African Union Themes 2024 The Year of Education

Continued Commitment to Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) and SDG4

The African Union (AU) has declared the year 2024 as the “Year of Education.” This is aimed to advancing education and addressing persistent challenges outlined in the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) and the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).

While Africa has witnessed remarkable progress in terms of access, completion, and quality of basic education, significant gaps persist in achieving the outlined goals of CESA 16-25. The focus on education in 2024 aims to bridge these gaps and promote transformative change across the educational landscape.

Key areas of focus include tackling the issue of out-of-school rates, particularly for pre-primary, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. Additionally, the initiative aims to address the concerning learning poverty rate, highlighting the urgent need to enhance literacy skills among children. According to recent estimates, the proportion of out-of-school children in Africa has reached a global estimate of 98 million, sounding a warning bell for the continent.

The AU’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education involves implementing various strategies, including the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA), Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024), and the Continental Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). These initiatives collectively contribute to fostering an environment conducive to holistic learning and skill development.

Despite substantial efforts in the past decade, three critical indicators demand immediate attention. The absolute number of out-of-school children remains alarming, reaching 98 million. The learning poverty rate, indicating the inability to read a simple text with comprehension by age 10, stands at an estimated 90%, exacerbating concerns over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education.

One of the significant challenges highlighted is the need for an additional 17 million teachers by 2030 to achieve universal primary and secondary education. This calls for a comprehensive approach, emphasizing collaboration between AU Member States and development partners to address this pressing issue.

The AU, within the Global Education Coordination Mechanism framework led by UNESCO, has played a pivotal role in regional coordination for CESA and SDG4 support. The Year of Education in 2024 offers an opportunity to reinvigorate efforts, aligning with the goals outlined in CESA 16-25 and SDG4.

The AU’s declaration follows the Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STC-EST4) in 2022, where ministers emphasized the need for a dedicated education-related theme for 2024. This commitment aims to counter the disruptions caused by COVID-19, promote the systematic implementation of transforming education in Africa, and accelerate the achievement of CESA 2016-2025 and SDG 4.

Education is recognized as a catalyst for broader human capital development, economic growth, and progress. The investment in education is a strategic move against poverty, gender inequalities, and promotes sustainable socio-economic development. The AU’s dedicated focus on education in 2024 is poised to mobilize nations and development partners, fostering a reimagining of education models essential for the Africa We Want in the 21st century.