Arusha. East African Community (EAC) ministers responsible for education, science, technology, culture and sports have adopted regional artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation strategies, approving a special AI module for undergraduate students across the region.
The decisions were made at the 21st Sectoral Council meeting held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at the new headquarters of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in Kampala, Uganda.
An EAC statement released on Saturday, October 31, 2026, said the meeting, chaired by Uganda’s Minister of State for Education and Sports, Phyllis Chemutai, sought to establish common technological frameworks for education, health, agriculture and social services.
The AI module will be taught across disciplines to equip students with skills for the appropriate and responsible use of emerging technologies.
IUCEA, in collaboration with the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), has been tasked with overseeing the regional AI university network.
Ministers also agreed to establish criteria for recognising AI systems in Kiswahili, in line with efforts by the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) to make the language an official working language of the Community.
The statement said the Council was dissatisfied with some public and private universities that continued to charge students from EAC partner states higher tuition fees than local students, contrary to directives requiring equal treatment and payment in the host country’s currency.
‘IUCEA has been directed to conduct a regional audit of these violations, which should not continue because all partner states, through their universities, are aware that university students from EAC member states should be charged the same fees as students from the host country,’ reads part of the statement.
As preparations gather pace for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), to be co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, the three countries were urged to accelerate plans for a ‘Pamoja Visa’ to facilitate the movement of fans across borders.
The Secretariat will convene technical experts by November 2026 to review a proposal on the EAC’s cultural and commercial participation in the tournament.
Ministers also called for faster progress on mutual recognition agreements for professional qualifications among partner states.
The agreements would cover engineers, architects, accountants and veterinary doctors, allowing them to work across borders without unnecessary restrictions.
They also adopted the Regional Qualifications Framework for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, which seeks to harmonise technical certificates across the region.