SECAM Forms Catholic Education Commission, Appoints First Chair
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The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has set up a permanent Commission for Catholic Education to strengthen and coordinate Catholic education across Africa and its islands. Bishop Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum of Koforidua, Ghana, has been appointed as its first chair.
The decision was taken during the second session of SECAM’s Standing Committee in Nairobi, Kenya, held from October 18 to 22, 2026. The meeting was chaired by Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa and President of SECAM. The Act establishing the Commission was signed by Cardinal Ambongo on October 20, on behalf of the Standing Committee.
The move follows the decisions of SECAM’s 20th Plenary Assembly, held in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2025, and recommendations made at the First Continental Conference on Catholic Education in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in August 2026.
The Addis Ababa Declaration, adopted on August 7, called for the creation of a SECAM Commission for Catholic Education and a common framework to strengthen Catholic education across the continent.
The new Commission will work with national Episcopal Conferences, regional Church bodies, Catholic educational institutions and religious congregations. Its role will include developing a continental framework for Catholic education, supporting national plans, encouraging cooperation and sharing good practices among institutions.
It will also work to strengthen the role of Catholic education in the Church’s mission, human development and social change, while respecting the responsibilities of national and regional bodies.
Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum was born on December 22, 1954. He was ordained a priest on July 17, 1983, and consecrated bishop on July 1, 2006.
SECAM said the Commission would help bring a more coordinated approach to Catholic education across Africa and its islands. The initiative also reflects the Church’s view of education as an important part of its mission and a contribution to human dignity and social development.
The announcement was issued by SECAM on November 9, 2026, and distributed by APO Group.
