Repurposing Education for the 21st Century.

By Teddy Mutoni, Program Assistant-Learning Hub

Repurposing Education for the 21st Century through Human Capital Investment: What Are the Odds of a Skills-First Approach for East Africa’s Youth?

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance! It will be even more costly for us not to pursue these reforms. This phrase from the recent Inaugural EAC Conference celebrating the AU Year of Education, held from August 12-15, 2024, in Arusha, Tanzania caught me off guard and hit hard. It’s a glaring truth we face every day: ignorance is costly—very costly. But what do we do about it? What is our stance on it? What small, incremental efforts are we making to learn something new that benefits us? How committed are we to this? How enthusiastic and curious are we, or have we lost the morale for learning and become indifferent? What about the children and youth being denied this opportunity? Those without the privilege that we often take for granted.

East Africa, a region rich in flora and fauna, with a current population of approximately 502,744,092 and a population density of 75 people per square kilometre (194 people per square mile), stands at a pivotal crossroads. Spanning a total land area of 6,667,493 square kilometres (2,574,332 square miles), the region is home to one of the youngest populations in the world. As the population continues to rise over the next decade while land size remains constant, what opportunities are we missing?

This youthful demographic holds immense potential to drive economic growth, innovation, and social progress, but to fully realize this potential, significant investment in education is crucial. This was emphasized by His Excellency, the Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, accompanied by Hon. Prof. Adolf Mkenda, Minister of Education, United Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Veronica Nduva, Secretary General of the East African Community, His Excellency Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation at the African Union, and other dignitaries from the eight member states of the East African Community: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

“East Africa, just like the rest of Africa, has a very youthful population with the highest fertility rate in the world! This population structure and dynamics can be a huge blessing. It means that we will continue to have a young and dynamic population to build our economies. If we harness our human capital fully, we will enjoy the fruits of our youthful population through what is called the Demographic Dividend,” He further emphasized the economic returns of education, citing World Bank estimates that suggest Africa has the highest return on education globally, with each additional year of schooling increasing average youth earnings by up to 14%.

The World Bank (2018) highlights that investing in people—through their health and education—is essential for a country’s success. When nations focus on improving the well-being of their citizens, they’re not just making life better for individuals; they’re also setting the stage for stronger economic growth and a brighter future. In fact, the differences in income levels between countries can often be traced back to how much they invest in their people. As the world becomes more connected and technology-driven, helping people develop their skills and potential will be even more critical for countries to thrive.

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance! It will be even more costly for us not to pursue these reforms-

Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania

Despite the region’s potential, the Vice President acknowledged the challenges of underfunded education systems, as shown by low Human Capital Index scores in EAC member states, which fall below the Sub-Saharan Africa average. He emphasized the need for a renewed focus on education, highlighting Tanzania’s efforts to reform its education system, including plans to extend compulsory schooling to ten years by 2027/28 and to integrate vocational training into the secondary curriculum.

A skills-first approach, emphasizing 21st-century competencies, prepares youth for success in a complex, tech-driven job market by focusing on the skills needed for emerging roles rather than traditional degrees. This approach broadens access to meaningful jobs, ensuring
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance! It will be even more costly for us not to pursue these reforms- the Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango
young people have the critical skills to drive economic growth and national competitiveness, securing future prosperity (World Economic Forum, 2023).

A 2023 regional summary report by Action for Live and Values in East Africa (ALiVE), a Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) Africa collaborative, shows that a significant proportion of adolescents in the region struggle with essential life skills such as problem-solving, self-awareness, and collaboration. About 33% of adolescents have difficulty recognizing problems and identifying solutions, while 37% show limited insight into how their emotions influence their behavior.These findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen educational curricula to better develop these critical skills, ensuring that youth are equipped not only for academic success but also for the complex social and emotional challenges they will face in the workforce and society at large.

Meaningful education is our collective responsibility: parents, educators, policymakers…

I will close with reflections inspired by one of the keynote speakers at the conference:

How can our learners be helped without leaving anyone behind?
How can education systems be supported to advance holistic development?
How can we support teachers in delivering the Competency-Based Curriculum?
And how can we better coordinate our regional efforts in education to minimize duplication and maximize impact?”

Let us arise from our slumber of ignorance and uphold the treasure of authentic education. Ignorance costs us greatly—impacting our well-being in general. As Nelson Mandela wisely said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”

Meaningful education is our collective responsibility: parents, educators, policymakers…

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