Pretoria – Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has been elected chairperson of the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ).
SACMEQ is made up of 16 education ministries from southern and eastern African countries.
She was elected to the position during the 37th UNESCO General Conference in Paris earlier this month.
Responding to her election, Motshekga said: “The election is a huge vote of confidence in the work we are doing as a government and the department. I will certainly use this opportunity to collaborate with other ministers and to share best practice with them.”
The body undertakes integrated research and training activities that expand opportunities for educational planners and researchers to receive training in the technical skills required to monitor, evaluate, and compare the general conditions of schooling and the quality of basic education.
SACMEQ also generates information that can be used by decision-makers to plan the quality of education. SACMEQ research results are widely discussed and debated by all stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
SAQMEQ has currently undertaken its fourth assessment in which South Africa is participating. These results are expected around August 2014.
South Africa is preparing to bid for the country to host SACMEQ following a decision to relocate it back to Africa from its current location in Paris.
According to the Department of Basic Education, South Africa has both the institutional capacity and political will to see the relocation of this office to our shores. “With Minister Angie Motshekga as the elected chairperson this would be a major asset to our education system and institutions,” said the department. – SAnews.gov.za
