Much work lies ahead for the countries of East Africa on the long road to full political economic education, but the wellbeing of its future generation was assured during the Association for Education Assessment in Africa (AEAA) summit at the Kigali Serena Hotel.

Sixteen African nations including Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, proposed sweeping synchronism in school curricula, national exams and grading systems.

This is a large but first step in what will become the backbone of the East African Community’s long-term contiguity; a strong, inclusive and coordinated education system.

The New Times echoes the comments of state minister for primary and secondary education, Joseph Murekeraho, in saying there is no reason for exam schedules and content to be streamlined.

Africa is experiencing a time of increased intra-continental travel and exchange. More and more do Rwandans travel to Kenya, South Africa, and as far away as Burkina Faso. For Africa to compete with the rest of the world, it must first engage itself.

A common education policy will help create constructive competition between students and schools, leading to the best schooling possible. A well synchronized and high-quality system will further incite European and North American universities to keep places for Rwandan and other African students as well. As regional integration deepens in several service sectors, there is no need for isolated education developments to carry on without heeding global trends.

Also, as Rwanda builds a way to a knowledge-based society and as it further incorporates its economy and society into one with far larger manufacturing and farming activities, a premium must be put on education, just as it has already been put on being the EAC’s service provider.

In these two contexts, the harmonisation yet flexibility of, at least, a regional education blueprint is necessary. In courses of language, literature, engineering and science, there should be no need to diversify curriculum. Ends