Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 28 May 2019

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) is hosting a two day national stakeholders’ consultative meeting from the 28th to the 29th of May 2019 on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The national consultative meeting serves as a platform for dialogue, knowledge and experience-sharing among teachers, policy and decision-makers in public and private sector and other and other education practitioners. The deliberation aims at strengthening the knowledge and capacity of participants to enable them provide evidence-based policy choices and programme interventions in STEM pedagogy and teaching methodology.

The consultative meeting is being attended by high level officials from Ministries of Education, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, universities, colleges of education, and Civil Society, NGOs, representatives from private sector and students and teachers.

In his opening remarks, His Excellency Professor Afework Kassu, State Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education lauded the AUDA-NEPAD STEM Education Project as timely and very relevant because the development plan of Ethiopia has a goal of strengthening STEM education." The Minister stated further that “STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of African innovators.”

In declaring the national stakeholders’ consultative meeting open, His Excellency Professor Afework Kassu reiterated that “In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To this end Ethiopia is establishing STEM centers to empower students.”  He called for a renewed effort to motivate students and teachers in STEM education. According to the Minister, to succeed in this new information-based and highly technological world, it is imperative to develop capabilities in STEM and STI to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.” His Excellency Professor Afework Kassu further called for a more formalized collaboration between the Ethiopian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and AUDA-NEPAD in strengthening STEM Education in the country.