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  • 18.06.2025

Teachers are at the center of the new Continental Strategy for Education in Africa 2026 to 2035 (CESA 26-35)

This blog post is co-authored by Sophia Ashipala, Head for Education at the African Union Commission, and Quentin Wodon, Director of UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa.
 

Education remains a top priority for Africa. As part of work carried under the Year of Education in 2024, the African Union conducted a review of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025 (CESA 16-25) and prepared a new strategy for 2026-2035 (CESA 26-35). The new strategy was approved at the African Union’s summit in February 2025 and is now available on the website of the African Union. Separately, the African Union also approved a new strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), also now available online.

CESA 26-35 comprises of four parts: (1) A brief investment case; (2) A review of selected challenges; (3) A framework for action; and (4) A discussion on governance, communications, and monitoring. Part I for the investment case considers (i) Human rights, peace and sustainable development, including considerations related to gender, equity, and inclusion; (ii) Health and social benefits; and (iii) Labor market benefits. Part II reviews progress (or the lack thereof) for schooling and learning, as well as the links between both. It also provides a summary of key findings from the CESA 16-25 review. Part III is the core of the strategy. It provides a framework for action with six strategic areas of focus and 20 objectives. Part IV is about governance, communications, and data for monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Teachers are at the core of CESA 26-35, with three objectives under the second strategic area in the strategy that focuses on teachers. These three objectives are: (1) Improve teacher policies, education, professional development, and accountability; (2) Increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession; and (3) Invest in school leadership including the share of female leaders where needed. The other five strategic areas under CESA 26-35 focus on (i) Resources and the enabling environment; (ii) Pre-primary to secondary education, with a focus on early learning and foundational, socio-emotional, and 21st century and labor market skills; (iii) Higher Education and TVET; (iv) Second chance programs and lifelong learning; and (v) Gender, equity, and inclusion. Several cross-cutting themes are also mentioned, including (1) digitalization and AI; (2) greening education; and (3) education in emergencies.

A simple visual aims to facilitate communications around strategic areas. The Figure below conveys the idea that education systems must be built, like a house or structure. The first two strategic areas, including the area focusing on teachers, are the foundations, followed by three pillars combined into one strategic area. These pillars relate to the foundational, socio-emotional, and 21st century skills that learners must acquire, especially through pre-primary to secondary education. Those skills also need to be emphasized at higher levels of learning, as well as in second chance programs and lifelong learning, but the period from pre-primary to secondary education is essential. Next come educational opportunities through Higher Education and TVET, and programs for children and youth out of school and for lifelong learning for adults. The roof and outside walls that encompass the whole system must ensure gender-transformative approaches, equity, and inclusion. Finally, the text at the base of the structure highlights a few critical mega-trends that education systems must adapt and respond to.

FrameworkforactionforCESA.jpg

In total, CESA 26-35 has 20 objectives, a smaller than the Action Areas (AAs) in the previous strategy for 2016 to 2025 (CESA 16-25), in part to convey prioritization. For each objective, the strategy provides a brief explanation of the importance of the objective and links to guidance related to promising interventions and approaches for achieving the objective. UNESCO IICBA played an important role in working with the African Union to draft the strategy and conduct an extensive consultation process before its approval.

As CESA 26-35 is now approved and available online, the next steps will consist in planning its dissemination and implementation. A first implementation meeting with members of the CESA task force was organized in Nairobi in May 2025. On matters related to teachers, the CESA teacher professional development cluster is in the process of providing additional guidance. For example, along CESA 26-35, a separate strategy was adopted by the African Union on mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) for teachers in Africa.

In future articles for this newsletter, we will provide more details on the MHPSS strategy and the broader implementation plans for CESA 26-35, especially as they pertain to the teaching profession in Africa.

Event
  • 05.06.2025

Teacher Task Force to present at Leeds Beckett University international conference on global teacher education

The Teacher Task Force will take part in the inaugural international conference Global Perspectives in Teacher Education: Challenging the Standard Education Model, hosted by Leeds Beckett University's Carnegie School of Education in collaboration with the British Educational Research Association.

The Teacher Task Force Secretariat will contribute to the programme through two sessions:

  • A presentation on the 2024 Global Report on Teachers: Addressing Teacher Shortages and Transforming the Profession, sharing the report’s major findings, data insights and policy recommendations.

  • An interactive session that will contribute to the development of the upcoming 2026 Global Report on Teachers.

The conference, taking place from 26–27 June 2025 in Leeds, UK, will bring together educators, researchers, policy experts, and practitioners to explore the global impact of teacher education systems, with themes including sustainability, inclusion, diversity, curriculum reform, and global citizenship. The event aims to support the achievement of the Education 2030 goals by fostering international collaboration and generating innovative responses to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.

The Teacher Task Force’s contributions will highlight how global evidence and shared learning can inform national and international efforts to strengthen teacher policy and build more equitable, resilient, and future-ready education systems.

More information and registration
👉 Register here
📍 Leeds Beckett University, UK
📅 26–27 June 2025

Event
  • 14.05.2025

Teacher Task Force to launch Arabic version of the Global Report on Teachers at GESS Saudi Arabia 2025

The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 will participate in the Saudi Arabia Global Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) conference 2025 a major international education exhibition and conference taking place in Riyadh from 26-28 May 2025.

As part of the opening high-level session on 26 May, the Teacher Task Force will launch the Arabic version of the Global Report on Teachers, entitled Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession, which has been translated into Arabic and published in collaboration with UNESCO and the UNESCO Regional Centre for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE).

A representative of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat will present key findings and recommendations from the report to an audience of key education experts and decision-makers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the wider region, and across the globe. The session will focus on the urgent need to transform the teaching profession and address teacher shortages through informed policies and strategic investment. This high-level event forms part of a wider programme of activities at GESS Saudi Arabia aimed at anticipating the future of education and fostering international cooperation.

The Teacher Task Force’s participation reflects its continued commitment to supporting countries in building stronger teacher policies and systems through global knowledge sharing and regional engagement.

Event
  • 14.05.2025

Teacher Task Force to launch Arabic version of the Global Report on Teachers at GESS Saudi Arabia 2025

The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 will participate in the Saudi Arabia Global Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) conference 2025 a major international education exhibition and conference taking place in Riyadh from 26-28 May 2025.

As part of the opening high-level session on 26 May, the Teacher Task Force will launch the Arabic version of the Global Report on Teachers, entitled Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession, which has been translated into Arabic and published in collaboration with UNESCO and the UNESCO Regional Centre for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE).

A representative of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat will present key findings and recommendations from the report to an audience of key education experts and decision-makers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the wider region, and across the globe. The session will focus on the urgent need to transform the teaching profession and address teacher shortages through informed policies and strategic investment. This high-level event forms part of a wider programme of activities at GESS Saudi Arabia aimed at anticipating the future of education and fostering international cooperation.

The Teacher Task Force’s participation reflects its continued commitment to supporting countries in building stronger teacher policies and systems through global knowledge sharing and regional engagement.