The political reformation that brought a radical change in the country’s political milieu has inspired other sectors to apply the same measures to improve their performance. The educational sector is one of the areas that prove reformation is the best way to ensure educational quality and produce educated and responsible citizens to Ethiopia.
As recently indicated by Foreign Affairs Minister Amb. Taye Atske Selassie on the 44th Ordinary Executive Council Session of the African Union (AU), over the past five years, the government of Ethiopia has been investing hugely and working persistently to enhance quality education.
Speaking at the meeting organized under the theme “Educate an African fit for the 21st century: Building a resilient education system for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa”, Amb. Taye said that the African Union theme for the year 2024 resonates deeply with the expectation of people across the continent for progress and development. The theme underscores the urgent need to build a strong and resilient education system that provides increased access, aspires to promote exclusivity and to respond to lifelong education thereby ensuring education for all children in Africa.
Concerning Ethiopia’s effort towards ensuring quality education, the Minister said that the country is exerting utmost effort to realize quality education. This includes a school feeding program that enables millions of children to attend their education attentively, without distraction.
“Through our nationwide school feeding programs, feeding over six million students daily, we have ensured participation and witnessed the positive impact education can have on the lives of our people. Through deliberate policy intervention, the government increased the number of public boarding schools and remote learning centers, which allow children living in rural areas to benefit from inclusive and quality education programs who once had been left behind from the world of education because of infrastructure related problems,” FM Taye remarked.
Realizing the power of quality education to gear up other sectors, the government is investing huge amounts of capital and resources to access and ensure quality education. As part of this effort it has implemented various reforms.
Stating that policy intervention is one factor to ensure quality education, Amb. Taye underscored the vital contribution of unified effort for African countries to benefit from the fruits of education.
The active participation in the G-20 would provide the continent a unique platform to contribute to global economic governance and decision making. “We must therefore ensure that the voice of Africa is heard and that our participation is meaningful,” the FM underlined.
Indeed, the issue of quality education needs combined effort from all African countries and other development partners. As indicated by AU’s Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, and Mining (ETTIM) Commissioner Albert Muchanga also said that Africa needs to invest in education and skills training to keep pace with the 21st century.
As reported by ENA, the Commissioner emphasized the dangers of Africa falling behind in digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. He said that Africa must not be left behind. According to him, the crippling burden of debt servicing in many countries also undermines investments in education and health.
The Commissioner further indicated that various challenges are still preventing African children from attending school and accessing quality education. In this regard the need for inclusivity is not something to be compromised with.
“In the ever changing world learning unceasingly- from the cradle to the grave- is a key to lead quality life. This means that lifelong learning is not a luxury, it is indispensable. And for our children of today and tomorrow, education equips them employability, including self-employment; and this is of great relevance.”
Regarding skill mismatch and unemployment in the continent the Commissioner indicated that nearly half of African youths` skill does not align with the available job in the market. What is more, Africa`s rapidly growing young population is outpacing job creation and many youth are unemployed, uneducated or untrained.
“The quality of education in Africa must (therefore) meet the minimum global standards. If its relevance is to go beyond our borders in this world of interdependence, countries will continue to depend on each other through migration, even as we undergo the disruption of global supply chains and the consequent fragmentation of international trade.”
As a means to tackle faced economic challenges, Muchanga stressed that Africa`s low productivity necessitates specific skill development strategies that focuses on fundamental, soft and technical skills which are relevant to its various economic sectors, specially, agro-industries, ICT and tourism.
At a press conference held recently, Addis Ababa University (AAU) Interim President Samuel Kifle (PhD) also underscored the significance of governments’ commitment and investing meaningfully to advance continent’s education sector, produce citizens that fit the 21st century thinking, so that realize the set sustainable development goals.
While speaking in relation to AU’s 2024 theme, Samuel said: “Africa’s education needs more investment and leaders’ commitment to nurture citizens that fit the 21st century thinking,”
Noting the average age for a primary school in Africa and Ethiopia is low; the scholar indicated that the Sub-Saharan educational accessibility is below 15% “This contributes limited skilled force in the research and innovation sectors,” he added.
Despite Africa’s low budget allocation for research and innovation, the outcomes are said to hardly solve the continent’s pressing challenges. To such an end, exerting huge investment in education, particularly in higher education is critical, Samuel remarked.
What is more, Africans, to achieve Agenda 2063, need to integrate as well as facilitate their relations in trade, investment, and focus on expanding better infrastructure.
Hence, huge financial readiness and commitment are needed from African leaders to improve African education, he emphasized.
True, capitalizing on Africa’s education system and accessing quality education for all African children is like a make or break matter for Africa for the reason education is one of the major instruments to realize the continent’s development goals and detach its citizens from the cycle of poverty. In this regard, African governments should take significant actions, backed by deeds, and discharge their responsibilities expressively; going far beyond words.
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2024
