Southern African Liberation History and Global Citizenship Education: SADC Ministers approve Roadmap for integration into Member States’ Curricula

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers responsible for Education and Training, Science, Technology and Innovation convened a virtual meeting on the 16th June 2021 chaired by the Republic of Mozambique.

The Ministerial Meeting, chaired by the Honourable Minister Carmilita Rita Namashulua, Minister of Education and Human Development of the Republic of Mozambique, strongly emphasized on strategic importance of Social and Human Capital Development as critical levers for regional integration. The SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Regional Integration, Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo called on the Ministers to come together in support of the realisation of the SADC Vision of 'a peaceful, inclusive, competitive, middle to high income industrialised Region, where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom'.

In this framework, the Ministers approved the Roadmap for the integration of Southern African Liberation History (SALH) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in Member States curriculum that has been developed jointly by SADC Secretariat and the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) in a consultative process in 2020 and 2021. This breakthrough followed the adoption by the SADC Member States of the Decision 22.1 in 2018 that stipulates that the teaching of the SALH should 'promote social cohesion and regional identity', while also 'contributing to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 Target 7 in relation to 'promotion of cultural diversity and of culture's contribution to sustainable development''.

The Roadmap is also complemented with a Curricula Review of SADC Member States' curricula that indicated the most relevant entry points for integration of the GCED and SALH contents. Moving forward, The Ministers requested UNESCO and other International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) to support the SADC Regional Working Group on SAHL and Member States in rolling out the Roadmap. This will require a systemic approach that includes Education Policy review, Teacher Training, Development of teaching materials and modules, as well as community engagement with students, parents, research institutions, and civil society organisations. In 2021-2022, UNESCO will support the SADC Secretariat in undertaking some of the priority actions, which include a first series of engagement with teachers.