Boom or Bust -Education Will Determine Africa ’s Transformation

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets young Kenyan artists at the State House-Photo State HouseBy Francis Owino and Siddharth ChatterjeeNAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2 2019 (IPS) August 12, marks International Youth Day, and the theme for this year is ‘making education more relevant, equitable and inclusive’, is particularly apt for Africa. Consider this. Every 24 hours around 35,000 African youth are looking for work. The youth make up 37% of the working-age population in Africa, but 60% of the unemployed. Though Africa continues to post impressive gains in education enrolment rates, challenges of access, quality and relevance of education in the continent remain formidable. The region has the highest number of out-of-school children; four in ten learners score poorly in literacy and numeracy; and the systems are producing many graduates whose skills do not meet the workforce requirements. Estimates indicate that a dollar invested in an additional year of schooling, particularly for girls, generates earnings and health benefits of $10 in low-income countries and nearly $4 in lower-middle income countries. By 2050, Africa will be home to about 830 million young people, meaning that at current trends, the challenge will only become tougher. Francis OwinoIn Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta pushed for education reforms to prepare the youth for a new era. The National Policy on Curriculum Reforms, whose vision is “nurturing every learner’s potential” is anchored on the African Union’...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Development & Aid Economy & Trade Education Environment Featured Headlines Health Labour Poverty & SDGs TerraViva United Nations Trade & Investment Source Type: news