HARARE-Non-state actors (NSAs) participating in a dialogue on the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 (RISDP) are urging SADC member states to boost financing for the education sector.
Speaking at the event, Rachel Gondo from the Kuyenda Collective emphasized that SADC countries should strive to meet international benchmarks by allocating 15-20% of their national budgets or 4-6% of GDP towards education, utilizing domestic resources.
“There are several initiatives to support domestic resource mobilization, including expanding progressive tax reforms, reducing debt, eliminating illicit financial flows, and using government reserves for strategic investments,” Gondo said. She added that NSAs should monitor the utilization of resources allocated to education and other sectors.
Julie Juma from the Global Campaign for Education called on SADC member states to adapt their curricula to the needs of the 21st century, providing relevant education that focuses on lifelong skills, technology, and artificial intelligence, rather than just academic excellence.
Juma also stressed the importance of investing in teacher development and retention to address brain drain. “Teachers should be paid competitive salaries to make the profession attractive and retain talent. There should also be a strong SADC Education Management Information System (EMIS) that is digitalized and accessible to all.”
Additionally, the NSAs urged SADC member states to treat students from the region pursuing higher education as domestic students in terms of fees and accommodation, as per the SADC Protocol on Education and Training.
The dialogue participants emphasized the need for the education system to include learners, both in and out of school, in participatory planning and budgeting to ensure that educational service delivery meets the needs of teachers and students.
