AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN AFRICA By Kim Kerr, Director, Regional Programmes, Mastercard Foundation
We are in a unique moment in Africa’s story, with the opportunity presented by a large youth demographic – but are we doing everything we can to prepare young people for the future of work?
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nsuring that Africa’s youth secures employment or can create their own livelihoods is arguably the single most significant task facing African policy-makers today. Africa’s working-age population is projected to grow by 70%, or by 450 million people between 2015 and 2035 (World Bank). Between 10 and 12 million youth enter the workforce each year across Africa, but only 3.1 million jobs are created, leaving the majority of youth unemployed or underemployed (African Development Bank). Digitization, automation, and technological 6-
THE IIEP LETTER VOL. XXXV N°1 / QUALITY SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL
advances are changing the nature of work globally, including in Africa. These trends will increase uncertainty and the pace of change, raising the premium on skills that help young people to be adaptable, resilient, and creative problem solvers. Reimagining secondary education as a platform for work is a paradigm shift. Until now, secondary education in sub-Saharan Africa has been viewed primarily as a stepping-stone to tertiary education. With rising primary enrolment and completion rates and low tertiary enrolment on the continent, secondary education