East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 25th April, 2023: The East African Community (EAC) has developed and adopted seven strategic education plans as part of efforts to facilitate the quick integration of the education sector in East Africa.
EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, stated that the strategic plans are at the basic and tertiary levels of education, namely: Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Education, TVET, Continuing and Non-Formal Education, and Special Needs Education.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 16th March, 2023: Academic institutions and private sector companies in the East African Community (EAC) have been urged to develop strong partnerships to produce graduates with skills to succeed in employment.
Speaking at the 12th Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and Exhibition held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Chief Guest, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Prof. Adolf Faustine Mkenda, urged educational institutions, and the private sector to work together to produce market-driven programmes that are responsive to the dynamic needs of the labour market and train graduates that are relevant for the socio-economic development of the region.
Dr. Irene C. Isaka, the Director Social Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, representing the EAC Secretary General, urged academic institutions to work with the private sector to develop curricula that is in tandem with the requirements of the labour market.
“I would like to encourage you to continue to work together to constantly review and adapt your curricula to remain in tandem with the current development agenda of the region, and requirements of the labour market,” Dr Isaka said.
The IUCEA Executive Secretary, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, observed that skills required to succeed in employment are constantly evolving which necessitates close collaboration between the private sector and higher education institutions to keep pace with the changes demands in the world of work.
“The reality of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning demonstrates the need to continuously revise and alter our training to develop learners that are able to adapt to the changing demands in employment. Some of the skills learnt today in our various learning ecosystems become outdated even before students graduate. Therefore, it is only through strong partnerships between academia and the private sector that we shall be able to identify skills required for future success in the job market,” said Prof. Banyankimbona.
Mr. Johannes Sperrfechter, BMZ Representative and Head of Regional Development Cooperation at German Embassy, on behalf of the Ambassador, Dr Regine Hess, disclosed that the German Government had committed 2.5m Euros additional funds to the dSkills@EA project to strengthen its support and initiatives in the Master Programme, digital skills trainings and entrepreneurship support.
Amb. Hess said that IUCEAA and GIZ will sign their implementation agreement on Friday at the conference.
The Chief Executive Officer of the East African Business Council (EABC), Mr John Bosco Kalisa said to achieve greater productivity, countries must focus on demand-driven technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, and business training programmes tied to sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
"Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines require special attention focusing on the transfer and adoption of technology," said Mr. Kalisa.
The APPPF is a biennial forum that brings together universities, technical and vocational colleges, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and private sector to deliberate on how to foster joint dialogue and enhance the linkage between the private sector and higher education institutions, as well as government institutions. This year’s forum was organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in partnership with the German Cooperation, through GIZ, the East African Business Council (EABC) and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
For more Information contact:
Godwin Bonge Muhwezi, Communication Officer Inter University Council Tel: 256 414 256 251/2 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.iucea.org
Anthony Taiti Head of Corporate Affairs Pan African University Tel: +254730955555 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)
Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is an institution of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for development and coordination of higher education and research in the region. IUCEA members include accredited public and private universities, commissions and councils responsible for Higher education in EAC Partner States.
For more information, please visit theIUCEA website.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15th December, 2022: The Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), Hon. Dr. Peter Mutuku Mathuki has said that the recently EAC Council of Ministers approved regional bioeconomy strategy will be a key factor to promoting food security and sustainable agriculture in the region.
Dr. Mathuki said that the bioeconomy strategy – the first of its kind in Africa and the second in the world after that of the European Union – willincrease opportunities for the EAC Partner States to deepen their cooperation in developing a sustainable and resilient bioeconomy.
“Through the strategy, EAC Partner States will scale-up their bio-innovations, share scientific knowledge, and harmonise policies, standards, and regulations for bio-manufacturing and regional trade,” said Dr. Mathuki.
Bujumbura, Burundi, 10th July, 2022 : The 13th General Assembly of Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) has elected new members of the IUCEA Governing Board and Prof. Calixte Kabera, Vice Chancellor, East African University, Republic of Rwanda as the Chairperson, for two years (2022-2024).
