EventSeptember 2025FLIGHT Convening, Nairobi

FLIGHT: what government-led transformation actually looks like

Co-creation is not just a slogan. It is the bridge between vision and impact.

Ronel Bosch, Samba Niang, Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, Joy Ene Onoja and Doreen Ankunda at the FLIGHT convening
The FLIGHT panel (left to right): Ronel Bosch (Namibia), Samba Niang (Senegal), Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili (HCA), Joy Ene Onoja (Nigeria) and Doreen Ankunda (Uganda).

At the FLIGHT convening — the Foundational Learning Initiative for Government-Led Transformation — a panel brought together education leaders from the Ministries of Education in Namibia, Senegal, Uganda and Nigeria. Guided by Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, governments spoke frankly about what works, what does not, and what it takes to make technical assistance truly government-led.

Panel slide titled Financing and sustaining government-led technical assistance
The panel: “Financing and sustaining government-led technical assistance”, with education leaders from four countries.

Three themes stood out

  • Ownership and coherence — technical assistance succeeds when governments lead the agenda. Policies must be embedded in national strategies, monitored with accountability, and sustained through local capacity, rather than relying on imported templates.
  • Partnership with purpose — technical assistance should never be parachuted in. It must build institutional memory, strengthen teacher capacity, and align with what governments define as priorities: bilingual education in Senegal, integrated budget mechanisms in Uganda, grassroots execution structures in Nigeria.
  • Equity and impact — the ultimate test is not frameworks or reports, but whether children learn. That means resources that reach the classroom, training that empowers teachers, and accountability that leaves no child behind.

This is what government-led transformation looks like: political leadership, financial realism, operational grounding, and collaboration that respects sovereignty while amplifying capacity.

From the session

Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili speaks during the FLIGHT convening
Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili guides the conversation.
A panellist speaks during the FLIGHT convening
Ministries speak candidly about what makes assistance stick.
Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili with a colleague during the FLIGHT convening
A moment of shared purpose at the convening.

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