African Union Moves to Harmonize Learning Assessments Across the Continent

The African Union (AU), in collaboration with the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA), Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), is advancing a new framework to transform how children’s learning outcomes are measured across Africa.

Why Africa Needs a Continental Learning Framework

Despite progress in access to education, 4 in 5 African children complete primary school, but only 2 in 10 achieve minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics. This learning crisis threatens to derail progress toward both continental and global education goals.

The Continental Assessment Framework for Africa (CAF-Africa) aims to change this by providing harmonized benchmarks for literacy and numeracy. These standards are aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1 (ensuring quality education for all) and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026–2035).

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The July 2025 Validation Workshop

Beginning on July 29, 2025, AU stakeholders gathered to validate CAF-Africa. This step marks a significant milestone in developing a shared, evidence-based approach to assessing learning across all AU member states.

“The Continental Assessment Framework isn’t just a technical tool; it’s a statement of our collective ambition,” said Mr. Adoumtar Noubatour, coordinator of the AU Pan African Institute for Education for Development.

The Framework responds to a 2023 ministerial call to action led by Zambia and backed by Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, and The Gambia, which urged stronger data collection and harmonized learning assessments across Africa.

What CAF-Africa Aims to Achieve

According to Dr. Michael Chilala, Executive Secretary of AEAA, the Framework will enable governments to:

• Set realistic learning targets,

• Allocate resources effectively, and

• Ensure no learner is left behind.

The validation process is expected to deliver four key outcomes:

1. A finalized and technically validated Framework.

2. Stronger political and technical commitment from AU member states.

3. Integration of CAF with AU-led education accountability and skills development initiatives.

4. A repository of best practices and technical recommendations for rollout.

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Looking Ahead: Key Milestones

The CAF-Africa roadmap includes two major events:

• August 2025 – Official launch at the AEAA Annual Conference.

• October 2025 – Ministerial-level presentation at the ADEA Triennale in Ghana.

As the continent enters the AU Decade of Education (2025–2034), CAF-Africa is expected to become a cornerstone for evidence-driven education reform. By anchoring policies in reliable learning data, the AU is moving closer to fulfilling the vision of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

Why This Matters

The harmonization of learning assessments will help African governments compare results across borders, identify gaps, and share solutions. More importantly, it represents a commitment to making every child’s learning visible, measurable, and actionable.