SECAM establishes Commission for Catholic Education and appoints its First Chair
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has established a Commission for Catholic Education and appointed Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua, Ghana, as its Chair.
The decision was taken during the second session of SECAM’s Standing Committee in 2026, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 18 to 22 October, chaired by His Eminence Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa and President of SECAM. The Act establishing the Commission was signed on 20 October 2026, by Cardinal Ambongo on behalf of the Standing Committee.
The Commission for Catholic Education
The establishment of the Commission follows the orientations of SECAM’s 20th Plenary Assembly, held in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2025, and the recommendations of the First Continental Conference on Catholic Education in Africa, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 5 to 8 August 2026. The Addis Ababa Declaration, adopted on 7 August 2026, specifically called for the creation 0fa SECAM Commission for Catholic Education and the development of a continental framework to strengthen Catholic Education.
As a permanent continental body of SECAM, the Commission will promote, coordinate and strengthen Catholic Education in Africa and its islands, in service of evangelization, integral human development, and the transformation of society in the light of the Gospel. It will foster collaboration among Episcopal Conferences, regional ecclesiastical bodies, Catholic educational institutions, religious congregations and other relevant Church structures, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity.
Its responsibilities will include developing a SECAM Continental Framework for Catholic Education, promoting collaboration and monitoring mechanisms, Supporting national implementation strategies, and facilitating the exchange of experiences and best practices across the continent.
Appointment of the Chair
Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua, Ghana, has been appointed Chair of the SECAM Commission for Catholic Education. Born on 22 December 1954, he was ordained a priest on 17 July 1983, and consecrated Bishop on I July 2006.
His appointment provides leadership for the Commission as it undertakes its mandate to strengthen the Church’s educational mission and promote a coordinated vision for Catholic education across Africa and its islands.
Through this initiative, SECAM reaffirms its commitment to Catholic education as an essential dimension of the Church’s evangelizing mission and a vital contribution to human dignity, social transformation, and the future of the African continent.
Accra, 9 November 2026
Rev. Fr. Rafael Simbine Junior
Secretary General of SECAM
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