The General Assembly, which is the highest policy making organ of IUCEA, is comprised of Vice Chancellors and Principals from Member Universities, representatives of Ministries responsible for Higher Education and representatives of the Private Sector from EAC Partner States.
Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th July, 2022:Maelfu ya wazungumzaji wa lugha ya Kiswahili toka Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki wamewaomba wakuu wa nchi za Jumuiya, kuongeza jitihada za kuiimarisha lugha ya Kiswahili na kubuni mbinu bora za kukuza na kuiendeleza lugha hii.
Wito huo ulikaribishwa na Rais wa Zanzibar na Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi, Zanzibar, Mhe. Dkt Hussein Ali Mwinyi, aliyekuwa mgeni wa rasmi katika hafla ya kuadhimisha Siku ya Lugha ya Kiswahili Duniani, iliyofika kilele chake leo, tarehe 7 Julai, 2022, Zanzibar.
East African Science and Technology Commission, 07th July, 2022: The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) organized a five-day virtual training workshop “Entrepreneurship Skills Training for Creativity and Job Creation” targeting university students in East Africa.
The training was conducted virtually using the EASTECO customized FLOOR platform from Monday, 27th June to Friday, 1st July, 2022.
Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th July 2022:Mamia ya wazungumzaji wa lugha ya Kiswahili kutoka bara zima la Afrika wamekusanyika Zanzibar, katika hafla ya kuadhimisha Siku ya Lugha ya Kiswahili Duniani, iliyopangwa kufanyika tarehe 7 Julai 2022. Hafla ya maadhimisho haya hii imewaleta pamoja wahimizaji wa utumizi wa lugha ya Kiswahili kutoka nchi mbalimbali za Afrika Mashariki wakiwemo walimu na wanafunzi na wanahabari. Maadhimisho yamendaliwa na Kamisheni ya Kiswahili ya Afrika Mashariki (East Africa Kiswahili Commission) , taasisi iliyo chini ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki (East African Community).
Maadhimisho ya lugha ya kiswahili yenye Kauli Mbiu: Kiswahili kwa Amani, Ustawi na Utangamano wa Kikanda yanatokana na uamuzi wa Kikao cha 41 cha Shirika la Umoja wa Kimataifa la Elimu, Sayansi na Utamaduni (UNESCO) uliofanyika tarehe 5 Novemba 2021. Uamuzi huo umeipa lugha ya Kiswahili kipaumbele kwa kuridhia maombi ya kuwa na Siku ya Kiswahili Duniani. Kutokana na uamuzi huo Siku ya Kiswahili Duniani itaadhimisha 7 Julai kila mwaka.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27th May 2022 – Countries in Eastern Africa including Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania have begun cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) after adopting the Regional TVET Qualifications Framework.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting by Hon. Dr. Bekir Shale, the State Minister, Ministry of Labour & Skills, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Dr. Margaret Mwakima, the Principal Secretary State Department of Vocational and Technical Training, Ministry of Education, Republic of Kenya; Prof. Eliamani M. Sedoyeka, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, United Republic of Tanzania, the three countries re-affirmed their “commitment to foster regional integration by adopting the Regional TVET Qualifications Framework and Tanzania and 44 related regional occupational standards developed under EASTRIP”.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 26th April, 2022: The 17th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports (SCESTCS) has just been concluded in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
The Sectoral Council considered matters of Education and Training; Culture and Sports; East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC); the Inter- University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO).
In her opening remarks, the Chairperson of the meeting, Dr. Sarah Ruto, the Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Kenya, commended the Secretariat for the achievements so far made in the Sector.
Dr. Ruto said that Education, Science and Technology were key to the region’s development, adding that there was still much more to be done especially in skilling the youths with the required skills and competencies.
Kampala, Uganda, 3rd March, 2022: The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is pleased to announce that 63 scholarships have been awarded to applicants from all the six (6) East African Community Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).
The call for the 3rd cohort attracted more than 1,450 applicants who went through a rigorous selection process involving pre-admission into the university and scholarship assessment. The eligibility to the scholarship included being a citizen of an EAC Partner State, being below thirty-five and a holder of a relevant bachelor’s degree at the level of at least upper second-class Honours or “distinction”.
