Libyan Minister of Education and Chairman of the National Committee for Education, Culture, and Science, Moussa Al-Maqrif, participated in the African Lifelong Learning Institute’s inaugural forum hosted by Rabat, Morocco. The event was organised at the invitation of his Moroccan counterpart, the Minister of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports.
Accompanying Minister Al-Maqrif were Libya’s representative to the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Mohamed Amari Zayed, and his advisor, Abdel Salam Al-Saghir.
Delegations from 39 African countries, including ministers, heads, and directors-general of national committees, as well as representatives of learning cities in Africa and related governmental sectors, participated in the event. Several regional and international organizations working in education, culture, and science were also in attendance.
The forum, held under the theme “Lifelong Learning in Service of Africa’s Development,” aimed to introduce the institute as a pioneering initiative for the development and promotion of lifelong learning across Africa. It served as a platform for sharing successful experiences, knowledge transfer, and preparing public policies and strategies to be implemented nationally.
In his speech, Al-Maqrif expressed his gratitude to his Moroccan counterpart and the people of Morocco for their warm hospitality and the longstanding strategic relationship between the two countries. He highlighted the significance of the meeting in Rabat, a city known for its cultural and scientific heritage, and emphasized its role in the birth of this African institute under UNESCO’s umbrella.
Al-Maqrif outlined the advantages of Libya’s education system, including compulsory basic education and free education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education. He noted that formal education services in Libya are provided by three main ministries under specific conditions and standards.
He affirmed his ministry’s intention to coordinate with the African Lifelong Learning Institute to develop and implement lifelong learning policies that focus on national priorities. This includes designing educational programs and curricula, as well as developing legislation, regulations, and evaluation standards.
The two-day African Lifelong Learning Institute’s inaugural forum includes several key agenda items, such as signing cooperation agreements and protocols, presenting the alliance of national committees and African learning cities, introducing the African Lifelong Learning Institute, and discussing and approving the institute’s action plan and holding its first board meeting.
