As part of a consultation visit to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, I engaged alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO in discussions with the South African Permanent Representative to UNESCO on strengthening education collaboration and cultural exchange among African nations. Our conversation focused on the importance of countries taking ownership of their education priorities by designing credible, context-appropriate programmes and ensuring reforms are informed by reliable data. We also emphasized the need to improve teacher quality, strengthen communication with parents and communities, and align policy design with on-the-ground realities. The engagement reinforced the value of sustained relationship-building, shared learning, and presenting a common African voice in multilateral education spaces. By learning from one another’s experiences and understanding our diverse contexts, we can collectively improve education outcomes for our children across the continent.

As part of a consultation visit to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, I engaged alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO in discussions with the South African Permanent Representative to UNESCO on strengthening education collaboration and cultural exchange among African nations. Our conversation focused on the importance of countries taking ownership of their education priorities by designing credible, context-appropriate programmes and ensuring reforms are informed by reliable data. We also emphasized the need to improve teacher quality, strengthen communication with parents and communities, and align policy design with on-the-ground realities. The engagement reinforced the value of sustained relationship-building, shared learning, and presenting a common African voice in multilateral education spaces. By learning from one another’s experiences and understanding our diverse contexts, we can collectively improve education outcomes for our children across the continent.