to establish the Centre for the Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED).
Download the full decisions from links below: