Kigali 2026: a new impetus for Catholic education in Africa
From 12 to 15 May 2026, Kigali hosted an international seminar on the future of Catholic education in Africa. Organised by the African Educational Pact Institute (IPEA), OIEC Africa and Madagascar, and the World Union of Catholic Teachers (UMEC), it brought together education leaders, teachers and experts from several countries.
Held under the theme ‘Catholic Schools and Catholic Teachers in Africa’s Process of Transformation in the Light of Pope Leo XIV and the African Educational Pact’, this meeting highlighted the vital role of education in the human, social and spiritual transformation of the continent.
The discussions highlighted the specific mission of the Catholic school: to provide a holistic education, to protect the most vulnerable and to prepare young people to become agents of peace, justice and fraternity. Particular attention was also paid to teacher training, girls’ education, the protection of minors and the emotional well-being of young people.
A historic agreement between the OIEC and the IPEA
On 13 May, a particularly significant moment took place during the seminar: the signing of an agreement between the OIEC and the IPEA by Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Hervé Lecomte, Father Fernando Ignacio Ondo Ndjeng Afang and Professor Jean-Paul Niyigena.
This agreement gives new impetus to the African Education Pact, the continental counterpart of the Global Compact on Education. It provides for the development of joint projects in the fields of training, research, international advocacy and support for educational communities.
The OIEC and the IPEA therefore aim to strengthen the training of educators, promote girls’ education, support the protection of minors and foster an education system rooted in African realities.
This momentum is also being sustained through concrete partnerships, notably with the Catholic education sector in Burkina Faso for the period 2026–2030.
Concluding with the Kigali Declaration, the seminar marks the start of a new phase of collaboration dedicated to an education that fosters peace, fraternity and hope for Africa.