AA/Tunis
The African Union Conference on Education, Youth and Employability opened this Tuesday, December 10, 2024 in Nouakchott.
Organized under the presidency of HE Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and current Chairman of the AU, this event brought together heads of state, including President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, as well as ministers of Education and Finance, experts and civil society actors around the theme: “Educating and qualifying Africa for the 21st century”, indicates the Senegalese presidency in a press release.
During this ceremony, President Faye recalled the AU’s common commitment to shaping a resilient and dynamic Africa, emphasizing that young Africans, representing more than 60% of the population, are not only the future but also the present of the continent. He also insisted on the need for inclusive and quality education, particularly for young girls and rural communities, in order to break cycles of poverty, reports the same source.
Although notable progress has been made in access to education, the continent remains faced with persistent challenges, underlines the African Press Agency (APA). Africa now accounts for 90% of the world’s external financing needs for education by 2030. An additional $40 billion is estimated to be needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG4. on quality education, and the aspirations defined in AU Agenda 2063, specifies the same media.
Major obstacles, such as inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, regional disparities, limited access to digital technologies and the gap between training and employment, further hamper progress. Furthermore, the digital revolution and global economic changes require us to rethink educational systems to meet the needs of tomorrow’s professions, underlines the APA.
The main objectives of the Nouakchott conference are to assess the progress made by AU Member States in implementing international education commitments, such as SDG4 and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA). . The event is also intended to strengthen collaboration and sustainable financing, in particular via innovative mechanisms such as the African Fund for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (AESTIF), indicates the African media.
Only part of the dispatches, which the Anadolu Agency broadcasts to its subscribers via the Internal Broadcasting System (HAS), is broadcast on the AA website, in summary form. Please contact us to subscribe.
