Kenya to Host PASET Conference for African Education Ministers
In April 2024, Kenya is gearing up to host a two-day Conference on Partnerships for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET). The conference will bring together Ministers of Education from 12 African countries, fostering discussions on strategies to enhance Africa’s capabilities in preparing a skilled workforce for the modern industrial economies on the continent.
Led by Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, the Ministry of Education recently conducted a breakfast meeting at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) with development partners to discuss the upcoming event. The theme of the conference revolves around ‘leveraging Technical, Vocational, and Technical Training (TVET) in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialization.’
Key attendees included Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Dr. Belio Kipsang, alongside counterparts in University Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, and Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Esther Muoria.
Machogu highlighted the critical shortage of manpower in key STEM areas across Africa, asserting that PASET holds the potential to address these skills and knowledge gaps. The UNICEF Representative to Kenya, Shaheen Nilofer, stressed the importance of nurturing skills from the early years of a child’s life.
A briefing session attended by various development partners, including the World Bank, USAID, International Labour Organisation, and UNHCR, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts in addressing Africa’s skills challenges.
PASET, an Africa-led initiative, focuses on skill development for key economic sectors supporting the continent’s socio-economic transformation. With 12 member countries, including Rwanda, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Tanzania, Somalia, Burkina Faso, and Kenya, PASET is governed by African Education Ministers, scientists, development experts, business leaders, and academics, with facilitation by the World Bank.
The meeting also saw the participation of Chief Executive Officers of State Corporations in the Ministry of Education and senior education officers.
