Continental Conference on Curriculum in the Gambia from 23rd to 26th May 2022 (update)

Written by Administrator | 18 November 2021

Continental Conference on Curriculum in the Gambia from 23rd to 26th May 2022

Africa like any other continent around the globe is experiencing rapidly changing demands to respond to economic, environmental, social and political transformations. These demands are impacted by technological advances, climate change, migration and now COVID – 19 Pandemic. People are living in the time of uncertainty of the future which causes some challenges. . All these challenges require much more innovations and use of higher order competencies (knowledge. Skills, values, attitudes and their application).Within the global context, the school sector is expected not only to meet the demand for new, higher-order competencies but also to prepare students to flourish in a future where the competencies they will need to succeed are constantly changing. (OECD 2019) The period of high technological advancement has forced the world to become a global village. This is the period when children need to think so fast and become so innovative due to using technology. Information moves very fast. Focusing on one aspect of the system such as technology without considering the system as a whole is unlikely to bring about sustained changes (Butler 2018).

There is considerable need for national and international curricula to reflect on the changes that are taking place in the world in and outside education institutions. Many educationalist are now asking themselves what quality curriculum in a technological era should look like, and reflect on the challenges and ways of achieving the necessary changes in education in order for such a curriculum to be realized. This requires rigorous deliberations and discussions in an organized manner to align curriculum and related processes for learning in the technological era. Thus a need to organize an international conference on curriculum in which participants could understand the impact of the mismatch between curriculum and its related learning aspect on the quality of education and be able to explore the potential technology and innovations to enhance curriculum development, implementation, teacher education, assessment and evaluation. The conference will bring together curriculum developers and implementers, education administrators and partners, trainers of teachers and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges and find solutions to mitigate the challenges of the 21st century. Quality education is at the centre of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals that requires education practitioners to meet, dialogue and come out with strategies to mitigate these challenges in a holistic way. The discussions are hoped to make recommendations on how Africa can make progress towards holistic hybrid modes of education. This will require many countries to re-design their national curricula in order to prepare young people to go through the technological era smoothly.

African Curriculum Association (ACA), the International Bureau of Education (IBE), Curriculum Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Banjul, The Gambia, UNESCO National Commissions, UNESCO Headquarters and Field Offices, the African Union and CESA curriculum cluster, other line Ministries, the national steering committee on SDGs and the Education 2030 Agenda UN co-conveners which are ILO, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women, UNHCR and the World Bank; are supporting the process of translating the global targets into achievable national targets based on the educational priorities, and national development strategies.

The technological challenges today in education need continuous dialogues to find lasting solutions to education problems in Africa. The Continental strategy for Africa advocates for increasing access to quality and relevant education and learning. The requirement of curriculum in this 21st century should be to identify barriers in our quest to provide holistic and relevant education.

African Curriculum Association (ACA), the International Bureau of Education (IBE), CESA Curriculum cluster at African Union and Curriculum Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Banjul, The Gambia, and other partners is organizing the third Continental Conference on Curriculum in October 2021. This conference was supposed to take place in November 2021 but due to eruption of COVID -19, this was not possible. We are optimistic that by October 2021 all countries will have immunized their citizens to enable the conference to take place.

2.0 Objectives of the Conference

1. To develop a common understanding of how the mismatch between school curriculum, teacher education and learning assessment impact on the quality of education.
2. To recommend actions on the application of technology in facilitating the process of aligning school curriculum, teacher education and learning assessment in Africa.
3. To explore the potential of technology and innovation in enhancing curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.
4. Discuss and make recommendations on how Africa can make progress toward hybrid modes of educating, learning and assessment combining in-person and distance education.
5. To elect new office bearers of ACA executive committee.

3.0 Scope

The conference will focus on presenting papers at all levels of basic education based on the following subthemes and topics carefully selected to fit the theme.

Sub-Themes 1: Curriculum transformative and Responsiveness

1.1 Innovations in curriculum development, implementation and evaluation at different levels.
1.2 Integration of Technology in the curriculum at all levels.
1.3 Alignment with teacher education, professional development, learning and assessment
1.4 Curriculum enrichment/innovations in relation to contemporary issues, such as development of:
1.4 Curriculum enrichment/innovations in relation to contemporary issues, such as development of:

Life and livelihood skills, future/transformative competencies.
Language and culture, including history of Africa and Cultural Heritage.
Global citizenship.
Good governance.
Cyber security and digital transformation of education.
Peace building & conflict resolution.
Skilling for self –reliance to address migration, unemployable and other issues faced by the youth.
Inclusive, liberating, creative and transformative curriculum that rescues and secures freedom for entrepreneurial, innovative and critical thinking competencies.
Sustainable development.
Incorporate 21st Century competencies.
Criteria for developing and assessing hybrid modes of education from an international comparative perspective.

Sub- Theme 2: Teacher Education and professional development

2.1 Initiatives in Teacher education curriculum development, implementation and evaluation.
2.2 Technology and teacher education and training.
2.3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) to empower curriculum implementation.
2.3 Innovations in teacher education.
2.4 continual learning and COVID-19 in the digital era.
2.5 Learning community of practice (LCoP) for collaboration and networking.

Sub-Theme 3: Learning Assessment

3.1 Improving the situation of assessment in Africa.
3.2 Innovations in assessment of, and for learning.
3.3 Application of digital technology in assessment /Challenges and “techniques/methods”. For distance teaching and learning assessment.
3.4 Alignment between Assessment and school curriculum.
3.5 Assessing learner competencies in Competency- Based Curriculum.
4.0 Conference Participants

The conference will bring together experts in the education field, civil society, development partners, and research institutions; representatives of the private and corporate sector from Africa and beyond into a dialogue to share experiences and good practices on the theme and to forge a way forward in ensuring the implementation of SDG 4. A total number of 400 people is expected to attend.

5.0 Conference format

1. Presentations.
2. Break away sessions.
3. Plenary sessions.
4. Workshops.
5. Assembly at the closure of the conference.
6. Tour to important sites in Gambia.

6.0 Expected outcomes / Expected outcome

- Participants will share experience and knowledge on the different themes presented on.

- Participants to the conference will have an improved understanding of the need to align curriculum, teacher education, learning assessment and other related processes in the technological era.

- The conference is also expected to provide a platform for the laying of strategies for sustaining the partnership between African Curriculum Association, International Bureau of Education and CESA curriculum cluster.

VENUE: SIR KAIRABA CONFERENCE CENTRE