The Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA) held a successful international conference at Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria from August 27 through August 31, 2018. The theme of the conference was “Enhancing Technical capacity and Partnerships for Industrial and Sustainable Economic Development in Africa.” The conference attracted over 400 delegates, the highest at a CAPA international conference, from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Lesotho, South Africa, Zambia, Cote D’Ivorie, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroon and the host nation, Nigeria.

The week-long conference and events were held to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of the association and the activities included a TVET Skills Show, the Pan-African TVET Youth Forum, jointly organised by CAPA and the African Union Commission, the launch of AUC Life Skills Education Clusters, and plenary keynote presentations as well as parallel technical paper presentations by researchers.

The Distinguished Guest of Honour was Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who represented His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari. Among the other dignitaries at the conference were the Special Guest of Honour, H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union Commission; the Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training, Kenya, Dr Kevit Desai, who also represented Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education; Prof. Aiah Gbakima, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical & Higher Education; Hon. Cornelia September,  Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education & Training, South Africa; Hon. Maphoka Motoboli, Deputy Minister of Education and Training,  Lesotho; and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology, The Gambia, Mr. Yaya Jallow, who also represented the Honourable Minister, Hon. Badara A. Joof.

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In his opening address, the Host Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu commended the relevance of the conference theme stating that it was in concert with key objectives of the African Union’s Continental Strategy for Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET). Appreciating the activities and contributions of CAPA over the past years, Mal. Adamu said “as we all know, CAPA’s primary mandate is to promote skills and professional development in member countries; and thus has kept its own side of the bargain, by providing an annual forum for sharing ideas and conducting policy advocacy for TVET on the African continent. While, no doubt, a lot still needs to be done, this will not stop us from giving our congratulations, and expressing our gratitude to CAPA.”

The Minister noted that Nigeria, like many other African countries, had been grappling with the issue of sustainable socio-economic development that can best be supported regionally and continentally by building partnerships and enhanced technical capacity within countries of African region.

He called on all actors including governments and non-governmental institutions to rise to meet these challenges by all means possible and proffer alternative means of re-defining the continent’s common heritage defined by hard work, integrity and concern for community.

In regard to TVET, Mr Adamu argued that the future and the way to go for Africa was to fully embrace TVET adding that the solution to the continent’s unemployment problem and its bid to industrialise lie with technical education.

H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union Commission, said Partnerships were at the heart of achieving Africa’s development blueprint, Agenda 2063.

“As African Union Commission, we are proud of having CAPA as a key partner in the TVET cluster which is one of the thematic clusters and a strategic area of intervention considering its importance in supporting economic development and the creation of national wealth.”

Noting that 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of CAPA, the Acting Chair of the CAPA Executive Board, Mr. M. A. Elelu said the players in the TVET sector had an enormous responsibility to advocate for the best practices in order to industrialise the continent by 2063 adding that “CAPA has played a significant role in influencing and shaping training and entrepreneurial skill development for our youth. This platform has ensured the inclusion of the critical voices of women and disadvantaged groups.”

“The 40th CAPA Conference is therefore an opportunity for us to reflect on the road travelled over the past decade and to plan for the journey ahead especially in the context of skill attainability using appropriate technology, employability and Agenda 2063. For this reason, and for the first time since inception we have invited youth leaders to this conference, who will hold their meetings independently along with the main conference and make independent decision on different issues affecting them as they train to be dependable people in the society,” said Mr. Elelu.

CAPA Secretary General, Dr. Olubunmi Owoso asserted that CAPA had performed creditably well in the fulfilment of its mission over the past 40 years. “The association has become a brand name for capacity building among higher educational institutions, particularly in the TVET sector. CAPA has had a significant impact in the member institutions, especially in the areas of curriculum development and staff training. CAPA also pioneered the introduction of entrepreneurship education in the curricula of programmes of member institutions,” said Dr. Owoso.
The Secretary General informed the conference that CAPA has “deepened its commitment to disseminating knowledge and stimulating applied research and innovation through various publications and the introduction of the CAPA Scientific Journal of Technical and Vocational Education. Furthermore, CAPA is fostering increased awareness of the development visions of governments at national, regional and continental levels such that institutions would be able to play more effective roles in the achievement of the development agenda.”
On the way forward for the association, “the Executive Board resolved to work towards elevating CAPA’s platform to the entire African continent, by transforming CAPA into an inclusive TVET organisation that synergises with governments and TVET stakeholders in all African countries to maximise the impact of TVET on industrial and economic development towards the realisation of Africa Union’s Development Agenda 2063,” said Dr. Owoso.

Other highlights of the opening session included the launch of CAPA’s “Industrialise Africa Now” campaign by Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu. The association pledged to take the campaign to other African countries within the next two years. The opening session also witnessed the presentation of State Awards to Nigeria and Kenya for several sponsorships of senior personnel at the CAPA Secretariat and the hosting of CAPA Headquarters since its establishment; and the conferment of CAPA Annual Awards of Excellence for Development in Africa, to selected organisations and individuals, for outstanding contributions to technical education and socio-economic development. The four recipients of the awards were Her Excellency, First Lady Mrs. Aisha Buhari; Dr. Kevit Desai, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Education, Kenya; The Standard Group PLC, Kenya and Chief Eric Umeofia, President & Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Foods Limited, Nigeria.  The First Lady, Mrs Buhari was represented by Mrs. Pauline Tallen, a former Deputy State Governor who had also served as Minister of Science and Technology in Nigeria.