Africa showcases 50 promising education innovations at the IEA virtual expo 2021
The African Union Commission together with its partners organized the ‘Innovating Education in Africa Virtual Expo 2021’ to showcase technical innovations in education. The expo kicked off by showcasing 50 innovations with the aim of establishing a platform for experience sharing on relevant innovations that address education challenges in Africa and to foster partnerships for sustainability and resilience of their innovations.
Innovating Education in Africa (IEA) is a flagship programme of the African Union Commission and partners, intended to identify and promote practical social and technological innovations aimed at enhancing access, quality, relevance, and inclusion in education in order to release the potential for empowerment, employability and inventiveness thereby improving education outcomes and impact in Africa.
Supporting the programme are key partners including the European Union, GIZ and technical partners ADEA, Mastercard Foundation, Ashoka, AfDB, GPE, GeSCI, HP, UNESCO, UNICEF, Plan International, Association of African Universities, Education International, FAWE, mEducation Alliance, CAFOR, ANCEFA and AUDA NEPAD. These innovations show a promise to be further developed, replicated and upscaled to increase their impact and also represent the inventiveness being demonstrated by mostly Africa’s young change makers that are finding solutions to critical challenges and bottlenecks in the education system.
With over 400,000 beneficiaries from education systems across Africa, the program has demonstrated the importance of investing in education innovations through engagement with Member States, innovators and development partners: and by providing recognition at all levels, national, regional and continental.
In her opening remarks H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) stressed that innovation is no longer an option, but a key necessity to adapt and secure the future of education, not only in Africa but worldwide. Prof. Anyang Agbor added that the African Union will continue to work with Member States, RECs and partners to support these innovations with the goal of improving access, quality and management of education and training systems in line with the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) to contribute to the achievement of Agenda 2063 aspirations.
