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2008 Biennale on Education in Africa

The 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa sponsored by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa was held from May 5-9, 2008 in Maputo, Mozambique. The theme is "Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa.

Background papers for the  "Teacher Issues in Post-Primary Education session" topic being presented:
• Recruiting, retaining and Retraining Secondary School Teachers and Principals in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Expanding Secondary Education for Sub-Saharan Africa: Where are the Teachers?

Higher Education Summit for Global Development

The U.S. Departments of State, Education and Agency for International Development hosted the Higher Education Summit for Global Development to strengthen the role of U.S. and foreign higher education institutions in social and economic development worldwide. At the Summit it was announced that USAID will increase the support of building of partnerships linking African and U.S. higher education institutions through the Africa-U.S. Higher Education Collaboration Initiative. The Initiative was developed by a group of organizations to strengthen African higher education capacity in association with U.S. institutions of higher education.

Knowledge Map: Free Primary Education (FPE) and School Fees in Developing Countries

The EQUIP2 Project has produced the School Fees Knowledge Map, a comprehensive collection and mapping of existing literature and research from over 180 documents related to the abolition of school fees. It is organized by major topics and policy questions that have been raised in discussions among donors and policymakers about school fees and education reform.

• The Translating New Technologies to Improve Public Health in Africa meeting will take place from 15-20 May 2008 in Kampala, Uganda. This meeting is part of the Keystone Symposia Global Health Series and will focus on the question of how to employ new technologies that have evolved out of various projects and apply them to the neglected diseases in the developing world.

• The ITU 2008 Global Event on Measuring the Information Society, organized by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, will discuss the latest progress made in ICT measurement globally. It takes place from 27-29 May 2008 in Geneva.

• The 3rd International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training will take place from 28-30 May 2008 in Accra, Ghana. The conference addresses themes relating to aspects of technology-enhanced education and training in Africa.

• The eLearning Forum Asia 2008 (eLF2008) will be held 29-30 May 2008 in Singapore. The theme of the forum is "It’s A Small World After All."

• The Regional Higher Education Conference (CRES 2008) will be held in Cartagena de Índias, Colombia from 4-6 June 2008. The conference will be analyzing and discussing the elements of a regional agenda on higher education, science, and technology for sustainable development of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

• The 3rd National Conference on Peer Education, HIV and AIDS, organized by the National Organization of Peer Educators, will be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 18-20 June 2008. The theme of the conference is "Stigma: Let’s Act Now!"

• The theme for Goi Peace Foundation's International Essay Contest for Young People is "My project to create positive change in my environment. How can I foster sustainable development in my community?" Entries must be received by June 30, 2008.

• The 2nd International Conference on Language Development, Language Revitalization and Multilingual Education in Ethnolinguistic Communities will be held 1-3 July 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference will focus on what is involved in planning, implementing and sustaining strong language development and multilingual education programs.

• The 2nd African Council for Distance Education Conference and General Assembly will take place in Lagos, Nigeria from the 8-11 July 2008. The theme of the conference is "Open and Distance Learning for Sustainable Development."

• The Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning will be held in London from 13-17 July 2008. The conference theme is "Access to Learning for Development" with a focus on children and young people, health, livelihoods, social justice, conflict and governance.

• The XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008), will be held in México City, México from 3-8 August 2008. The conference theme is "Universal Action Now."

Global Action Week

The Global Campaign for Education organized Global Action Week 2008 from April 21-27, 2008 which calls for an end to all forms of exclusion from quality education. Read about where 7.5 million children, adults, teachers and politicians in over 100 countries took part in the WORLD’S BIGGEST EVER LESSON to learn about the importance of everyone having the chance for a quality education.

UNESCO presents a selection of stories, case studies and reports of projects promoting quality inclusive education.

Send My Friend to School, the UK coalition of the Global Campaign for Education, has teaching resources and lesson plans exploring why school is so important, why some children are missing out and how to act to make a difference.

Read Your Right to Education: A handbook for refugees and displaced communities created by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children to raise awareness of everyone's right to education.

World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day organized by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, which coordinates the global approach to fighting malaria, commemorates the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world.

Test your knowledge of malaria by taking this short interactive quiz produced by the World Bank: "What do you know about malaria in Africa?"

UNESCO's FRESH: Focusing Resources on Effective School Health, has produced a set malaria school health policy tools for schools to be able to teach effectively about malaria.

A report by UNICEF and Roll Back Malaria Partnership, "Malaria & Children: Progress in intervention coverage," assesses progress in malaria control and analyses how well countries are making available interventions that reduce the malaria burden.

Earth Day

Held annually, Earth Day promotes awareness of the Earth's environment and helps us unite to protect our planet through continued environmental action. Earth Day is recognized by the United Nations on the March equinox, while a global observance originated as an environmental teach-in, also called Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22.

• The Earthday Network's "Earth Day in a Box" explains how to organize events, get involved, and help protect the environment.

• Calculate your impact on climate change using the Nature Conservancy's "online carbon footprint calculator".

• Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future is a multimedia teacher education programme published by UNESCO.

• The Wilderness Society has developed curriculum and activities for teachers and students in which to engage for Earth Day.

• The World Wildlife Fund's "Time for Change" has ideas, tools and connect for change to make every day Earth Day.

World Health Day: April 7

World Health Day marks the founding of the World Health Organization and is an opportunity to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year. In 2008, World Health Day focuses on the need to protect human health from the adverse effects of climate change. Click here to learn more about how climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health.

WHO's Regional Office for South-East Asia has produced a World Health Day Kit including manuals for teachers and students on how climate change is affecting health.

Read about the Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) work for World Health Day to protect health from climate change.

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