On October 1, 2025, the African Union Commission (AUC) launched the African Union (AU) Decade of Accelerated Action for the Transformation of Education and Skills Development in Africa (2025-2034) at the organisation’s headquarters in Addis Ababa. The launch of the AU Decade for Education is a reiteration of the African Union’s commitment to achieving inclusive and quality education, directly aligned with the goals of Agenda 2063 and the global Sustainable Development Goals.
This transformative decade integrates the strategic implementation of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 26–35), the Continental Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET-34), and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-34). These frameworks prioritize systemic reform, teacher professionalism, foundational learning, digital and green skills, and STI-driven education.
The AU Decade of Education strives to achieves the following objectives: Promote reforms to strengthen teacher education systems across the continent by aligning national policies with CESA 26–35, CTVET-34, and STISA-34 to ensure teacher readiness for foundational learning, STEM, and digital transformation; Strengthen regional networks and knowledge-sharing platforms for teachers, policy makers, and educational institutions through the launch of the Teacher CoP platform; Promote recognition, valorisation, and professional development of teachers through continental frameworks and standards that support mobility, continuous learning, and career advancement; Foster multi-stakeholder collaboration to mobilize resources and implement integrated education strategies that respond to Africa’s demographic, economic, and technological realities; Finding solutions to critical challenges, such as teacher shortages, gender equity, and the integration of technology in education; Facilitate discussions on best practices, innovations, and research in teacher education; Encourage stakeholders in developing actionable policies that enhance teacher training, retention, professional development and social dialogue; and Encourage AU Member States to commit to teacher valorisation and increased investment in teacher training and management systems.
The success of the (AU) Decade of Accelerated Action for the Transformation of Education and Skills Development in Africa (2025-2034) will rely on the collaboration of diverse stakeholders across Africa. Key actors include governments, ministers of education, teacher councils, and regional bodies to drive policy alignment; teacher associations and unions to champion educators’ voices; development partners such as UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank for technical and financial support; academic and research institutions for capacity building; NGOs and civil society for advocacy; EdTech and telecom companies for digital innovation; students and youth for engagement; and media and private sector partners for outreach and sponsorship. The launch ceremony was marked by firm pledges from Member States representing all five African regions, together with UN agencies, continental bodies, and international partners. Participants reiterated their strong commitment to advancing the implementation of the AU Decade of Education and the related strategies unveiled. Importantly, partners underscored that adopting these frameworks alone is not enough—what matters most is achieving real, measurable progress on the ground to transform education data and outcomes in Africa. All stakeholders vowed to collaborate closely with the African Union and national governments to intensify efforts toward reshaping the continent’s education landscape.
The announcement of the AU Decade of Education was made on the opening day of the Pan African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED 2025) at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa. Addressing the conference, Gaspard Banyankimbona, AU commissioner for education, science, technology and innovation, said, “despite their pivotal role, teachers across Africa face shortages, inadequate training, low morale, and insufficient recognition.” In the same vein, Ethiopian State Minister of Education Ayelech Eshete said the rapidly growing school-aged population and shortage of qualified teachers across Africa demand urgent attention among policymakers, as well as continental and international partners. Only nine sub-Saharan African countries are expected to have enough primary school teachers by 2030, according to the state minister.
The launch of the AU Decade of Education will thus help in ensuring the development of inclusive, resilient education systems across Africa.
