The quality of education and training provided by African countries has worsened since 2014, leaving many of the continent’s growing population of young people ill-prepared to enter the job market, according to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG).
The report found out that on average enrolment and access to education were particularly low in the tertiary sector.
“This has resulted in the burgeoning youth population being faced with increasing struggles when entering the job market,” researchers at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation write.
The full biennial report judging security, human rights, economic stability, just laws, free elections, corruption, poverty, infrastructure health and education will be published next year.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation draws on data from the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) and shares new insights on progress towards the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 and the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It points to where policy efforts can be focussed to tackle current governance challenges and highlights the urgency of addressing the ‘data gap’ in Africa to ensure progress can be assessed and shortfalls addressed.
Reviewing the themes with the highest overlaps between both Agendas and the IIAG – Access to and Quality of Education, Health and Nutrition, Women and Youth Inclusion, Prosperity and Economic Opportunity, and Security, Justice and Strong Institutions – the report highlights priority areas to address.
Quality of education needs to be addressed, and aligning education with market needs can also be advanced if governments and partners take a closer look at prioritising active engagement with the private sector, to assess the requirements of the job market.
In health, special attention should be paid to the availability, quality, affordability and capacity of health services, while also tackling food security.
For prosperity and economic opportunity, the report notes that governments and partners should look at diversifying economies, accelerating progress in infrastructure – specifically physical transport, electricity and ICT –increasing investment in the rural sector and strengthening regional integration, to make efficient progress.
