To effectively tackle learning crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, governments in the region must champion foundational learning and confront education crisis headlong.

Ahead of the African Union Year of Education, stakeholders, at a two-day summit in Addis Ababa, also called on African leaders to assess the learning crisis confronting the continent and develop strategies to address it.

Comprising members of the African Youth Voices, in conjunction with Human Capital Africa (HCA) and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the group also urged governments in the region to prioritise the use of data and evidence to drive informed, cost-effective and system-wide interventions that can be implemented using existing resources.

The event, co-convened by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Aliko Dangote Foundation, was attended by representatives from the African foundational learning ministerial coalition, which was formed to enable collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective advocacy for African countries leading the fight against learning crisis.

Participants at the conference called on African leaders to acknowledge that as a continent, it is unacceptable that nine out of 10 children are unable to read with understanding and do basic mathematics by age 10. With this, they warned that Africa faces compounded reduction in human capital

The summit also warned that failure to address the learning crisis would have catastrophic results for the continent’s education outcomes across secondary, tertiary, as well as technical and vocational education and training (TVET), invariably restricting future employment opportunities.

Besides, participants noted that the learning crisis would prevent the achievement of at least 10 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa, leading to worse health outcomes, youth unemployment and deeper levels of poverty.

President Sahlework Zewde of Ethiopia, in her keynote address, stressed the importance of education, and acknowledged that African leaders have prioritised it through the declaration of 2024 as the African Year of Education.

Chief Executive Officer of HCA, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, emphasised the fundamental requirement for better use of data and evidence to ensure that the interventions implemented by governments at all levels, are effective.
 
With a proper evidence-based approach, Ezekwesili said the incremental cost of doing the right things at foundational levels would be negligible compared to the outcomes it would achieve in the education system.

She said: “The integrity of the foundation of education is something that we must embrace as a continent. Our leaders must become chief learning officers to demonstrate the leadership required to overcome this challenge.”

HCA’s Advisor Board member and former Deputy Chair of the African Union, Erastus Mwencha, who spoke on behalf of President Joyce Banda, Chairman of the HCA Advisory Board, lamented that despite the region’s efforts and progress over the years, nine out of 10 children in Africa are still unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10.

This, he noted, represented millions of dreams deferred, countless potentials unfulfilled, and a compromised future. The Minister of Education of Malawi and Chair of the Coalition, Madalitso Wirima, said the continent is resolute in its mission to ensure that every child can read and learn mathematics.

“This is not just an educational goal, it is a catalyst for change across our continent. Our resolve is clear, to lead the response at the national level and develop innovative solutions, and that is why we have all committed to the ministerial communique issued in Zambia in 2023, at the policy dialogue on foundational learning,” she stated.

Speaking on the need for Heads of State to act, former minister of finance of South Africa, Trevor Manuel, said there is an urgent need for a programme of action that can solve the crisis.

He said: “We must remind our leaders that they were once students, and that they are all parents. They must be able to understand the difference between good and bad education. They know about unemployment, and the impact it has on youths, the demand for skills on the continent, and the danger of falling into decay without them. Our Heads of State must understand that they have the power to reverse this decay.”

Executive Secretary of ADEA, Albert Nsengiyumva warned on the impact of failing to address the learning crisis. The messages were supported by African youths, who stressed the urgency for action by launching an online campaign to raise awareness on the challenge.
 
The event was also attended by representatives of the private sector, civil society and implementing organisations, which played significant roles in rallying other groups to address the future skills gap in the workforce by addressing the learning needs of children now.