This 2014 report was produced on behalf of the African Union (AU) by the ADEA Working Group on Education Management and Policy Support and the ECOWAS Secretariat, for the AU Conference of Ministers of Education (COMEDAF). It analyzes educational progress and challenges in implementing the Plan’s eight priority areas of gender and culture, EMIS, teacher development, higher education, TVET, curriculum and teaching materials, quality management, and ECD. 

The report acknowledges the progress made, especially in primary enrollment, and gender parity at the primary level, and curriculum reforms. Despite this, challenges persist, like high dropout rates, gender disparities, inadequate data reporting, weak coordination, insufficient communication, and inadequate resource mobilization. Other challenges are limited qualified teachers and poor welfare conditions, lack of harmonized educational indicators for comparability across countries and limited cultural industries for economic empowerment.

The report concludes by recommending the need for ongoing support to marginalized groups and the integration of ECD into national education systems. It calls for strategic interventions to address the diverse realities of learners and to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial skills for the youth through TVET. Finally, it underscores the importance of harmonized education indicators for quality comparison of country performance.