6th May 2025, Nairobi, Kenya: With only five years remaining for the world to achieve the objectives set out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, communities across the world need to act fast. If we are to achieve SDG4 and ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,’ teachers must play a central role in this endeavour.
To help champion teachers’ role as central voices in shaping the future of learning, each year the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) – through its flagship education programme ‘Schools2030’ – brings together education leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from over 30 countries to explore ways to promote the importance of teacher expertise in shaping policy agendas.
This year, the Schools2030 Global Forum will take place in Nairobi. Co-hosted by AKF and the Kenyan Ministry of Education, the 2025 event will emphasise the critical role of educators as partners of choice for solving complex learning and education challenges at local, national, and global levels.
Despite significant efforts to elevate teachers as key partners, with many progressive institutions adopting this approach, there is still a pressing need to create more opportunities for dialogue between teachers and other education actors, including policymakers, funders, civil society and more – the cross-section of stakeholders that make up the Schools2030 Global Forum’s 200-plus delegates.
Over the three days, these delegates will explore solutions to the challenges in achieving SDG4 by 2030, including issues of inclusion, access, learning differences, marginalisation, the impact of AI, climate change, and conflict. Throughout these discussions, the focus will remain on those that are at the heart of the Schools2030 movement: teachers. Recognising the pivotal role of teachers in achieving quality, equitable, inclusive education for all the Schools2030 Global Forum will deep dive into three cross-cutting subthemes:
- Teachers as Innovators: How can we support and amplify teacher-led pedagogical innovations to drive improved learning?
- Teachers as Researchers: How can we support and amplify teacher-led evidence about what works to improve learning?
- Teachers as Leaders: How can we support and amplify the voices of teachers to drive system-level change and education policy and practice?
The ideas and solutions the delegates generate together during the event will be collated and shared as follow up actions and recommendations that can meaningfully contribute to improving the education sector in Kenya and beyond.
As in previous years, the Schools2030 Global Forum will not only serve as a platform for critical dialogue but also celebrate the rich cultural heritage of its host country. Though the event will be held in the nation’s mountain capital, the organisers will also showcase the vibrancy of Kenya’s coast (where the Schools2030 movement in Kenya began and grows from) for participants to experience through a variety of cultural activities. This includes the event’s stand-out experience, the Walimu Soko – an exhibition based on a traditional coastal marketplace, where teachers from around the world will display their solutions to the learning challenges they encounter in their classrooms. The Schools2030 Global Forum will also offer live-streaming, social media discussions, and interactive digital spaces, enabling the worldwide education community to take part in the conversation.
The 2025 event also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the AKF in Kenya, highlighting five decades of work in education, early childhood development, civil society, health, and economic empowerment, rural development and climate action. The Schools2030 Global Forum 2025 will serve as a moment of reflection and celebration, recognising the achievements made possible through the collaboration of the people of Kenya. Keep an eye out for guest speakers and further programme announcements on the Schools2030 website and social media channels.
Watch the event live on Youtube! Pro Tip: click ‘Notify Me’ to ensure you don’t miss any of the action over the three days!