As education systems across Africa grapple with the lingering effects of COVID-19 and face increasing challenges from climate change, conflict, and other disruptions, a new initiative is underway to strengthen their resilience. Makerere University School of Public Health-Resilient Africa Network (RAN) has been awarded a grant of approximately CAD $1.5 million from the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) to establish an observatory on Education System Resilience across Africa.
The Africa Regional Education Systems Resilience Observatory (ARESRO) is one of the six regional observatories awarded under the GPE KIX Observatory on Education System Resilience Initiative and the project will be implemented in collaboration with Link Community Development, Uganda and the Resilience Research Centre (RRC) at Dalhousie University, Canada. ARESRO aims to provide Africa GPE partner countries with contextual research and evidence to strengthen the resilience of their education systems, explore stakeholder’s practice and understanding of education system resilience, and better prepare for future disruptions. The research will focus on education systems in relation to early childhood, primary, and secondary education, and teacher training.
“This project focuses on a critical issue: ensuring that education systems are resilient, even in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Dr. Roy William Mayega, RAN Deputy Chief of Party and ARESRO Principal Investigator. “ARESRO will provide valuable insights and evidence to support policymakers and practitioners in developing and implementing more effective and resilient education systems.”
RAN will leverage its regional network of African higher education institutions to lead the research activities including reviewing extant literature, interviews, and consultative workshops with key stakeholders. Eight RAN consortium members will lead the research activities:
- In East Africa, Makerere University College of Education and External Studies will lead research activities in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan, while University of Addis Ababa will lead the activities in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia.
- Across West Africa, activities will be led by University of Ghana in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Gambia; Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, and Guinea-Bissau; and Université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako in Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo.
- In Central Africa, Université de Yaoundé will lead research activities in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Sudan, and Sao Tome and Principe
- In Southern Africa, University of Zambia will lead the activities in Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Angola, while University of Malawi will lead activities in Malawi, Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique.
The ARESRO Project was launched on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. During the Virtual Launch Event attended by over 100 multidisciplinary participants including; university management teams, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports Commissioners, education specialists, researchers, innovators, development partners, the media, humanitarian/disasters preparedness professionals among others, Prof. William Bazeyo, Chief of Party of ResilientAfrica Network, highlighted the critical need for resilient education systems, stating,
“The COVID-19 pandemic plainly demonstrated the vulnerability of education systems to unexpected shocks. By establishing ARESRO, we aim to provide real-time data and insights to enable education systems to anticipate, adapt to, and recover from a wide range of disruptions”. Prof. Bazeyo also acknowledged all the support from several developmental partners including; USAID Washington D.C, USIAD Mission in Uganda, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Government of the Republic of Uganda among others.
RAN will leverage its regional network of African higher education institutions to lead the research activities including reviewing extant literature, interviews, and consultative workshops with key stakeholders. Eight RAN consortium members will lead the research activities:
- In East Africa, Makerere University College of Education and External Studies will lead research activities in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan, while University of Addis Ababa will lead the activities in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia.
- Across West Africa, activities will be led by University of Ghana in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Gambia; Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, and Guinea-Bissau; and Université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako in Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo.
- In Central Africa, Université de Yaoundé will lead research activities in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Sudan, and Sao Tome and Principe
- In Southern Africa, University of Zambia will lead the activities in Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Angola, while University of Malawi will lead activities in Malawi, Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique.
The ARESRO Project was launched on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. During the Virtual Launch Event attended by over 100 multidisciplinary participants including; university management teams, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports Commissioners, education specialists, researchers, innovators, development partners, the media, humanitarian/disasters preparedness professionals among others, Prof. William Bazeyo, Chief of Party of ResilientAfrica Network, highlighted the critical need for resilient education systems, stating,
Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health in her remarks noted that “ARESRO is about proactively anticipating, planning for, and adapting to various challenges to ensure continuity and quality education for all learners in Africa. We are happy that this project is being launched today and is going to add to generating evidence and innovations to strengthen our systems within the education sector also incorporating issues related to overall preparedness while additionally speaking to the response framework. For enabling this to happen or realization of this project, we would like to appreciate the support of all the actors” Prof. Wanyenze added.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, emphasized the significance of the ARESRO Project in advancing Makerere‘s vision of becoming a research-led and innovation-intensive institution. “It is through such innovative projects that we can offer solutions to address the development challenges within our communities,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe also appreciated the support from all partners including the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange who are funding the ARESRO Project. He noted that these contributions go a long way in strengthening the resilience of education systems in Africa. He also highlighted that IDRC is a longtime partner of Makerere University and the institution does not take this partnership for granted. “Such support has helped Makerere to be more relevant to the communities in which we live and serve” he added.
- Listen in to Launch recording | Passcode: 3@W.u9!x
