The Future of Theological Education in Africa: Post-Botswana Summit Delivery Action Plan

THE FUTURE OF THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN AFRICA POST-BOTSWANA SUMMIT DELIVERY ACTION PLAN (4 YEARS) July 2023

Prepared by

USPG AND THE POST-BOTSWANA SUMMIT WORKING GROUP

Introduction A “watershed”, “new birth” and “Kairos moment”: these were some of the assessments of a high-level summit on “The Future of Theological Education in Africa”, organised by USPG and hosted by the Diocese of Botswana, 8-10 November in Gaborone, Botswana.

With the very active participation from archbishops, bishops, principals, and deans of theological institutions from seven member churches of the Anglican Communion, the Summit explored ways of closer collaboration and reflected strategically on a number of significant and urgent challenges facing theological education in Africa. Wide-ranging in the challenges it sought to address - including how to fund and resource theological education, the review and decolonising of the curriculum, and appropriate delivery methods as well as models of governance, management, and sustainability - the Summit set a challenging agenda for future work.

In a concluding communiqué, participants reaffirmed their commitment to ensure that the aspirations of the Summit would be a reflection of God’s calling “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Ephesians 4:12). My prayer is that the following delivery action plan helps to achieve just that.

REV’D DR DUNCAN DORMOR GENERAL SECRETARY, USPG

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Summary This delivery plan seeks to lay out a plan of action to guide diverse perspectives and encourage provinces to establish robust and long-lasting theological education in Africa.

It comprises 4 priority thematic areas: Governance and Management Curriculum Design and Development Digitization and Technology Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability

Delegates at the USPG Partners Summit on the Future of Theological Education in Africa November 2022, Gaborone, Botswana

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delivery Action plan Governance and Management

Priority Area

Governance and Management

Strategic Area: Description

Targets

Responsibility

Yr 1

Yr 2

Train TEI principals and governors in the principles of governance, leadership, and management.

Leadership training that is values-led, visionary, strategic, innovative, and undertaken with integrity; and develops an understanding of management – including core financial and HR elements, capacity to understand and develop a supporting business model, budgets, team building, role clarification, recruitment and retention of staff, thoughtful delegation, and succession planning.

Provinces and TEIs: Develop a recruitment approach that guarantees the selection of young men/women of integrity and greater inclusion of women for training in TEIs. Set up an African Theological Educators Forum/Network - a platform for the principals of Theological Colleges to share experiences and address issues of common concern, both strategic and operational, in the leadership and management of TEIs and sharing ideas on mobilising resources.

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Yr 3

Yr 4

delivery Action plan Curriculum Design and Development

Priority Area

Curriculum Design and Development

Strategic Area: Description

Targets

Responsibility

Yr 1

Yr 2

Translate and provide theological materials in a range of languages including Portuguese, French, Arabic and Swahili for theological education.

Engage TEIs in routine curriculum reviews to meet the evolving needs of students, dioceses, and the changing delivery environment.

Develop a mentorship programme of young clergy by senior clergy and retired clergy in the teaching of theology.

TE’s balance between the focus on qualifications and vocational formation in the minimum entry requirements within the emerging university frameworks.

USPG: organise a more extensive and detailed mapping exercise on key aspects related to curriculum design and development.

Provinces, TEIs and partners: Facilitate exchange programs and/or visits across individual provinces to supplement the learning experience of ordinands.

Provinces and TEIs: Pursue accreditations for TEIs to enable the standardisation of their courses.

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Yr 3

Yr 4

delivery Action plan Digitization and Technology

Priority Area

Digitization and Technology

Strategic Area: Description

Targets

Responsibility

Yr 1

Yr 2

Provinces and TEIs to develop approaches that utilise e-learning and other ways of learning, to improve the quality of learning experiences of all students and access to theological education.

TEI’s and provincial theological education leadership identify ways to increase accessibility to e-libraries, elearning resources, and printed material for ordinands. The use of mobile technology, pre-recorded material/ lectures, and the use of mobile phones. Facilitate remote learning by producing pre-recorded lectures which could be downloaded.

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Yr 3

Yr 4

delivery Action plan Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability

Priority Area

Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability

Strategic Area: Description

Targets

Responsibility

Yr 1

Yr 2

Establish theological education support unit based within CAPA to coordinate Africa provinces.

Develop the capacity of TEIs to be self-sustaining and take over-arching responsibility to set a realistic framework for TEIs and ministerial training across the church.

Recruit lead staff of theologian education at the provincial /council office level to strengthen provinces & councils' capacity to rethink, stimulate and implement a theological education framework.

TEIs: outline a clear business model for each TEI - including models for income generation and sustainable funding.

Provinces and dioceses: mobilise parishes to support and resource TEIs. Provinces and partners enable scholarships, match-funding, or growing an endowment to support students and theological colleges.

TEIs establish regular financial audits for accountability.

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Yr 3

Yr 4

A moment of reflection at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Gaborone, Botswana

Discussions underway at ‘The Future of Theological Education’ summit Page 8

participants of the summit

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participants of the summit

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acknowledgements We acknowledge with thanks the support of the Diocese of Botswana in the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa towards hosting the summit in Gaborone, as well as the Theological Education Department of the Anglican Communion Office and the Episcopal Church for extending some financial support for organising this consultation. We are also grateful to the Primates of the seven USPG partner Provinces in Africa for their unwavering support of this summit and the members of the various working groups who prepared the ground so diligently to ensure its success.

We are indebted to all the presenters, moderators, facilitators, and members of the listening groups who gave generously of their precious time to make this conference a mutual time of learning. We are also indebted to those who provided logistical support in preparation for and during the course of the summit.

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“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV)

Cover image: Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Gaborone, Botswana