On 8 November 2016, the Steering Team of the Regional Coordination Group on SDG4-Education 2030 for West and Central Africa (RCG4-WCA) met in Dakar to strategize on its activities and on the way forward ahead of a plenary group retreat on 8 December. Present at the meeting were representatives from the Africa Network Campaign on Education for All (ANCEFA); Conseil Africain et Malagache pour l'enseignement supérieur (CAMES); Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE); UNICEF WCARO; and the Secretariat from UNESCO-Dakar, who also took the opportunity to reflect on achievements this far.
From an extensive list of proposed themes, seven Task Teams were agreed upon. These sub-groups will address the targets and commitments of the Sustainable Development Goal on education (SDG4), with three Teams already active: one focusing on gender equality and inclusive education, another on Systems’ Strengthening, and a third on TALENT, or Teaching and Learning: Educators’ Network for Transformation – on improving teaching and learning. TALENT recently engaged regional actors in a workshop on qualification frameworks for basic education teachers, held in Dakar from 26 to 28 October 2016. The workshop was praised as a success and a positive example of what RCG4-WCA can achieve.
During the plenary retreat next month, the Terms of Reference and activities of the group will be officially adopted, with further concrete initiatives to follow. A web platform which will serve as the Group’s knowledge management hub is under construction.
Future communication with the East and Southern Africa (ESA) group was also discussed, for greater coherence across SDG4 coordination mechanisms at the global level.
CONTACTS
- Gwang-Chol Chang Senior Programme Specialist, Chief of Education Section, UNESCO Dakar
- Lily Neyestani-Hailu Programme Specialist in Educational Planning