Building Strong Foundations in Education Resilience and Early Learning at ADEA Triennale 2025
At the 2025 ADEA Triennale in Accra, Ghana, the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX), a joint endeavour with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) showcased research on building resilient education systems from their earliest foundations. Following the previous article on data-driven transformation, other GPE KIX presentations at the Triennale highlighted two distinct areas of applied research aimed at strengthening Africa’s education systems: building education system resilience, as showcased by the Africa Regional Education System Resilience Observatory (ARESRO), and advancing early childhood education through the African Early Childhood Network (AfECN).
The three-day conference, held from October 29-31 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 for the continent and beyond," brought together approximately 500 participants, including ministers of education, senior officials, educators, researchers, and development partners.
Education System Resilience Takes Center Stage
Among the standout sessions was a presentation by Dr. Roy William Mayega from the GPE KIX Africa Regional Education System Resilience Observatory (ARESRO) at Makerere University's School of Public Health that examines the meanings and practices of Education System Resilience (ESR) across 42 African countries and their implications for policy, practice, and marginalized groups. He addressed the critical importance of resilience in education systems, emphasizing that despite significant investments in education, without applying a resilience lens, these investments could be undermined. He cited COVID-19 as a key example, demonstrating that without integrated resilience, systems may not be able to withstand major shocks. This presentation contributed to the theme of the Triennale by presenting an analysis of how countries across the continent approach and implement practices related to education system resilience. Boukary also echoed the impact of this work by stating how the ARESRO achievements have received great praise from ADEA and several organizations at the conference for speaking directly to the main theme and objectives of the Triennale which aim to strengthen the resilience of African education systems.
Early Childhood Education as a Foundation for Learning
GPE KIX has played a crucial role in bringing together partners and strengthening communities of practice, providing platforms for knowledge exchange within countries and across the region. Moses Abiero, Technical Advisor for the African Early Childhood Network (AfECN), highlighted this aspect during his presentation at a side event during the conference. He coordinates the GPE KIX project implementation in Cameroon, Burundi, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and The Gambia and discussed the current state and importance of early childhood education (ECE) in Africa.
Abiero noted that participants were eager to learn and exchange experiences on how early childhood education relates to foundational learning. There was significant interest in best practices, especially those derived from lessons learned in different countries. "This was particularly evident during my presentation on the GPE KIX synthesis report, which showcased some of the best practices from various project countries," he added. "I believe this helped ground countries and partners in the existing evidence and effective strategies for early childhood education."
National Ownership Drives Sustainable Transformation
The 2025 ADEA Triennale demonstrated that sustainable change requires not just investments and innovations, but a fundamental shift in how education systems are designed, managed, and sustained. This is why the participation of GPE KIX country representatives at the Triennale was important. The national ownership of programs, as well as the planning and innovations showcased, were not externally imposed solutions, but homegrown solutions rooted in the local context.
With strong interest from partners, including ADEA, and the enthusiastic engagement of participants, GPE KIX has positioned itself not as an external implementer but as a catalyst and partner supporting national-led educational transformation.
From understanding what makes education systems resilient to investing in the earliest years of learning, the path forward is clear: evidence-based, nationally owned, and driven by changemakers themselves, including African educators, policymakers, and stakeholders, who are building resilient education systems for the continent and beyond.
About ADEA Triennale 2025
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 catalysts in promoting innovative policies and practices by pooling ideas, experiences, learning, and knowledge. The anticipated impact of ADEA's work is that African countries will be empowered to transform schooling into learning, thereby contributing to Africa's sustainable social and economic transformation.
