E A S T - C E N T R A L A

The East-Central Africa Divi-sion (ECD) includes 11 coun-tries: Kenya, Uganda, Burundi,Tanzania, Congo (DRC),Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea,

South Sudan, Rwanda, and Somalia.This region has a total population ofabout 350 million people, and part of itfalls within the 10/40 Window that thechurch is particularly targeting forevangelism.

The ECD launched the 2010-2015quinquennium with the theme “Re-vival and Reformation.” Despite manychallenges, such as rebel activities inCongo, civil war in South Sudan, andterrorism incidents in Kenya, the divi-sion moved forward to fulfill its mis-sion with total and undivided commit-ment. This report highlights the majoraccomplishments of the East-CentralAfrica Division during the 2010-2015quinquennium, the challenges faced,and plans for the future.

Accomplishments of Adventisteducation in ecd

From 2010 to 2014, the number ofschools and/or educational programsin ECD increased by 400, for a total ofabout 1,900 elementary and secondaryschools, and 19 colleges, universities,and training institutions. During thesame period, the number of teachersgrew by 1,000, and the student enroll-ment (all levels) expanded by 50,000.Specific programs and initiatives in-cluded the following:

2011 education Advisory MeetingThe quinquennium began with an

advisory meeting in June 2011 at Ad-vent Hill, Nairobi, Kenya, attended byunion education directors and heads oftertiary institutions in ECD. MikeLekic, General Conference associate di-rector of education and ECD liaison,along with Hudson Kibuuka, formerECD director of education and nowGC associate director of education,served as major facilitators. The advi-

sory meeting helped set the tone forthe quinquennium and offered manyopportunities for consultation as planswere developed.

ecd Annual Higher educationconsultative Meetings

Every year during the quinquen-nium, the leaders of the seven universi-ties in ECD (University of EasternAfrica Baraton, Bugema University,University of Arusha, Adventist Univer-sity of Central Africa, Adventist Uni-versity of Lukanga, Ethiopia AdventistCollege, and Adventist University ofCentral Africa) met for consultation,training, planning, and fellowship.1

These meetings have resulted in greatercollaboration, cooperation, team spirit,mission, and unity; and have alsohelped to re-emphasize evangelism,Adventist mission and identity,human-resource development, leader-ship training, and improvement of ed-ucational quality.

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Growth and NewOpportunities

B Y A N D R E W M U T E R O

E C D

A F R I C A D I V I S I O N

2013 ecd Biblical Foundationsteachers conference

A major highlight of the five-yearperiod was the second teachers conven-tion held in ECD and the first of itskind in a Francophone area of our ter-ritory. Attended by more than 800teachers, the conference was held fromDecember 11-21, 2013, at Gahogo Ad-ventist Academy in Rwanda. Upgradedto a boarding academy, the school nowhas dormitories for boys and girls(each with beds for 500 students); anew cafeteria and a modern kitchen,and is renovating the chapel. Theboarding facility also has the capacityto accommodate about 1,000 confer-ence participants.2 The Honorable Dr.

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Above: A Maxwell Adventist Academy student is baptized. Below: The East Kenya Union Adventist Teachers Convention was held in April 2014.

Vincent Biruta, Rwanda minister of ed-ucation, who officially opened the con-ference, expressed his appreciation forthe contributions by the Seventh-dayAdventist Church in the developmentand uplifting of educational standardsin Rwanda.

Revival and Reformationinitiative

Each division educational institu-tion is required to have a committee re-sponsible for Revival and Reformationactivities, a Spiritual Master Plan, andin-reach/outreach evangelism. This ini-tiative has produced tangible results inevangelism, nurturing, and disciple-ship, leading to 60,000 baptisms in ourschools between 2010 and 2014.

ecd Medical school in AucAPlans are underway to establish a di-

vision medical school in Kigali, Rwanda,to train medical doctors for the Advent -ist hospitals in the region. The schoolwill admit its first students in 2016 andlaunch the first rotation of courses.

universities Awarded chartersTwo ECD universities were awarded

government charters during this quin-quennium: Adventist University ofAfrica in Nairobi, Kenya; and The Uni-versity of Arusha in Usa River, Tanzania.

