EAC to Convene 2nd Regional Education Conference in Nairobi to Drive Education Transformation
The conference will bring together high-level government officials, policymakers, education practitioners, teachers, students, youth representatives, academia and research institutions, civil society organisations and development partners
KAMPALA, August 18, 2026 — The East African Community [EAC] will convene the 2nd EAC Regional Conference on Education in Nairobi, Kenya, from August 24-28, 2026, to accelerate practical action towards transforming education systems across the region.
The five-day conference will be held under the theme, “Transforming Education in East Africa: From Commitments to Impact, Fostering Resilience and Future-Ready Systems for Sustainable Development.”
The conference will bring together high-level government officials, policymakers, education practitioners, teachers, students, youth representatives, academia and research institutions, civil society organisations and development partners.
It will provide a strategic regional platform for stocktaking, policy dialogue, knowledge exchange and collective action, with a strong focus on moving from commitments to measurable and sustainable impact.
Participants will review progress made since the 1st EAC Regional Conference on Education, held in Arusha, Tanzania, in August 2024; identify systemic and implementation gaps; and agree on priority actions to accelerate education transformation at national and regional levels.
The 2nd conference comes at a critical time when education systems across East Africa continue to face persistent inequalities in access and quality, weak transitions between levels of education, skills mismatches and limited links between Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] and industry.
Speaking ahead of the conference, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive and Social Sectors, Aguer Ariik Malueth, said the meeting will focus on strengthening foundational learning and teacher capacity, as well as promoting inclusive education.
“Particular attention will be given to future-ready skills, leveraging digitalisation and innovation and improving education financing and governance,” said Ariik.
The conference will also advance the East African Common Higher Education and Research Area [EACHEA], with emphasis on harmonisation, innovation and partnerships to improve the quality and relevance of higher education.
Ariik said the conference is expected to generate practical policy recommendations and implementation actions. It is also expected to produce a conference communiqué or roadmap outlining agreed commitments, flagship initiatives, timelines and next steps.
The conference builds on the outcomes of the 1st EAC Regional Conference on Education and follows the approval by the 15th Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports to establish an EAC Regional Forum on Education.
The forum is anchored in Articles 102 and 103 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, which provide for cooperation in education and training, as well as science and technology.
Dr Mary Goretti Nakabugo, Co-Chair of the Conference Organising Committee, called on stakeholders across the region to participate in the conference and strengthen collective action towards transforming education systems.
“We call upon all stakeholders — governments, academia, civil society and development partners — to join us in Nairobi. Together, we can foster resilient and future-ready education systems that drive East Africa’s transformation,” she said.
The conference will feature pre-conference co-workshops, keynote addresses, plenary and round-table discussions, policy dialogues, country exhibitions, fireside chats and interactive question-and-answer sessions designed to facilitate evidence-based dialogue, cross-country learning and the co-creation of solutions.
The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organisation comprising the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. The EAC aims to expand and deepen economic, political, social, and cultural integration to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value-added production, trade, and investment.
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