The Aga Khan University's Institute for Educational Development in East Africa (IED, EA) is holding its 5th Annual Research Institute Conference on Education Leadership that Makes a Difference in the 21st Century.
Over the next three days, the conference will engage education stakeholders, academics and researchers from East Africa and overseas in research-based knowledge discussions. Deliberations are expected to chart the way forward in resolving the education challe
"In this era of educational change, technology and innovation this delegation of research experts will be looking at, among other things, the importance of creating leaders from within the classrooms, quality assurance and policy as well as the role parents and the community play in the early years and development of students"
Professor Joe Lugalla, Director IED, EA
nges in East African countries.
In his welcome remarks, Professor Joe Lugalla, director of IED in East Africa recognised the need to have focused training on leadership within teacher education. “In this era of educational change, technology and innovation this delegation of research experts will be looking at, among other things, the importance of creating leaders from within the classrooms, quality assurance and policy as well as the role parents and the community play in the early years and development of students."
He also talked about the impact the training of teachers makes when it is focused on enhancing the quality of education, and the ripple effect on all people involved in the value chain.
IED is currently in collaboration with governments in East Africa and other agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) on a five-year project to increase learning among pre-primary and primary pupils in marginalised communities across the region.
Between 2003 and 2017, the Strengthening Education Systems in East Africa (SESEA) programme which is now fully established in Mtwara and Dar Es Salaam has trained over 1,000 teachers who have impacted at least 75,000 pupils. At the same time, several projects have taken root under SESEA alone. The Fursa Kwa Watoto programme in Mwanza on the other hand trains headteachers, deputy headteachers and pre-primary teachers and to date about 600 have benefited from this programme which has impacting about 10,000 pupils in Tanzania in the past year. At least 90 public schools in Mwanza and Kilimanjaro are beneficiaries of the Fursa Kwa Watoto projects.
As the convener of this inaugural conference, AKU, through IED is keen to help harmonise the methodologies and evidences gathered throughout various studies. This will be discussed amongst the papers, posters and body of knowledge to be referred all through the conference.
The conference sub-themes include leadership; innovation and technology; effective leadership in an era of educational challenges; leadership for gender, equity and inclusiveness in education; leadership and management for quality learning in early years; quality assurance in early years; the role of policy in shaping education leadership and the role of parents and community in education leadership and management.
AKU hosts the Annual Research Institute conference to instill its core values of quality, access, relevance and impact in the context of its commitment to creating a dynamic learning environment and the sharing of research based knowledge.
