Workshop to Consider CESA Indicators Framework and Launch of CESA Clusters on Education Planning and Peace and Education

Opening remarks
Beatrice K. Njenga
Head, Education Division
and Officer in Charge, HRST Department

Your Excellencies present,
Distinguished delegates from Member States, Regional Economic Communities,
Distinguished representatives of partner agencies;
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen
As you are already aware, the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) is the foundation on which the continental Education Development Agenda is built for the next ten years. It leans on the African Union 2063 Agenda and is a domestication of the global Education Agenda 2030 and SDG4. It also draws lessons from the end term evaluations of the Second Decade of Education for Africa, and the global Education For All. The goals and strategic objectives of CESA 16-25 are ambitious as they seek to achieve better results than any previous education strategic frameworks, and ensure that education takes up its central role as the key to achievement of Africa’s people centred Agenda 2063 of an integrated, peaceful, prosperous Africa. Ladies and gentlemen
In order to measure the impact of our implementation efforts of the CESA 16-25, the Pan African Institution for Education for Development (IPED) with technical support from the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) has produced the draft Indicator Framework which we are all gathered here to review and validate. These CESA indicators have been developed taking into account the African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Ladies and gentlemen
To guide and strengthen the implementation, monitoring and evaluation at the level of member states, regional economic communities and other stakeholders, we have adopted a thematic cluster based approach to ensure that the process is structured and coordinated, and unnecessary duplication of efforts is minimised. Several Clusters have been launched, including Teacher Development coordinated by IICBA and Education International, STEM Education coordinated by African Institute for mathematical Sciences; CEMASTEA and the African Academy of Sciences; ICT in Education, coordinated by the Global E-Schools Initiative (GESCI); Higher Education coordinated by the Association of African Universities and the International Higher Education Network for Africa; School Feeding coordinated by the World Food Programme.
Ladies and gentlemen
The CESA Indicator Framework is to provide us with a credible mechanism for monitoring and following up on our implementation progress. You will also launch two more thematic Clusters, namely the Peace and Education Cluster; and the Education Planning Cluster, both very important clusters in their own right.
Education planning ensures that the administration, delivery, infrastructure, human and financial resources and all other inputs needed to strengthen the sector are utilized in the best possible way. In response to the Strategic Objective 11 of CESA, this cluster will be responsible for overall Monitoring and Evaluation and will also provide M and E support services to all the clusters of CESA.
We know also there can be no meaningful development without peace. Especially when schools meant for the next generation of leaders and researchers are used for military purposes, or as targets for attack and destruction, it is a direct attack on our destiny as a people. Furthermore, it is a much quoted adage that wars and conflicts begin in the hearts and minds of people, and it is therefore through education that we have the greatest chance of re-ordering our collective mindsets, values and attitudes towards peaceful co-existence. We shall therefore launch the peace and education cluster, which will among others, help to promote and monitor local, national and regional efforts for safe schools and peace education.
Ladies and gentlemen.
May I seize this opportunity to thank the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) for their continued technical support especially in the area of education planning and management information systems, and for co-sponsoring this event.
Special thanks also go to Save the Children International for co-sponsoring this event as well as providing technical input to help ensure that the indicators reflect our determination to keep our schools safe and our children protected.
All other partners, we appreciate you, and will have opportunity later to talk about our collaborative efforts. Those who have not yet participated, we invite you to join the comprehensive partnership towards ensuring quality, transformative, inclusive education for all our people.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen
We have invited you to be part of this process in light of your valuable experiences in the sector of Education that you represent. I implore you to engage meaningfully to move this process forward.
I hereby declare this meeting officially open.