new university initiativesThe East Congo Union Mission in

the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC) is establishing Philip LemonUniversity to provide opportunities foryoung people to access Adventisthigher education. The West Kenya

Union Conference plans to upgrade itsmore-than-100-year-old college in Ka-magambo to a full-fledged university.Goma Adventist University in Doma,DRC, formerly run by Adventist lay -persons, will now be operated by theNorth East Congo Union Mission.

ecd Human Resourcedevelopment

The division has invested significantfunds to develop leaders and humanresources during this quinquennium.More than U.S.$1.5 million has beeninvested to train and educate some 500workers in division universities, inMaster’s programs in pastoral theology,leadership, business (M.B.A.), publichealth, and the new doctor of ministryprogram. More than 300 workers havegraduated from AUA. Supplemental

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E A S T - C E N T R A L A F R

General Conference Department of Education representatives and participants attending the annual East-Central Africa Division Higher Education Consultation on the campus of Ethiopia Adventist College.

funds from the General Conferencehave paid for the education of morethan 200 workers from the DRC, Bu-rundi, and South Sudan.3

development of ultramoderninfrastructure

One of our greatest needs in ECD isnew, modern infrastructure. During thisquinquennium, we have been able toachieve the following, to mention a few:

• Adventist University of CentralAfrica (Rwanda): ultramodern multi-purpose hall with seating for morethan 1,000 people;

• Adventist University of CentralAfrica Gishushu Campus: four-storyscience and technology building;

• Bugema University (Uganda): thepurchase of a modern building inKampala, Uganda, for a city campus;

• Bugema University Medical Centre;• University of Arusha (Tanzania):

multipurpose hall and a new women’shostel;

• Adventist University of LukangaPolyclinic (Congo): men’s and women’shostels;

• Adventist University of Africa

(Kenya): Library, student hostels, andfaculty housing;

• Gahogo Adventist Academy(Rwanda): Modern boarding facilities.

challenges Facing Adventisteducation in the east-centralAfrica division

The following are some of the majorchallenges that are facing the educationwork in ECD:

• Preserving Adventist ethos, iden-tity, and mission;

• Meager resources for much-needed development and growth;

• Stiff competition from private andpublic schools;

• Providing affordable Adventist ed-ucation in difficult financial times;

• Recruiting and retaining qualifiedAdventist teachers;

• Civil unrest and conflicts in someparts of the division;

• Low student enrollment.The ECD has developed a number of

strategies to address these challenges,including additional training for its ed-ucators, local resource mobilization,upgrading infrastructure, and aggres-sive marketing of Adventist education.

plans for the comingQuinquennium

• Construction of an Adventist pri-mary school in the Republic of Dji-bouti, an unentered territory in the10/40 Window;

• Construction of at least three Ad-ventist primary schools in Somaliaonce the political situation stabilizes;

• Encouraging the construction ofAdventist schools in the 10/40 Window,especially in the East African coastalarea, which is dominated by Islam;

• Continued support and infrastruc-tural development of the ECD medicalschool in Kigali, Rwanda;

• Development and construction ofnew tertiary institutions in Burundiand Ethiopia;

• Collaboration between ECD unioneducation departments and the SafelizPublishing House in Spain to developtextbooks that both incorporate Ad-ventist principles and meet govern-ment curriculum standards.

Andrew Mutero,Ph.D., is Director ofEducation for theEast-Central AfricaDivision in Nai -robi, Kenya.

REFERENCES1. These meetings were held at various uni-

versities on a rotational basis: in 2011 at Univer-sity of Eastern Africa Baraton, in 2012 at BugemaUniversity, in 2013 at the University of Arusha, in2014 at Ethiopia Adventist College, and in 2015at Adventist University of Central Africa.

2. Funds that could have been spent to ac-commodate the 800 teachers for eight days in ho-tels in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, were used in theconstruction of the boarding facility, which willbe used for many years to come to provide Ad-ventist education for many young people inRwanda.

3. These pastoral workers have been up-graded and trained, and earned a degree in theol-ogy at Adventist University of Central Africa,Bugema University, and Adventist University ofLukanga.

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The Advent Hill School Pathfinders drill squad and instructors pose for a photo after a WorldPathfinders Day celebration in the school chapel. The school is located in Nairobi, Kenya.