The conference, the first of its kind, was convened in response to the mandate of the 20th SECAM Plenary Assembly that was held in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2025, bringing together more than 100 participants, including Bishops responsible for education, Catholic universities, national Catholic education commissions, religious congregations, education experts, researchers and partners. Besides the proposal to establish the education commission, the Conference also oversaw the development of a 2026–2031 Continental Roadmap for Catholic Education, which will provide strategic priorities and practical recommendations to guide Catholic educational institutions across Africa. They urged Episcopal Conferences to make Catholic education a pastoral priority by establishing functional national structures dedicated to the ministry. The Bishops also called on governments to recognize and support the contribution of Catholic educational institutions to national development, while urging Catholic universities, schools and training institutions to strengthen “quality assurance, good governance and accountability.” The Bishops further appealed to development partners, the African Union and other international organizations to collaborate in strengthening Catholic education across Africa and Madagascar.