CAfPRA received an invitation to participate in the 2026 African Union Summit, which was held in Addis Ababa. The gathering offered a rare opportunity to observe, at close range, the policy conversations shaping Africa’s future, particularly in the critical sectors of education and health.
What became clear during the proceedings was the continued attempt by external actors to define the direction of Africa’s educational systems, especially those serving the most vulnerable. Discussions at the Congress pointed toward nominating UNICEF and UNESCO to steer Africa’s educational framework for the next decade. This approach, in our view, risks reinforcing external control over the content, values, and financing of African education.
CAfPRA took a clear and firm position: We stated that Africa’s educational system for the vulnerable must be fashioned after models that are already working on the continent, specifically the approach pioneered by the Innercity Missions for Children. This organisation has demonstrated a practical solution to the persistent challenge of domestic financing while delivering a curriculum that is unapologetically pro-African.
By putting the Innercity Missions model on the table, we challenged the assumption that only international agencies can provide leadership in this space. Africa does not lack solutions. What is often missing is the political will to prioritise and scale indigenous, values-driven approaches that strengthen rather than dilute African identity and sovereignty.
Our position remains consistent: education is not a neutral technical exercise. It is a strategic instrument for shaping the next generation. Whoever controls the curriculum, the financing model, and the institutions that deliver education ultimately influences the future of the continent.
CAfPRA will continue to engage at continental platforms to ensure that African voices, African institutions, and African solutions remain at the centre of decisions that affect our people.
