The third edition of the Education Research in Africa Award (ERAA) has now been completed!

Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) 29th April 2020 – Launched in late 2018, the third edition of the Education Research in Africa Award (ERAA) has come to an end.

Like the previous ones, this edition of the ERAA research work focused on a wide range of thematic areas, but the following received special attention: technical and vocational skills development (TVSD); early childhood development and education (ECDE); information and communication technology (ICT); science, technology and innovation (STI); gender; special education needs; teacher training and professional development; and the teaching profession. The Award also gave attention to education, training and capacity strengthening work related to the African Development Bank’s five development priority areas referred to as the High 5s: energy, food and agriculture, industrialization, continental integration, and improving the quality of life for the people.

Fourteen (14) African and Africanist researchers and education specialists working in universities, research centers, and organizations, Pan-African institutions, and Multilateral Development Banks based in Africa and in other regions of the world constituted the juries for the Award. Based on a rigorous review process, the following three (3) African scholars and one (1) African institution have been selected for their distinctive research on education policies and practices in Africa and for creating the institutional environment that enables such research:

  1. Mr. Reda Weldemariam Nigusse (emerging educational researcher);
  2. Dr. Moses Waithanji Ngware (accomplished educational researcher);
  3. Prof. Peter L. Barasa (outstanding mentor of educational researchers);
  4. The African Virtual University (AVU) represented by Dr. Bakary Diallo (enabling institutional environment for education research).

For further information on the laureates, please visit the official website of ERAA: eraa.adeanet.org

Organized by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the African Development Institute (ECAD) of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), with financial support from the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC), ERAA aims to promote high-quality education research, produced by African universities, research centers, and research networks.

It is premised on the conviction that research on education is crucial for African education systems to function well. Indeed, research provides decision-makers with the information they need to orient policy, conduct reform and enhance the quality, equity, relevance and efficiency of their education and training systems. Yet, education research in Africa remains limited and underused. Amongst the main factors explaining this are the inadequate institutional environment for education research and the persisting weak involvement of higher education in the policy-making process.

Thus, ERAA pursues the following objectives:

  • Strengthen the link between education research and education policy-making and practice in Africa;
  • Encourage and support Africa-based researchers and their institutions to produce and disseminate rigorous and relevant research that stimulates innovative policy-making for Africa;
  • Facilitate interaction between researchers and policy-makers in order to promote the systematic use of research findings in policy conceptualization, formulation, design, implementation, and evaluation; and
  • Support the identification of strong researchers to provide content for the ADEA Knowledge Hub.

ERAA ultimately seeks the institutionalization of a culture of quality research that contributes both to informed decision-making and to the effective implementation of promising reforms and practices in Africa.

For more information, please contact:

  • Raky Gassama, Knowledge Management Officer, ADEA, T. (+225) 20.26.12.07, E. r.gassama@afdb.org  
  • Susan Emiko-Coulibaly, Capacity Development Officer, ECAD, T. (+225) 2026 31 90, E. s.emiko@afdb.org

For media enquiries, please contact: 

  • Stefano De Cupis, Senior Communications Officer, ADEA, T. (+225) 20.26.42.61, E. s.decupis@afdb.org  

 


 

About ADEA

The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) is the voice of education in Africa and a key network of Education Ministries. It plays a significant role in the education space as a convener, knowledge creator and forum for policy dialogue, working through its Inter-Country Quality Nodes (ICQNs) and the Task Force on Education Management and Policy Support. ADEA contributes to the empowerment of African countries to develop quality education and training systems that respond to the countries' emergent needs and drive social and economic transformation sustainably.

http://www.adeanet.org

About ECAD

Visit https://einstitute.afdb.org

About AfDB

Visit http://www.afdb.org

About KOAFEC

Visit http://www.koafec-conference.org