On the 4th of April, ADEA Executive Secretary Albert Nsengiyumva joined an eminent panel of discussants to canvass for sustainable reforms in the African education system as a means of addressing the continental skills gap. At the conference on African education organized by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and tagged "Bridging the Skills Gap: Aligning Education with Workforces Needs in Africa."

In his intervention, Albert highlighted the systemic issues impeding progress in skills development across Africa, including outdated curricula, under-resourced teaching programs, and poor teaching training. He urged for curriculum reform, improved teacher training, and expanded early childhood education as key steps toward building inclusive and future-ready education systems. He shared ADEA’s role in driving demand-driven TVET by aligning vocational training with labor market demands and our efforts to push for data-driven decision-making through the Education Skills and Development Challenge (ESDC), which supports 30 African countries to improve their education and skills data systems.

Albert closed his intervention by emphasizing the value of lifelong learning, digital innovation, and youth participation in reform processes, calling on young Africans to be vocal change agents in policy and curriculum design.

The dialogue highlighted the value of multilingualism, inclusive education, and the power of data-driven decision-making. ADEA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African governments in implementing evidence-based reforms that empower learners, educators, and communities alike.

The message from the Harvard event was clear: Africa must reimagine its education systems – by Africans, for Africa – to unlock the continent’s full human potential.