African Educational System Needs to be Reengineered, Says AU Official

Addis Ababa July 25/2018 African education system needs to be reengineered to realize “the Africa we want” and achieve Agenda 2063, according to AU Commission for Human Resources, Science and Technology. Addressing the 16th International Conference on Private Higher Education in Africa that kicked off today, Commissioner Sarah Anyang Agbor said ensuring quality education is critical to realize the vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. Africa needs educational development program that advances human capacity and achieves prosperous and sustainable development in the continent, she added. According to Agbor, African educational system also needs to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. “Africa's education system needs to reengineer the curriculum to not just provide knowledge but also skills and attitudes that promote entrepreneurship and innovation so that graduates will also be equipped to innovate and create jobs, not just seek to be employed”, she noted. Education Minister Tilaye Getie said Africa needs to work on quality training programs to end conflict, migration and unemployed people. “Wherever millions of youngsters are going to the universities in African countries, if quality and relevant training programs is not offered at the end of day, migration, conflict, poverty and unemployment will be rampant; which will be transferred to the next generation. I will therefore call on all of you to think about access, relevance and quality”, he stated. Organizer of the Conference and President of St. Mary'S University, Associate Professor Wondwosen Tamrat said African higher education should balance the demands of increasing access and ensuring quality. “African higher education institutes continue to be challenged by two major competing forces and demands. While on the one hand they are required to create increasing access for the wider society, they are equality expected to ensure production of the right type of graduates who can meet the challenges of the knowledge economy and have the propensity to drive economic development”, he pointed out. The 16th International Conference on Private Higher Education in Africa is being held from 25-27 July 2018 under the theme “Ensuring Employability and Entrepreneurship through Harmonized Quality Higher Education in Africa.”