The African Union (AU) has raised alarming concerns over the state of education in Africa, revealing that more than 90% of 10-year-olds across the continent struggle to read simple texts or solve basic math problems.
This situation, despite increased access to education, underscores a significant gap in foundational learning, according to Prof. Saidou Madougou, the Director of the AU’s Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Madougou shared these worrying statistics during the launch of the End-Learning-Poverty for All in Africa (ELPAF) campaign, titled “Read, Write, Count: Foundation4Life,” in Lusaka on Wednesday.
This initiative is a concerted effort aimed at addressing the deep-rooted issues in education, focusing on ensuring that African children can read, write, and perform basic math by the age of 10.
The ultimate goal of the ELPAF campaign is to guarantee that every child in Africa will have access to quality foundational literacy and numeracy skills by 2035. Madougou, speaking on behalf of the African Union Commission, highlighted the severe consequences of not addressing this issue early on in children’s education.
He noted that failure to equip children with the basic educational skills at a young age not only hinders their academic growth but also has broader implications for their potential as active citizens and productive members of society.
“Learning poverty is not just an education issue. It impacts every aspect of development and prevents children from reaching their full potential,” Madougou said.
The launch of the campaign aligns with a global call for improving foundational learning, with organizations like UNICEF also supporting the initiative. Dr. Nejmudin Bilal, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative in Zambia, lauded the launch, stating that foundational learning is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty in Africa.
“Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and foundational learning is the first step on this journey,” Dr. Bilal emphasized.
The Government of Zambia has made history by becoming the first country to launch the End-Learning-Poverty for All in Africa campaign, signaling the country’s commitment to improving educational outcomes.
Speaking at the event, Zambia’s Minister of Education, Mr. Douglas Syakalima, expressed the urgency of tackling the learning crisis in the country and the continent as a whole. He stressed that addressing learning poverty is critical for the sustainable development of Africa.
“This campaign underscores our commitment to advancing education in Zambia,” said Syakalima. “We aim to address literacy deficits and ensure that children acquire not just literacy and numeracy skills, but also essential social and emotional skills that are crucial for their development.”
The African Union, in partnership with UNICEF, established the ELPAF campaign in September 2024 during the conference on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
The initiative is designed to mobilize political will, resources, and expertise across Africa to tackle learning poverty and promote educational reform.
As the campaign spreads throughout the continent, it is expected to garner increased support from political leaders, policymakers, development partners, and communities to ensure that children across Africa are not left behind in the pursuit of foundational education.
