Focus on learning crisis in Africa at UNGA 79: Continent could unlock $6.5 trillion in productive opportunities by 2030 if foundational learning is prioritised

On Monday September 23, continental and global leaders converged in New York, on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), to evaluate Africa’s learning crisis and successful initiatives that can help it reverse poor learning outcomes. At a side event co-organized by ADEA, VvoB, Hempel Foundation, Human Capital Africa (HCA), and TaRL Africa, ministers, diplomats, senior policymakers, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs all agreed on the need for urgent action to unlock a massive economic opportunity for the world’s youngest continent.

Studies demonstrate that four out of five children in Africa and nine out of ten in sub-Saharan Africa cannot read with understanding by age 10. This stark reality imperils the continent’s future and ensures it does not reap from its demographic dividend. This situation is further worsened by the COVID-induced learning loss as well as the alarming figures for out-of-school children in Africa. There is an urgent need for action to reverse the spiral as the continent grapples with simultaneous issues such as financing and resource shortages, competing development demands, infrastructure deficits, and political, civil, and ecological disturbances.

However, leaders at this event were upbeat as they shared and discussed successful, evidence-based initiatives that improve foundational learning outcomes. For instance, Ministers of Education from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi and Sierra Leone showcased home-grown solutions that are yielding results, while a technical session at the event discussed the evidence behind successful initiatives in foundational learning including Structured Pedagogy and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology. 

In her opening notes, Senior Program Officer, Policy and Advocacy at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Victoria Egbetayo, noted that the continent could be on course to reap $6.5 trillion in productive opportunities by 2030, if it can prioritize foundational learning. 

“Foundational learning is not just about the classroom, but the impact on development. Closing the skills gap could grow the economy by $6.5 trillion by 2030, but will cost $21 trillion in lost earnings.”

The African Union (AU) Commissioner on Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (AU-ESTI), Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, acknowledged the learning crisis and restated the AU’s commitment to track progress while advocating for reforms. He decried the poor resourcing to foundational learning and urged for innovative financing and more efficient resourcing to enable countries to implement successful initiatives at scale. 

“The average expenditure per child and per year is around $260 against a global average of $8,000. The best African countries are spending $900, a tenth of the global average. The lowest country is spending $16 per child per year. This is at the heart of the challenge. It is the core challenge.”

In his video message to the gathering, the Champion of Foundational Learning and President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema urged for collective engagement to address foundational learning beyond the year of education. He highlighted the impact the methodologies like TaRL has had on learning outcomes in Zambia. According to President Hichilema: 

“By 2050, at least one-third of all young people aged 15 to 24 years old will be born in Africa. At present, four in five children are unable to read and understand simple text by the age of ten. This is unacceptable, we must urgently prioritise investments in education. These skills are the building blocks for every child's academic and other forms of success. Collectively, we must set clear milestones beyond the 2024 year of education and ensure that no child in Africa is left behind.”

During the panel discussion at the event, Ministers of Education present showcased home grown efforts from their respective countries to improve learning outcomes. Minister Mariatou Kone from Cote d’Ivoire discussed the implementation of the National Program for the Improvement of Early Learning, which will be rolled out in the 2024 – 2025 school year. In Ghana, Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum reflected on the 90-90-90 initiative, whose aim is to ensure that 90% of its children can read by age 10. Dr Conrad Sackey of Sierra Leone also discussed government efforts to increase the annual education budget to 22%, and the recruitment and training of 14,000 teachers to support literacy and numeracy teaching. Equally, Minister Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa of Malawi explained that the Ministry is pursuing continuous professional development of in-service teachers, curriculum redesign, the adoption of digital technology to aid access to the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills, and the expansion of its school feeding program to 35 percent of its school children.

Other speakers at the event include the former President of Malawi, Dr. Joyce Banda, who emphasized that Africa’s future of innovation, prosperity, and global influence begins in the classroom with children learning to read and count. Dr Pia Britto, the Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development at UNICEF, highlighted UNICEF’s commitment to working with partners and governments on the continent to improve foundational learning. Ms Erica Gerretsen, the Director for Human Development, Migration, Governance, and Peace at the European Commission, outlined the European Union Commission’s commitment to enhancing access, equity, and learning in basic education. Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili who moderated the ministerial panel, called for improved accountability among policymakers as well as more efficient resource management.

This event in New York builds on previous calls made by ADEA and HCA at various fora, including the Communique issued at the end of the 2023 High-Level Policy Dialogue Forum on Foundational Learning, in Lusaka in November 2023, the AU Heads of Government Summit in February and the Mid-Year Summit in Accra in July 2024. These calls urge Heads of Government, through the African Union, to take the following decisive steps to address the learning crisis.