About
The West Africa Education Civil Society Platform (WA-ECS Platform) is a consortium of Education Policy Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Development Professionals across West Africa, involved in policy monitoring and influencing at the national and sub-regional level. Established in 2024, the Platform is strategically aligned with implementing the human development policies, especially education, under ECOWAS’ Vision 2050 in member states. WA-ECS has 12 member organisations representing Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, the Gambia, Benin, Guinea, Níger and Mali.

Development Objective
To amplify civil society voice and presence at national and regional levels through education policy monitoring and accountability, to accelerate the pace of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and 5 by the year 2030 and ECOWAS Vision 2050.

Specific Objectives
1. Drive technically competent education CSOs within ECOWAS to engage in evidence-based education policy monitoring, policy influencing, and advocacy at national and regional levels.
2. Expand education CSO space and voice to actively engage national and regional governments for the achievements of SDGs 4 and 5.
3. Increase opportunities for CSOs to influence the achievement of SDGs 4 and 5

Operational Objectives
1. Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) coordinates and funds country level activities through Country Leads, monitors implementation and provides technical oversight.
2. The platform convenes quarterly review meetings to review policy monitoring progress and track advocacy gains made within the period under review.
3. Partners undertake transnational research on common education and skills issues within a joint Research and Advocacy Plan.
4. Eduwatch also holds periodic unscheduled meetings with partner CSOs to discuss advocacy outcomes from emerging issues, and follow-up on program delivery in member countries.
5. Country Leads participate in meetings of the ECOWAS Secretariat of Education, Science and Culture, and feeds back to Eduwatch and WA-ECS.