In the second interview of the Abidjan Principles in Practice video series, Johnstone Shisanya, Project Manager - Education Support Project at East African Centre for Human Rights (EACHRights) explains how the Centre uses the Abidjan Principles, their significance and the progress advancing the right to education for all.
Video: Abidjan Principles in Practice - Kenya I Progress advocating for the right to education
The Abidjan Principles in Practice video series showcases how civil society organisations across the world are drawing on the Principles to advance the right to education for all. EACHRights incorporates the Abidjan Principles in its capacity building with both claimholders and dutybearers, helping them to understand the right to education.
Johnstone explains:
“We cannot underemphasise the role that this document plays because it gives really concrete and practical examples on how both the duty-bearers and the claimholders need to engage on the right to education, and also the function and the work of the government to regulate how this right to education is provided, particularly for the private sector…We use this document to ensure that the duty-bearers understand education is not just a commodity, it is a right that needs to be protected”
Johnstone highlights the “tremendous achievements” that EACHRights has seen thanks to their work linking to the Abidjan Principles. He describes how the policy framework has been strengthened, including the Kenyan registration guidelines, the key document for those establishing an educational institution. The strengthening will guarantee that private actors establishing private institutions must meet threshold in those policy guidelines, high standards in terms of registration and management of institutions and compliance.
He also outlines how the quality assurance standards directorate has also been strengthened. EACHRights had previously raised concerns that there were an inadequate number of officers to assess schools, both private and public, review the quality standards and guarantee compliance – only 365 in the whole country. That figure has now increased to 522, with the expectation that it will rise further. The increase in officers will help to guarantee “safety, adherence to policy and relevant standards" contributing to quality education in both private and public institutions.
Throughout the interview, Johnstone underscores that the Abidjan Principles are “easy to use” for those seeking to understand and strengthen the right to education for all. Looking to the future, Johnstone points to the current momentum in Kenya to push for reforms in the education sector. EACHRights will continue to emphasise the need to strengthen the support and funding for public education.
To learn more about EACHRights’ work and use of the Abidjan Principles, you can watch the video here or visit EACHRights’ website.