Africa needs to ramp up education to meet the changing world of work

Africa’s burgeoning youth population is already telling. Today, the median age is 20 compared with Europe at 43, North America at 39, Asia at 32, and Latin America and the Caribbean at 31. And Africa’s population is getting younger. Two in every five children will be born in Africa by 2050.

Much has been said about the possible economic, political and social implications of this changing demographic and the resulting gains, or catastrophe, if this population does not have access to basic systems to meet their needs. And that’s true. Without economic growth and better policy choices and institutional structures that give rise to it, African countries and cities – and their inhabitants – will not thrive.

Attention must be paid to the kernels of reform that will determine the future growth and prosperity that is desirable on the continent.

The fuel for this much-need growth is its people – the quality of its people, to be precise. 

One in 10 people 15 years old and above are unable to read and write. The number is perhaps higher if the quality of education is factored in. High levels of illiteracy beget widespread marginalisation from productive economic and social life, worsens inequality, and is associated with poorer health and nutrition.

Given that the educational level of the labour force is linked to the level of national income, it cannot be disregarded in a comprehensive growth strategy that seeks to capitalise on the continent’s expanding youth population. 

Since the 1970s, sub-Saharan Africa’s primary school education enrolment rates have improved from below 60% to 100%. Progression to secondary school has, however, lagged at around 75% since 2007. Similarly, the rate of primary school completion for sub-Saharan Africa, at 70%, is below the global average rate of over 89%. This leaves a significant number of African youths who are either not in or have fallen out of education – a situation that has a clear impact on their employable skill levels and earning prospects. 

Evidently, there are deep-seated socioeconomic barriers that hinder students’ progression and completion of formal education, despite high enrolment rates, that need to be addressed.

While the official unemployment rate for sub-Saharan Africa is 6.6% – only slightly above the global average of 6% – underemployment is much higher. Typically, 90% (or more) of the labour force is in the informal sector and many of those categorised as having work are self-employed or in poorly paid jobs. 

Only three million formal jobs are created annually while 10-12 million youth enter the workforce each year. In light of the mammoth increase in populations that will occur across the continent in the next two decades, will enough jobs be generated to employ the growing number of young people?

This challenge has become even more pressing in light of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the continent, millions of young people have had their lives disrupted and learning put on hold over the past 14 months. Although the disruption was an inconvenience globally, in Africa, where an estimated 80% do not have access to the internet, remote learning proved to be something of a failure. To say formal education has been set back is an understatement. 

Why is this important now? Writing in “Education must be a crisis priority, not an afterthought”, Dr Edward K. Brown, senior director of research, policy and programmes at the African Center for Economic Transformation states that, “With the right education and training, Africa’s youth population will provide the region with an unparalleled comparative advantage in labour and human resources – and will accelerate Africa’s economic transformation at the same time. 

“Consider that each additional year of schooling in Africa raises individual earnings by 11% for males and 14% for females.”

The government’s role should be to facilitate these partnerships and engagements. Innovative financing and financial models; public-private partnerships; government support for tech incubators and universities; a clear economic plan that prioritises training, skills, and knowledge transfer; and investing in research and development to spur innovation will help.