African & global leaders are prioritising foundational learning to transform the continent

Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Founder of Human Capital Africa, moderated the ministerial panel and called for improved accountability among policymakers as well as more efficient resource management

• Prioritising foundational learning in Africa is estimated to add $6.5 trillion to global value by 2030. Without it, the learning crisis will result in a loss of $21 trillion.

• African and global leaders came together at the UN General Assembly on 23rd September to acknowledge the need for long-term commitments to education, showcase evidence-based innovations in foundational learning and call upon the international community to do more.

• Speakers at the event urged political leaders, through the African Union, to take concrete steps to address the learning crisis.

On 23rd September, African leaders, the African Union, and Global development partners gathered in New York at the UN General Assembly to showcase the transformational impact that prioritising foundational learning can have on the African continent.

The World Bank estimates that the learning crisis will result in $21 trillion of lost productivity globally if urgent action is not taken. However, if addressed, ensuring that our children are learning can add $6.5 trillion of additional global value by 2030.

The crisis is most acute, and the opportunity is greatest, in Africa, where nine out of ten children are not currently able to read with understanding or do basic math by the age of ten.

“The growing political recognition of the importance of foundational learning is great to see, as it is a key focus of ours at IPNEd. Now, our goal must be to broaden and deepen this commitment and ensure these commitments are turned into actions,” shared IPNEd’s Executive Director, Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly.

Audience members of the side panel heard that the continent could be on course to reap a $6.5 trillion opportunity in productivity by 2030 if the learning gap is closed

Opening the meeting in New York, African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat acknowledged the need for a long-term focus on education. He said: “We must acknowledge that the formulation of annual themes is not enough, the journey is long and we need longer-term, innovative, and bold responses. We have unacceptable levels of education poverty at a time when more than 80% of our workforce in twenty years will be youth.”  

Delivering a keynote speech, H.E. Professor Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) at the African Union reinforced the need for bold investments and called for an international effort to support Africa’s children and deliver global returns. 

“Foundational learning is an enabler for Africa’s long-term development and the key to unlocking the potential of millions of African children who will be the changemakers of tomorrow,” he shared.

Speakers at the event urged political leaders, through the African Union, to take concrete steps to address the learning crisis

Speakers at the event urged political leaders, through the African Union, to take concrete steps to address the learning crisis.

These, much in line with IPNEd’s 5-point plan to Ensure Every Child Learns, are as follows:

• Declare that it is unacceptable that nine out of ten of our children are unable to read with understanding and do basic math by age 10, and commit to transforming this by 2030.

• Acknowledge that the delivery of Agenda 2063 and its social, economic, and developmental objectives is deeply connected with learning outcomes. 

• Recognise the transformative impact that foundational learning can have on continental productivity, empowering millions and driving economic growth.

• Take action to urgently implement cost-effective evidence-based solutions that can accelerate learning outcomes and be delivered within existing budget resources. 

• Expand the active use of available tools that allow countries to measure learning outcomes early, consistently, and comparatively.

• Build a continental mechanism that allows countries, development partners, and citizens to hold each other accountable for learning outcomes and peer review progress.