The Mastercard Foundation has released a report titled ‘Secondary Education in Africa: Preparing Youth for the Future of Work’.
Development Diaries understands that the report was released at the Secondary Education in Africa Virtual Summit.
it was noted that secondary education that provides relevant skills to young workers will help improve productivity, particularly in the informal sector, and also play an important role in driving long-term economic growth and reducing poverty in Africa.
The report examines factors that facilitate reform and innovation throughout the education system across a range of areas such as curriculum, teacher training, flexible approaches, equitable access, and innovations in financing.
The President and Chief Executive Officer at Mastercard Foundation, Reeta Roy said, ‘Digitisation, automation, and technological advancements are already changing the nature of work in Africa. Young people must enter the workforce from secondary education equipped with the right skills.
‘So, strategic investments into secondary education can be a big part of ensuring young people and their countries emerge from the other side of Covid-19 stronger and more inclusive’.
It was noted that across the continent, the youth population is growing and is expected to reach 456 million by 2050, with school enrolment expected to double by 2030, representing an additional 46 million students at the secondary level over the next ten years.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame underscored the need for cross-sectoral partnerships to achieve the report’s recommendations.
He said, ‘Secondary school is the critical link that prepares young people to succeed in the workplace. This report sets out some key principles we need to take on board to adapt our secondary education systems for the future’.
In her keynote address, former Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf emphasised the importance of investing in relevant, high-quality, universal secondary education as a lever for advancing inclusion.
She stated that there was no greater driver of inclusion than a quality education, adding that there was nothing that could more quickly devastate hopes for the future than to have it taken away.
Source: Mastercard Foundation
Photo source: Mastercard Foundation
