The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), in partnership with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Ghana, has convened the continent’s leading education policymakers, researchers, and development partners in Accra for the ADEA Triennale 2025 — a three-day high-level forum themed “Strengthening the Resilience of Africa’s Educational Systems: Advancing Towards Ending Learning Poverty by 2035 with a Well-Educated and Skilled Workforce for the Continent and Beyond.”
The biennial gathering, which opened on Wednesday, 29th October at the Labadi Beach Hotel, aims to take stock of progress since the 2022 Triennale and reflect on the implications of global and continental shifts for Africa’s education systems.
Vice President Calls for Innovation and African-Led Solutions
Delivering the keynote address, Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, called on African governments to rethink education financing and align education outcomes with long-term national and continental development goals.
“Learning poverty undermines our development goals,” she said. “We must prepare our education systems to cope with rapid technological change and societal transformation — but we must also go beyond coping. We must create, contribute, and innovate.”
Professor Opoku-Agyemang lauded the resilience of African educators and emphasized the need for academic knowledge to be matched with creativity, adaptability, and resilience.
“I salute our teachers, researchers, and education workers. Despite challenges, they have achieved much. But our current age demands even more — an education that equips learners to thrive in a world of constant change,” she added.
Highlighting Ghana’s domestic education priorities, she cited the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) — supported by the World Bank, Global Partnership for Education, and the Jacobs Foundation — as a flagship initiative improving foundational literacy across all public kindergarten and primary schools.
The Vice President also noted recent government efforts to strengthen evidence-based policymaking through the establishment of the Ghana Education Evidence and Data Lab, and the creation of a National Research Fund with seed capital of GHS 50 million from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
However, she acknowledged ongoing challenges in financing, particularly in TVET, STEM, and EdTech, urging African countries to “move beyond donor dependency” by harnessing indigenous financing mechanisms and adding value to their natural and human resources.
“Let’s not just talk about percentages allocated to education,” she said. “Let’s ask, how do we make the pie bigger? When we add value to our cocoa or minerals, we grow that pie — and then even one percent becomes significant.”
Education Minister Urges Continental Commitment
Ghana’s Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in his welcome address, commended ADEA for choosing Accra as host city, calling the event a “momentous opportunity” to strengthen Africa’s education systems in the face of daunting challenges.
“We are still grappling with overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and inadequate infrastructure to support digital and inclusive education,” Iddrisu said. “It is alarming that Africa remains the only region where the number of out-of-school children continues to rise.”
The minister underscored the need for African governments to look inward for financing solutions amid dwindling donor support, stressing that the future of the continent depends on sustained investment in education aligned with the skills demanded by evolving job markets.
“We must invest more in education and find resources within our own countries,” he said. “This gathering must provide a blueprint to make our systems more resilient and relevant.”
ADEA Executive Secretary Calls for Leadership and Action
Albert Nsengiyumva, Executive Secretary of ADEA, called the 2025 Triennale a “critical moment” for Africa’s education landscape, urging participants to move beyond discussion to implementation.
“The issue is no longer to convince ourselves of the value of education,” Nsengiyumva said. “The question now is: how do we translate the knowledge, tools, and frameworks we have into better learning outcomes?”
He emphasized that while Africa faces complex global and geopolitical challenges, many issues remain within the continent’s control — including leadership, accountability, and the effective use of available tools.
“Without leadership and commitment, all our tools and frameworks will remain useless,” he cautioned. “We must connect policy with what happens in classrooms, because ultimately, the goal is improved learning.”
Nsengiyumva also raised concerns about the 100 million out-of-school children across Africa, describing it as a “serious call to action” that demands innovation, collaboration, and renewed leadership at all levels.
A Call for Unified Vision and Local Solutions
Throughout the plenary and breakout sessions — including a key panel on “Financing Education: Perspectives from Policymakers and Industry Leaders” — participants reiterated the need for a unified continental vision that respects local contexts, promotes innovation, and leverages African resources.
Delegates from academia, the private sector, and international partners — including the World Bank, FCDO, MasterCard Foundation, and the Global Partnership for Education — pledged continued collaboration toward ending learning poverty and equipping Africa’s youth with the skills to thrive in a dynamic global economy.
As the conference continues, stakeholders are expected to develop actionable recommendations on education financing, curriculum innovation, teacher professional development, and technology integration, culminating in a roadmap for the continent’s education transformation agenda toward 2035.
About ADEA:
The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) is a pan-African organization that brings together ministries of education, development agencies, researchers, and civil society to promote effective policies and practices for education and training across the continent.
