What: To celebrate the Day of the African Child 2025, the African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the Global Education Monitoring Report, will convene a high-level webinar themed "Equity at the Heart of the AU Decade of Education".

When: 16 June 2025, 15:00-17:00 hrs (GMT).

Where: virtual.
Register here: https://shorturl.at/z1wcN

Why: The Day of the African Child is an important moment to reflect on both the rights and the realities of children across the continent. This annual observance, with a theme set by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) and adopted continentally by the AU, amplifies the need to address the educational challenges faced by African children and reinforces the commitment to ensuring their right to quality learning, because every child is truly #BorntoLearn.

This webinar will spotlight the Africa SDG4 Scorecard 2025, a vital monitoring tool designed to assess progress, identify gaps, and inspire transformative action across the continent in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA).

The Africa SDG4 Scorecard is a critical evidence-based instrument used to promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in education. As the continent marks the midpoint of the African Union’s Decade of Education for Africa (2024–2034), this event presents a unique opportunity to reflect on impact, amplify the voice of children and youth, and advocate for equitable, inclusive, and resilient education systems.

Africa continues to face stark inequities in access, participation, and learning outcomes, especially among girls, children with disabilities, children in conflict-affected areas, and those from marginalized communities. By anchoring the conversation on equity, this webinar reinforces the African Union’s commitment to leaving no child behind. The webinar on the Scorecard 2025 provides actionable insights into the education status of the continent, aligning AU Member States around key indicators and enabling data-driven policymaking. It will also present newly updated data on out-of-school children across the continent, with a focus on the need for strong national action to drive change. Country champions will be recognized for demonstrating tangible progress in expanding access and reducing exclusion. The discussion will highlight how political will, strategic investment, and data-driven policy can shift educational trajectories.

Objectives

·   To present and disseminate the Africa SDG4 Scorecard 2025 findings.

·   Highlight progress made by selected countries in helping children enrol in school.

·   To advocate for equity-driven education policies and practices within the AU Decade of Education (2024–2034).

·   Provide a platform for ministers to share experiences, challenges, and highlight country-level innovations and success stories in advancing inclusive and quality education.

·   Highlight recent regional commitments to expand education access and amplify the voices of African children/youth on the issues affecting their learning and development.

·   Catalyze regional dialogue and partnership to encourage and accelerate Member States and Stakeholders’ efforts - to strengthen the implementation of CESA and SDG4 based on the Scorecard's evidence toward setting and reaching national SDG4 and CESA benchmarks.

Expected Outcomes

·  Enhanced awareness of Africa’s performance on key SDG4 indicators.

·  Greater alignment of national education policies with equity-based targets.

·  Strengthened collaboration among AU Member States, RECs, and stakeholders on equity in education.

·  Youth/children’s recommendations integrated into ongoing AU education policy dialogues.

·  Increased commitment to accelerating progress under the AU Decade of Education.

Participants

The webinar will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including:

·  Ministers and senior officials of Education from AU Member States

·  Representatives from Regional Economic Communities (RECs)

·  Development partners and donor agencies.

·  Civil society organizations and education coalitions.

·  Researchers, education data experts, and practitioners.

·  Youth/children representatives.

·  African Union organs and partner institutions.

Media are invited to connect and attend the webinar on Monday, 16 June 2025, from 15:00-17:00 hrs (GMT).

For media inquiries, please contact:

1.             Mr. Maqhawe Freedom Thwala |Digital Communications Officer | Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation| African Union Commission| E-mail: ThwalaM@africa-union.org| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

2.             Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I

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