African leaders, in collaboration with the African Union and global development partners, convened at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to address the critical issue of foundational learning across the continent. With a staggering 90 percent of African children unable to read or perform basic maths by age ten, the crisis threatens to undermine the region’s economic and social progress.
According to the World Bank, the global learning crisis could result in $21 trillion in lost productivity if left unaddressed. However, prioritising foundational education could add $6.5 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with Africa poised to benefit the most.
AU calls for long-term focus on education
Opening the session, Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasised the need for a sustained commitment to education. ‘We have unacceptable levels of education poverty at a time when over 80 percent of our workforce will be youth in the next two decades,’ Faki stated. He called for an annual education summit to be held at the AU Mission during UN General Assembly meetings.
Driving development through education
In his keynote speech, Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, AU Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, stressed the transformative potential of foundational learning for Africa’s long-term growth. ‘Nine out of ten African children cannot read or do basic maths by the age of ten,’ said Belhocine. ‘This learning poverty undermines our collective efforts to achieve Agenda 2063.’
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, a champion of Foundational Learning in Africa, also echoed the urgency of investment in education, noting that by 2050, a third of the global youth population will be African. ‘This is unacceptable—we must prioritise education to ensure no child in Africa is left behind,’ Hichilema asserted.
Call for continental response
Former Malawian President Dr. Joyce Banda underscored the need for a unified African approach to tackle the education crisis. ‘A continental crisis requires a continental response. We need more Heads of State to champion foundational learning,’ Banda said. She called for the establishment of accountability mechanisms and peer review processes to ensure progress.
Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who chairs the Global Partnership for Education, added: ‘A 1 percent improvement in learning outcomes can drive a 7.2 percent improvement in economic growth. We must invest relentlessly in education.’
Panel discussion on African solutions
Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, founder of Human Capital Africa, moderated a panel of African education ministers, highlighting innovative, evidence-based solutions to improve learning outcomes. ‘African Ministers want targeted financing to ensure effective teacher training, support, and deployment,’ Ezekwesili stated. The ministers agreed that accountability and data-driven approaches were critical for success.
Urgent steps to address the learning crisis
During the assembly, leaders reaffirmed previous calls made by the African Union and Human Capital Africa to tackle the education crisis. The key steps proposed include:
- Declaring it unacceptable that nine out of ten African children cannot read or do basic maths by age 10.
- Recognising that Africa’s economic and social objectives under Agenda 2063 depend on improved learning outcomes.
- Committing to ensure all children can read with comprehension and perform basic maths by 2030.
- Implementing cost-effective, evidence-based solutions within existing budgets.
- Expanding tools to measure learning outcomes consistently and comparatively across nations.
- Building a continental mechanism to ensure accountability and peer review of learning progress.
As Africa’s population continues to grow, addressing the education crisis will be pivotal to unlocking the continent’s potential, driving economic growth, and achieving sustainable development.
Credit: Africabriefing
