ADEA subscribes to the Regional Conference on Education in Nomadic Areas in the Sahel-Saharan Regions

In September, 2013 ADEA’s former Executive Secretary, Mr. Ahlin Byll-Cataria and Mr. Hamidou Boukary, currently Acting Executive Secretary met with the Prime Minister of Niger and four ministers in charge of the different sub-sectors of education (TVET, Primary, Secondary and Higher Education). In addition, they also met with the Director of the Executive Secretariat of the Strategy for Development and Security (SDS) in the Sahelo-Saharan Regions located within the Prime Minister’s Office. The program is part of a national and regional strategy to address the instability in the northern part of Niger where a quasi-war situation persists. At the invitation of the Director to contribute to the Regional Conference on Education in the Nomadic areas of the Sahel Saharan regions, ADEA produced some analytical work and supports programs serving nomadic people in the Sahel region through its Working Group on Non-Formal Education (WGNFE). As a follow up to this initiative, Acting Executive Secretary, Hamidou Boukary and the Coordinator of the Working Group on Non-Formal Education, Ibrahima Bah-Lalya participated in this regional conference on education for nomads and contributed a paper that summarized ADEA’s activities and lessons learned during more than 15 years of involvement in the education of nomadic and difficult to reach populations. ADEA also chaired the panel on Policy and Strategy which provided most of the recommendations for the Conference. The Conference Declaration calls on ADEA to lead the development of a medium-term Strategic Policy Framework that will outline the key strategies for reforming education systems and directing investment. This will be carried out under the political leadership of the Community of the Sahelo-Saharan countries (CEN-SAD). The Acting Executive Secretary met the Hon. Mrs Mariama Ibrahim, Minister of Primary Education, Literacy and Civic Education of Niger, and discussed issues related to Niger’s participation in the ADEA Steering Committee. Implications for future work The Working Group on Non Formal Education (WGNFE) will lead the process of the drafting of the Medium-Term Strategic Policy Framework. There is a need to liaise with the SDS Executive Secretariat and the CEN-SAD to agree on timeframe and the resources. ADEA will explore the modalities for the implementation of this key conference recommendation.