The Commonwealth Education Conferences, originally called Commonwealth Education Ministers Conferences, but later broadened to include experts, are the ones from which CAPA originated. During the 7th Conference held in Accra-Ghana in March 1977, a recommendation was made that an organisation grouping together polytechnics be formed in the Commonwealth, but with a mandate for the African region only. It was expected that the organisation would play, at Polytechnic level, the role played by the Association of Commonwealth Universities at the university level. After planning meetings organised in Freetown, Sierra-Leone and Nairobi, Kenya by the Commonwealth Secretariat, but involving officials from education ministries and polytechnics in Africa, the organisation was launched in December 1978 under the name of Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa. The launching was marked by the election of the first Executive Board with the first President, the then Principal of Kenya Polytechnic, the late Mr. J. D. Mambo. Since then six other boards have been elected; the 2 nd in Blantyre, Malawi (August 1983), the 3 rd in Kaduna, Nigeria (September 1987), the 4 th in Dar-es- Salaam, Tanzania (November 1992), the 5 th Board in Cape Town, South Africa (July 1998) under Chairmanship of Dr. Tjama Tjivikua from Namibia.The Other CAPA Chairman, Eng. Umaru Sani-Ango was from Nigeria(1998-2006).The current CAPA Chairman, Mr. C. T. Akumu Owuor is from Kenya.
The CAPA Board has eighteen (18) members elected from amongst the Principals of member institutions, once in between three and five years.
The Aims and Objectives of CAPA focus on the development and improvement of technical education and training, and the transfer and development of technology. They are covered fully in Article II of the CAPA Constitution, a copy of which is available for reference.
In terms of membership development, CAPA has recorded very impressive gains since 1978. Starting with a modest membership of about 20 in 1978, the members have increased to 150 by 1999 distributed throughout the seventeen countries of Commonwealth Africa as follows:-
Botswana1; The Gambia 1; Ghana1; Kenya 16; Lesotho 1; Malawi 4; Mauritius 1; Namibia 1; Nigeria 45; Seychelles 1; Sierra-Leone 3; Swaziland 1; Tanzania 23; Uganda 12; Zambia 25; Zimbabwe 7; and Republic of South Africa 3.
It is expected that membership will increase in future through the enrolment of technical institutions which are not yet members and also the newly established polytechnics. Indeed the membership criteria is quite flexible. Post-secondary institutions that are not necessarily polytechnics in the traditional sense, but offer programmes covering at least two technical or professional areas are eligible for membership.
It is also pointed out that the Association operates under regional groupings as follows:-
Western Region :
The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra-Leone: Membership is 56.
Eastern Region :
Kenya , Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda: Membership is 53.
Southern Region :
Botswana , Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Republic of South Africa. Membership is 43.
Each region is controlled by a regional Vice-Chairman. Currently the Western, Eastern and Southern/Central Vice-Chairmen are in Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia, respectively. The Chairman is from Kenya.
Finally, the administrative secretariat of CAPA is at the Kenya Polytechnic in Nairobi. This was established in late 1982. The Secretariat co-ordinates all the functions of the Association and takes initiative for project development, fund-raising and identification of areas that need addressing within the member institutions in line with the mandates of the Association.