Education is the key area of development, which needs to be improved in the SADC region and the entire African continent.

The Deputy Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Mr. Motsoakapa Makara said this in his remarks to welcome SADC senior officials responsible for education at a three-day meeting held at Maseru sun on Monday.

Mr. Makara said it is significant for stakeholders to meet and discuss constructive issues for the improvement of education sector at national and regional levels.

He said participants are expected to table their recommendations before the SADC ministers of Education meeting on Friday.

He urged participants to focus more on the implementation of education protocol and a ten-year plan of action that was launched last year. The plan prioritizes among others, promotion of gender equality and information technology.

The purpose of the meeting, which ends on Wednesday, is to discuss issues relating to education and ways in which it could be improved.

Agenda of the meeting will include among others, presentations and discussions on report of the protocol on education and training, plan of action and its implementation, report of the technical committee on open and distance learning and concept paper on mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in education sector.

SOURCE: LENA 23/07/2007