JK champions partnerships to enhance education for Africa’s youth

NEW YORK: FORMER President and Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, has joined fellow African leaders in calling for improved quality education for the continent’s rapidly growing youth population.

Speaking at the African Union and Global Partnership for Education Presidential meeting, held alongside the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York, Dr Kikwete emphasised the initiative’s goal of enhancing economic growth across Africa. He urged immediate action to provide quality education to Africa’s youth to unlock their potential.

“We are the world’s youngest and fastest-growing continent. By 2050, one in every four people will be African and our workforce will surpass that of China. We must equip them. If we fail to act, we risk further disenfranchising them,” stated the former Head of State. He pointed out that a 1 per cent improvement in learning outcomes could lead to a 7.2 per cent increase in economic growth.

“To unlock this potential, we need focused investments, a relentless emphasis on learning, proper support for our educators and strong partnerships,” he added.

African Union Commission Chairperson, Mr Moussa Faki acknowledged the necessity of a long-term focus on education, calling for an annual education convening at the AU Mission during UNGA meetings.

“We must recognise that merely formulating annual themes is not enough; the journey is long and we need innovative and bold responses for the long term,” he remarked.

He highlighted the unacceptable levels of education poverty in Africa, especially as more than 80 per cent of the continent’s workforce will be youth in twenty years.

Prof Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) at the AU, reinforced the call for bold investments and international support for Africa’s children to achieve global returns.

He stressed that foundational learning is crucial for Africa’s long-term development and key to unlocking the potential of millions of children who will become tomorrow’s change-makers.

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“This learning poverty undermines our collective efforts to achieve Agenda 2063,” he stated, insisting that the AU is committed to making foundational learning a priority beyond 2024 through tracking progress, providing support and advocating for comprehensive reforms.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema noted that by 2050, at least one-third of all young people aged 15 to 24 will be born in Africa.

He also pointed out that currently, four out of five children cannot read and understand simple text by age ten.

“This is unacceptable and we must urgently prioritise investments in education,” he said, urging African countries and global partners to set clear milestones beyond the 2024 education year and ensure no child in Africa is left behind.

Former President of Malawi, Dr Joyce Banda, emphasised that the continental crisis demands a collective response.

“We need more Heads of State to champion foundational learning,” she asserted, adding that Africa’s prosperity hinges on children learning to read and count.

The World Bank estimates that without urgent action, the learning crisis could result in a loss of $21 trillion in global productivity. However, addressing this issue could add $6.5 trillion in additional global value by 2030 through improved education outcomes.