Nairobi — Teachers coming out of training institutions but fail to be absorbed in government employment in Kenya will soon find jobs in other African countries once a mobility protocol within the African Union is signed.

Education experts from over 50 African countries meeting in Mombasa are already working on a system that will give chance to trained teachers from one country to freely and seek employment within the region.

Education permanent secretary Prof Karega Mutahi said the protocol will address common qualifications for different cadres of teachers that will make it easier for them to be absorbed.

The move follows a realisation that the teaching fraternity in Africa is one of the resource that can be tapped in revitalizing education.

Prof Mutahi who was speaking during the opening of the fourth Conference of ministers of education of African Union (COMEDAF IV) at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel said the protocol will greatly benefit Kenya which has a surplus of teachers who cannot be absorbed by the ministries of education.

"Kenya has more teachers than we can absorb and some of them are already working in other African countries based on a protocol for the Commonwealth countries and it is the same principles will apply to ensure that the quality of education is standardised within the African Union," he said in a communication to the media.

About 53 education ministers are expected to attend the conference from tomorrow at a time when investing in education and training has been stepped up.

For Kenya which will also assume the chairmanship of COMEDAF for the next two years, Prof Mutahi said investment in education and interventions in all areas of the economy accelerated Kenya towards realising the Vision 2030, millennium development goals and education for all goals.

"We do realise that the continent's investment in education is key in the economy recovery process as well as sustainable development," he said.

His higher education counterpart Prof Crispus Kiamba said an effective monitoring and evaluation feedback was key in appreciating the progress and should address the emerging challenges.

He said while university education was a prerequisite for enhanced economic development and poverty reduction, the state of higher education in Africa showed a grim picture compared to other regions.

"With the low Gross Enrolment Rate of the region which stands at about 5per cent, we must therefore pay more attention to higher education institutions and revitalise their core functions of research, teaching and learning," Prof Kiamba said.