Former Senegalese Minister of Education and Water and Sanitation, Serigne Mbaye Thiam, has been appointed as a high-level envoy and advisor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), APS learned on Friday. The appointment reflects a renewed commitment to ending the global learning crisis, a critical challenge for future generations.
Serigne Mbaye Thiam, who previously served as Vice Chair of the GPE Board of Directors, joins Ruth Kagia, former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, in this new role. Laura Frigenti, GPE’s CEO, expressed her enthusiasm for the appointments.
“We are delighted to welcome Serigne Mbaye Thiam and Ruth Kagia back to the GPE family as our first Envoys and High-Level Advisors on Education. They have both demonstrated unparalleled commitment to advancing education in their respective countries and on the international stage, advocating for 12 years of quality education for all children,” said Ms. Frigenti.
The appointment of Serigne Mbaye Thiam comes at a time when the education sector is facing enormous challenges. According to Laura Frigenti, “seven out of ten children worldwide are unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10.” Reduced education budgets are exacerbating this crisis, making GPE’s mission more critical than ever.
Serigne Mbaye Thiam, honored by this appointment, said he was “looking forward to using his experience within GPE and as a former Minister of Education to advance education worldwide.” Between 2013 and 2014, he represented 18 French-speaking African countries on the GPE Board of Directors, before chairing the Governance, Ethics, Risk and Financing Committee between 2014 and 2015.
With a rich career in the service of education, Serigne Mbaye Thiam has also held various key positions in the Senegalese administration. He was a Member of Parliament, Minister of Higher Education and Research, and represented Senegal on the UNESCO Executive Board. His commitment to education transcends national borders, as evidenced by his membership in UNESCO’s International Commission on the Futures of Education.
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which mobilizes funds to support education systems in 90 low-income countries, is at the heart of efforts to ensure that every child, girl and boy, receives a quality education. This mission is an urgent response to the learning crisis that is affecting many parts of the world, preventing millions of young people from reaching their full potential.
The appointment of Serigne Mbaye Thiam strengthens Senegal’s presence on the international education scene and reaffirms the country’s key role in global efforts to improve access to education. In his new role, he will continue to advocate for universal access to quality education, which is essential for development and global prosperity.
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