East Africa Told to Turn Education Promises into Jobs, Skills and Better Learning
By Fride Amiani
Nairobi, Wednesday 26 August, 2026 East African governments have been challenged to move beyond education policies and commitments and focus on delivering measurable improvements in learning outcomes, skills development and employment opportunities for the region’s rapidly growing youth population.
Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs and Regional Development Beatrice Askul said while East Africa had made significant progress in expanding access to education, increased enrolment had not translated into corresponding improvements in the quality of learning.
Askul said governments must now shift their focus from making policy commitments to implementing reforms that produce tangible results for learners and communities.
“Education policy must be judged not by the elegance of our policy documents, but by what learners can know, do, and access,” she said.
The CS spoke on Wednesday during the second EAC Regional Education Conference in Nairobi, where education stakeholders from across the region gathered to examine ways of transforming education systems to respond to emerging economic and social needs.
Askul said the region must urgently address the growing disconnect between education systems and the demands of the modern labour market, particularly as technological advances and artificial intelligence reshape workplaces.
She warned that education systems that fail to anticipate changes in the economy risk leaving young people with qualifications that do not translate into meaningful employment or productivity.
East Africa, she noted, has a population of more than 300 million people, most of whom are young, creating a significant opportunity for governments to harness human capital for economic development.
According to Askul, strengthening education systems and equipping young people with relevant skills could help the region increase productivity, improve livelihoods and accelerate sustainable economic growth.
She also called for successful education innovations to be taken beyond individual schools and districts and integrated into national education systems.
The CS said governments should identify interventions that have demonstrated positive results and create mechanisms to scale them up so that their benefits can reach more learners across the region.
Association for the Development of Education in Africa Executive Secretary Albert Nsengiyumva challenged delegates to ensure the conference results in concrete actions rather than another set of commitments.
“Being the second conference shows that we are committed to change and we have a great potential that we need to tap into,” Nsengiyumva said.
He urged participants to use the conference as a platform for identifying practical measures that can change how education is delivered and improve outcomes for learners.
Uwezo Uganda Executive Director and Regional Education Learning Initiative Africa Board Chair Mary Goretti said achieving equitable and quality education would require resilient education systems supported by stronger partnerships.
Goretti stressed the need for governments and education stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and ensure that policy commitments are translated into measurable improvements in learning outcomes.
EAC Deputy Secretary-General Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth said education and skills development remained central to regional integration.
She noted that the EAC Treaty provides for cooperation among member states in education and training, making the sector an important component of the region’s integration agenda.
Uganda Minister of State for Education and Sports Phyllis Chemutai called on governments to critically examine existing education interventions and determine whether they were delivering the desired results.
She urged policymakers to identify programmes that are working, strengthen them and address interventions that have failed to produce meaningful change.
The call comes against a backdrop of persistent challenges affecting education systems across East Africa, including inequalities in access and quality, weak transitions between different levels of education and skills mismatches.
The limited connection between technical and vocational education and the needs of industry has also continued to constrain efforts to prepare young people for the labour market.
The rise of artificial intelligence is adding another layer of urgency, with employers increasingly demanding digital, technical and adaptive skills that traditional education systems may not adequately provide.
The four-day EAC Regional Education Conference, running from August 25 to 28 in Nairobi, is being held under the theme, “Transforming Education in East Africa: From Commitments to Impact, Fostering Resilience and Future-Ready Systems for Sustainable Development.”
The conference is expected to provide a platform for governments, education experts and other stakeholders to review progress, share successful approaches and develop practical strategies for building education systems capable of preparing East Africa’s young population for the future.
For the region, the central challenge is no longer simply getting more children and young people into classrooms, but ensuring that they acquire the knowledge and skills needed to thrive, contribute to their economies and secure meaningful opportunities in an increasingly competitive world.
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