African education experts are set to converge in Dar es Salaam next week to discuss how the continent’s education systems can adapt curricula to rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), technology and changing labour market demands.
The discussions will take place during the Sixth Conference of the African Curriculum Association (ACA 2026), scheduled for September 22-25.
The conference comes as advances in AI and digital technologies reshape jobs, skills and the way knowledge is produced and applied, raising questions about whether existing education systems are adequately preparing young people for the future. The event will bring together curriculum developers, researchers, policymakers, teachers, trainers, university lecturers and postgraduate students from Tanzania, other African countries and beyond.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Tanzania Institute of Education (TET) Director General Dr Aneth Komba said discussions would focus on education reforms, curriculum development, teacher preparation and inclusive innovation amid rapid technological change.
She said education systems should go beyond imparting classroom knowledge by equipping learners with competencies, practical skills, values and the ability to apply knowledge to solve problems in their communities.
‘The conference will bring together curriculum developers, researchers, education experts, policymakers, teachers, trainers, lecturers and postgraduate students from Tanzania, Africa and other parts of the world,’ Dr Komba said.
She said the growing influence of AI and technology made it necessary for African countries to rethink how curricula are designed to equip graduates with skills relevant to the 21st century.
The conference will also examine teacher development, inclusive education, assessment systems and the use of technology in teaching and learning.
Dr Komba said hosting the conference would give Tanzania an opportunity to share its experience in education reforms, including implementation of the Education and Training Policy of 2014, revised in 2023, and recent curriculum and education system reforms.
African Curriculum Association Secretary General Dr Gertrude Namubiru said curriculum reforms should not focus solely on technology, but should also ensure education reflects Africa’s realities, history, culture and challenges.
She said African countries needed education systems that enabled learners to understand their communities and contribute to transforming them, rather than relying heavily on approaches developed outside the continent.
‘We want to see curricula that help African children understand their environment and transform their communities,’ Dr Namubiru said.
She said bringing curriculum experts from different African countries together would provide an opportunity to share experiences, examine common challenges and learn from reforms being implemented across the continent.
However, Dr Namubiru stressed that the impact of the discussions should extend beyond the conference, with recommendations translated into tangible changes in national education systems.
She said ACA also intended to broaden participation to include more African countries, including those in North Africa, to create a more comprehensive continental dialogue on curriculum development.
Dr Komba said the conference was expected to produce the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Education Transformation in Africa and endorse a draft African framework for curriculum development and improvement.
The framework is expected to align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4), which promotes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities.