Global to Regional: From Twenty-First Century Skills to Life Skills in East Africa

Education systems worldwide are adapting to demands from civil society and the workforce to better equip young people to function effectively in the twenty-first century world. The lag from awareness to aspiration to policy and to practice requires communities to contribute to building knowledge, developing tools, and representing society’s needs to government. Three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, are benefiting from the efforts of a network of civil organisations working together with academia and government, which seek to enhance education provision. This introductory chapter establishes the context in which the Assessment of Life Skills and Values in East Africa initiative has developed tools to measure adolescents’ proficiencies, and in so doing developed expertise in the assessment of life skills and values through a regional initiative.