A delegation from the Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO) recently attended the International Quality Education Conference (IQEC) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The theme of this year’s conference was “Rethinking Education Systems for the 4th Industrial Revolution.”
The conference featured vital discussions on transforming education to equip young people with skills for the future while preventing violence against children. Key issues highlighted were the need to reform curricula to focus more on 21st century competencies like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and incorporate more practical vocational skills.
The emphasis on flexible education pathways in the new Tanzanian policy, providing students choice between an academic or vocational track. “This resonated with our belief that education should meet the diverse talents and interests of all students,” said Ms. Leela Thomas,
An important highlight was the newly launched National Education for Sustainable Development Strategic Framework that integrates sustainability into all levels of education. “As youth activists concerned about our planet, we strongly support this initiative and will advocate for its adoption in our country,”
Overall, GAYO found the Learnings from the conference extremely relevant for advancing the gender equality and girls’ education agenda globally. “We connected with so many change-makers and are excited to collaborate across borders to empower students and create lasting social impact,” concluded the GAYO Programs Manager.
