Rethinking the Role of Education: at the Key Moment of Global Transformation

Education is one of the fundamental human rights and a prerequisite for social and economic development as expressed in the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union (AU) 2030 Agenda. In Tanzania, the Government and other stakeholders are implementing SDG 4 with a focus on “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Tanzania Education Network / Mtandao wa Elimu Tanzania (TEN/MET)1 in collaboration with other stakeholders in Africa and beyond convened for the second International Quality Education Conference (IQEC) on 17th - 19th August held at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The overall objective of IQEC was to exchange and share experiences, innovations in education, best practices, research findings on education delivery and leadership, and management of education for better policy and practice. The conference was an opportunity and avenue for policymakers, delegates across Africa and beyond, researchers, educationists, academia, stakeholders, and students to interact and share knowledge on the role of education in the key moments of a global transformation. Also, the conference was an incentive to cause stakeholders to think and generate sustainable solutions that will unlock the generational quest for quality, equitable inclusive education. Further, the conference steered discussions on financing quality education and what can be done including the levels of investment to match the needs of quality inclusive education. It uncovered trends in education and provided an avenue for stakeholders to learn unique perspectives in re-imagining the future of education in the African context, challenges, and opportunities.