Accra, Ghana — Regional, continental, and global education leaders, partners, and innovators gather in Accra to articulate a fresh direction for education and skills development in Africa
The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, are convening a crucial conversation on the direction of Africa’s education and training sector. The 2025 ADEA Triennale on Education and Training will take place in Accra, Ghana, at the scenic Labadi Beach Hotel from October 29th to 31st, 2025, under the theme “Strengthening the resilience of Africa’s educational systems: Advancing towards ending learning poverty by 2035 with a well-educated and skilled workforce.” This edition of the Triennale is following a rich history of crucial dialogues at critical moments in Africa’s education and development journey. It builds on a rich legacy of previous editions in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2012, Dakar, Senegal in 2017, and Mauritius in 2022.
This Triennale will be the most important and consequential conversation on Africa’s education and training systems in recent history. Taking place amid shifting global priorities including declining official development assistance. The event comes at a pivotal moment as the continent resets its education agenda and charts a pathway towards sustainable, resilient, and self-reliant educational systems.
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The event will be officially opened by His Excellency John Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and will feature high-level plenary dialogues on education financing; foundational learning; school leadership and teacher professional development; education technology; data-driven decision-making in education; gender, inclusion, and climate adaptation; higher education and research; and secondary education and technical and vocational skills development (TVSD). It will dedicate a special session on “Financing Education in Africa,” exploring innovative domestic and blended financing mechanisms to sustain learning outcomes and strengthen institutional accountability. This session will feature deep insights from Africa’s private sector.
The Triennale will bring together policymakers and senior government officials across Africa, alongside global, continental, and regional leaders in education, philanthropy, and development. Confirmed high-level participants include 26 African Ministers in charge of Education and Training, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, African Union’s Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; Prof. Peter Materu, Chief Program Officer at the Mastercard Foundation; Dr. Benjamin Piper, Global Director of Education at the Gates Foundation; Dr. Pia Rebello Britto, UNICEF Director of Education and Adolescent Development; His Excellency, Serigne Thiam, High-level Envoy to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE); Mr. Anders Holm, CEO of the Hempel Foundation.
The event will convene nearly 1,000 in person and virtual participants—including researchers, civil society leaders, and youth voices—serving as the premier continental platform for dialogue, peer learning, and partnership. It will set the tone for Africa’s education priorities in the coming decade, aligning with the African Union’s Decade of Education (2025–2034), the new continental frameworks such as the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2026-2035 (CESA 26 – 35), the Continental TVET Strategy 2025-2034, and the Continental Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2034). It will also explore how education can take advantage of the opportunities offered by instruments such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), towards the realization of the vision of ending learning poverty in Africa by 2035, the aspirations of African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG-4). The recommendations from the event will contribute to ensuring that the continent with the world’s youngest population is equipped with the skills needed to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“This Triennale is not just another conference—it is Africa’s moment to lead its own education transformation agenda, “said Albert Nsengiyumva, Executive Secretary of ADEA. “We are bringing together the boldest leaders and the brightest minds to shape a future where African education systems are more resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive and attuned to our skills and development needs.”
According to Ghana’s Minister of Education, Hon Haruna Iddrisu; MP, “Ghana is honoured to host this pivotal dialogue, bringing together ministers, senior policymakers, researchers, and partners from across Africa and beyond. This is a moment to share bold ideas and proven innovations that are reshaping education on our continent. We aim to confront challenges head-on, turn them into opportunities, forge strategic partnerships, and commit to concrete actions that will accelerate learning for millions of African children — and drive the renaissance of education in Africa.”
Through evidence-based discussions and shared accountability, the 2025 ADEA Triennale aims to inspire actionable commitments that will strengthen African educational systems, build institutional resilience, and align skills development with the demands of a rapidly changing global economy.
What stakeholders and partners are saying
Dr Conrad Sackey, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Sierra Leone
“The ADEA Triennale is an essential platform for shaping the future of education across Africa. It allows us to align our efforts and turn shared commitments into real progress. Through this dialogue, we can build the resilient and inclusive education systems our children deserve. For Sierra Leone, I look forward to outcomes that will strengthen our work in foundational learning and skills development which are key pillars of our national education agenda.”
Hon. Douglas Syakalima, Minister of Education, Zambia
“The Government of the Republic of Zambia, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, Champion of Foundational Learning in Africa, has placed high priority on ending learning poverty through strong investments in Early Childhood Education (ECE). With thousands of trained teachers deployed, new ECE Hub centres and ECE Satellite centres under construction, and ongoing efforts to digitalize ECE data management, Zambia is reforming its education system to equip every learner with the competencies needed for national development. The ADEA Triennale offers us a valuable opportunity to share our progress, learn from others, and strengthen our collective drive toward quality foundational learning for all.”
Prof. Peter Materu, Chief Program Officer, Mastercard Foundation emphasized the importance of secondary education as the most effective pathway in enabling access to dignified and fulfilling work for young people in Africa.
“ Africa’s young people are the most important asset that the continent has, now and for a long time to come. To unlock that potential, we must strengthen secondary education. There is ample evidence to show that completing twelve years or equivalent of education not only leads to improved livelihoods for individuals but also has multiple knock-on effects on socio-economic development. This is especially true for young women. To get this right, communities, governments, educators, and the private sector ought to work together to make education more inclusive, relevant, and connected to work so as to create pathways for millions of young people to thrive. This Triennale offers an important opportunity to turn this shared vision into shared action.”
His Excellency, Serigne Thiam, High-Level Envoy, Global Partnership for Education
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“ The ADEA Triennale is an opportunity to reimagine education delivery on the continent. At the Triennale, governments and partners are shaping the transformation agenda that will define our Africa’s future. For GPE, this dialogue is essential. We are here to champion stronger sustainable financing and ensure every child’s learning is at the heart of Africa’s development story .”
About ADEA
The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) serves as a critical voice and a forum for policy dialogue on education in Africa. Hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, ADEA envisions a “high-quality African education and training geared towards the promotion of critical skills for accelerated and sustainable development in Africa.” We act as a catalyst in promoting innovative policies and practices by pooling ideas, experiences, learning, and knowledge. The anticipated impact of ADEA’s work is African countries that are empowered to transform schooling into learning, contributing to Africa’s sustainable social and economic transformation.
About the Ministry of Education, Ghana
The Ministry of Education Ghana was established in 1957 to formulate and coordinate education policies, set standards, and monitor and evaluate their implementation. The Ministry, supported by its agencies such as the Ghana Education Service, the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) works to ensure that quality education is accessible to all Ghanaians to support human capital and national development. We believe education is the ultimate game changer and opens many doors of opportunity and promise. We are committed to preparing all Ghanaians for success in the world of work. We achieve this by developing an educational system that focuses on promoting problem-solving, creativity, and building critical skills through academic, technical, and vocational programs.
