SADC to hold Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Education and Training and Science, Technology and Innovation

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Education and Training and Science, Technology and Innovation is scheduled to convene on 20 June 2025 in Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe. The meeting will focus on reviewing policy and regulatory frameworks as well as the implementation status of programmes within the respective sectors.

This high-level ministerial platform plays a critical role in advancing regional integration, development, and innovation through strategic investment in education, training, science, technology, and innovation. Ministers will assess the progress made on decisions from previous meetings and evaluate implementation of various protocols and policies aimed at enhancing regional collaboration. The meeting will also refine regional priorities aligned with the broader SADC vision of promoting inclusive and equitable education; improving quality and relevance of learning; strengthening innovation ecosystems; supporting knowledge generation; and enhancing access to and use of technology for sustainable development.

The meeting will be chaired by Honourable Dr. Frederick. M. Shava, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Innovation Science and Technology Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Ms. Angèle Makombo N’tumba, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, will represent the SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi.

Among other topics, Ministers will review:

• Reports on the operationalisation of the SADC University of Transformation (SUT), aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, technology transfer, and enterprise development in support of the regional industrialisation agenda;

• The Regional Higher Education Strategic Framework, following the approval of the SADC Futures of Higher Education and TVET Policy Framework, providing strategic guidance for institutional development;

• The revised Regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Strategic Framework, which incorporates emerging challenges such as climate change and digital transformation;

• Progress on the implementation and review of the SADC Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation(acceded to in 2017), to foster cooperation in STI development and transfer across Member States;

• Updates on the development of the Regional Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Strategy and plans to implement the Seventh IKS Policy, aimed at strengthening collaboration among policymakers, researchers, knowledge holders, and communities;

• The SADC Charter on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Organisation, which promotes the empowerment of women in STEM fields through education, leadership, and entrepreneurship;

• The report addressing the urgent need for reliable, comparable, and systematically collected data to inform school health policies and adolescent health programmes, including those targeting HIV awareness, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and violence prevention.

This Joint Ministerial Meeting reinforces SADC’s commitment to building a knowledge-based economy, empowering citizens through quality education and innovation, and promoting inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development across the region.

The Joint Meeting of Ministers responsible for Education and Training and Science, Technology, and Innovation will be preceded by the following meetings:

• SADC Senior Officials Responsible for Education and Training and Science, Technology, and Innovation on 17-18 June 2025.

• SADC High-Level Ministerial Round Table Dialogue on Impactful Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in the Region on 19th June 2025.