The Ministers in charge of Education in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have adopted recommendations on qualification framework to accelerate inclusive, and quality education for refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons, and host communities.
It follows the 4th Conference of the IGAD Ministers in charge of Education organized by IGAD under the theme “A Comprehensive Regional Qualifications Framework for Quality and Inclusive Education” held at Protea Hotel in Entebbe on Thursday.
The regional education framework aims to recognize the qualifications, skills, and competencies of IGAD region’s citizens to promote social transformation among the Member States with a combined population of 230 million people.
IGAD is an eight-country economic bloc that comprises Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. Mira Musa Nimir, a Representative of Refugees lauded the conscious steps taken by the Authority to address the inclusive education needs of the refugees and freedom of labour movement.
IGAD’s Executive Secretary H.E Workneh Gebeyehu, in his address at the Conference which was delivered by Mme Fathia Alwan, the IGAD Director for Health and Social Development noted that education, especially for refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons – IDPs, and host communities is a fundamental right and a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Gebeyehu argued that the IGAD region citizens like the African continent, demand access to quality, affordable, equitable, and relevant education and skills development opportunities to benefit the dynamic, creative, receptive, and innovative population of the young people.
Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Education and Sports who represented the First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, the Minister of Education said Uganda believes the qualification framework will provide opportunities for education and employment of citizens among the Member States.
The IGAD Heads of State and Governments in March 2017 adopted the Djibouti Declaration which emphasized five key strategic interventions; inclusion of refugees and returnees into national education systems with a multi-year cost plan of action; higher education and post-secondary skills and competencies, accreditation and certification of education.
The IGAD region hosts an estimated 15 million displaced people, excluding voluntary migrants. This includes 5.2 million refugees and 9.6 million IDPs, especially those being forcibly displaced from their villages in some of the Member States due to ongoing armed conflicts.
Owing to economic, social, cultural, and religious limitations, school dropout in the IGAD region is one of the highest, especially among girls. The education experts assert that the problem is compounded by the low quality of education both in the mainstream host communities and refugee settings is a drawback to the attainment of the United Nations – UN, Sustainable Development Goal – SDG 4 and other interrelated SDGs established in 2015.
The regional instrument will recognize 20 different types of formal education qualifications including primary, vocational, and secondary, and higher education such as undergraduate and postgraduate. It will help also expand opportunities between various institutions and educational levels.
***URN***
Post Views: 1,013
https://plusnews.ug/igad-adopts-regional-education-qualification-framework/
