4 months ago
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A Presidential Media Briefing on Foundational Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa yesterday took place in Accra, with a call on African leaders to adopt a life-long education agenda for the socio-economic development of the continent.
The event organised by Human Capital Africa, was a prelude to the 6th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union scheduled between July 18 and 21.
It was on the theme: ‘Prioritising foundational literacy and numeracy to achieve African Union Agenda 2063 goals’ and was attended by diverse stakeholders in the education sector across the continent.
Also participating in the meeting were, President Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, Oluṣẹgun Ọbasanjọ, former President of Nigeria, Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of Tanzania and Chairperson, Global Partnership for Education and Board of Directors, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, former President of Liberia, Representatives from the African Union Commission, Aliko Dangote, Founder and President/ Chief Executive of the Dangote Group and Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, Founder/CEO of Human Capital Africa (HCA) and former World Bank Vice-President, of the Africa Region.
Speaking at the event, President Ọbasanjọ said the time had come for Africa to adopt a life-long education agenda and focus on its deliverables towards socio-economic development of the continent.
He said while the proposition for the Africa Union (AU) to adopt a decade of education agenda was great, it was important for leaders on the continent to appreciate that education was a life-long process which could not be achieved in ten years.
“With all due respect, Mr President, you emphasised decade of education. I emphasise life of education. Education is from the cradle to the grave and it’s not a one-year issue. It’s not a 10-year issue. It’s a life issue,” he emphasised.
President Ọbasanjọ said the continent would continue to lag behind in its development agenda unless and until education, especially foundational learning was prioritise as the anchor of educational development.
He said education must be treated as a matter of life and death if the innate potential and ability of the continent’s human resource was to be realised.
President Akufo-Addo on his part, said it was important that Africa recognised that it was in a crisis in terms of promoting education on the continent, stressing that, it was the only way by which the problem could be addressed.
“It is important for all of us in leadership on the continent today to recognise, as the data shows that we are in a severe existential crisis. We are not going to be able to overcome the challenges to development which are the existential crises that we have to confront unless we get right the reasons why we’re here, foundational learning,” he said.
He said a lot had be done in Ghana in that direction, since he took over as the President of Ghana seven and half years ago and was ready to share same with his counterparts at the mid-year coordinating review.
President Akufo-Addo said education in Ghana had witnessed reform in the area of curriculum, expansion of infrastructure, motivation of teachers and others, adding that “obviously, still a lot needs to be done.”
“We’re in a position whereby we can say that Ghana is making very serious efforts to come to grips with this matter. That’s the first. The second, of course, is to define the interventions that make sense, the interventions that are doable and that will also have maximum impact,” he emphasised.
Dr Ezekwesili noted that without investing in foundational learning, Africa could not meet its continental developmental goals.
She said foundational learning did not only predict a child’s future academic successs, but also support a country’s broader economic development goals.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
