The Deta Conference in Mauritius
Two University of Kabianga lecturers, Dr. David Ngatia and Dr. Florence Kamonjo,from the School of Education, Arts & Social Sciences, participated at the prestigious Distance Education and Teachers’ Training in Africa (DETA) 2025 Conference, hosted by the Mauritius Institute of Education, Renduit, July 22nd - 25th, 2025. The conference was officially opened by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Prof. Gokhool Dharambeer
Held under the theme: “Education for Empowering the Global South: Technologies and Pedagogies for Distance Teacher Education,” the conference brought together a diverse range of education professionals, researchers, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond to share ideas and shape the future of teacher education in the digital age.
Over the course of the four-day event, Dr. Ngatia and Dr. Kamonjo actively engaged in a range of activities. They attended a pre-conference workshop on Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Distance Education, participated in stimulating keynote sessions from distinguished scholars including Prof. Peter Scott (CEO, Commonwealth of Learning), Prof. Elijah Omwenga (Vice Chancellor, Open University of Kenya), and Prof. Hyleen Mariaye (Mauritius Institute of Education), and contributed to discussions on reimagining teacher preparation and leadership in the Global South.
The University of Kabianga takes great pride in the active academic contributions of Dr. Ngatia and Dr. Kamonjo, who both presented insightful papers during the parallel sessions under the sub-theme “Teacher Professional Development.” Their presentations reflected the university’s growing impact in educational research and practice. Notably, Dr. Ngatia was also honoured with the role of session chair, further demonstrating the respect and recognition accorded to UoK’s academic leadership.
In addition to their scholarly engagement, both lecturers serve as University of Kabianga’s TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa) Ambassadors. TESSA is a renowned collaborative network of teachers, teacher educators, and institutions committed to advancing quality education across the continent. During the conference, Dr. Ngatia and Dr. Kamonjo were among five distinguished ambassadors who participated in the symbolic cake-cutting ceremony marking TESSA’s 20th Anniversary, a milestone moment that paid tribute to an initiative originally conceived at the DETA 2005 Conference, also held in Mauritius
The University of Kabianga extends its warm congratulations to Dr.Ngatia and Dr. Kamonjo for their outstanding representation of the institution at this esteemed conference. Their participation not only demonstrated the university’s academic strength and leadership in teacher education but also reinforced its active role in continental initiatives that support open educational resources and distance learning innovations.