The Director General (DG) in the Ministry of Education, Dr Elyas Abdi has said accurate information has the potential to effectively enable learners to get quality education in school systems in Africa.
Abdi said the use of evidence from education research can help governments develop policies, programmes and projects that greatly improve foundational learning and ensure that children are able to understand the curriculum without let or hindrance.
The DG spoke during a press conference on the sidelines of the launch of the International Working Group (IWG) at a Nairobi Hotel Wednesday. The event was organised by Education.org, an independent, non-profit initiative, dedicated to bringing the best available evidence to education leaders worldwide.
The workshop aims at creating linkages between education research and education policy making process in Africa. The DG General said Kenya, like other African Countries, has made huge investments in education.
He, however, said access to education was not enough. “We must ensure that the children who get into the school actually learn,” he said adding that if they cannot read, they cannot learn anything.
He said the use of evidence obtained from research has the capacity to improve the quality of education if it’s used to make policies on education.
The Chief Executive Officer of Education.Org, Dr Randa Grob-Zakhary said the organisation aimed to harness evidence from education research and analyze it for use by national education systems in policy formulation.
“Greater use of the invaluable experience and insights of African practitioners and researchers, will lead to improved education policies and better outcomes for children and young people in Kenya and around the world,” she said.
The IWG has 35 delegates from 17 countries – nine of which are African – reflecting the interest in the work of the group for education policy making and practice on the continent.
Managing Director, Africa at Education.org, Dr Kilemi Mwiria said Education Org worked with National Education for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) on accelerated learning for children in Northern Kenya to ensure continuity in education for school going children in the area.
By Hamdi Mohamud
