UNESCO Regional Chief Highlights Education Challenges in East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya—During an exclusive interview with the press at the Eastern and Southern Africa Sub-regional Consultation Meeting for the 2024 Global Education Meeting, Mr. Mamadou Lamine, Chief of Education at the UNESCO Regional Office for East Africa, addressed pressing issues hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) in the region. His remarks painted a sobering picture of the state of education and outlined critical areas requiring intervention.
“We are now halfway to 2030, a key milestone for reporting progress towards SDG 4, and the challenges are clear,” Lamine stated. He emphasized that the out-of-school phenomenon remains a significant hurdle, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Lamine, there has been an alarming increase of 11 million youth and school-age children not enrolled in any form of educational institution—be it formal or informal—since the onset of the pandemic.
To combat this issue, Lamine urged governments and stakeholders to adopt innovative educational models. “We need bold actions and alternative educational models,” he asserted. These include nomadic education and bridge classes designed to integrate overage youth and children into the education system. “Such measures are crucial for providing foundational skills in reading and mathematics, which are essential for further educational progress,” he explained.
Lamine highlighted that while Kenya faces significant challenges, other countries in the region are also deeply affected. “Countries like Somalia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia are experiencing similar, if not more severe, educational disruptions,” he noted. He stressed the need for comprehensive socio-economic measures, including robust education policies, plans, legislation, and increased funding.
The UNESCO Chief also addressed the issue of learning poverty. “We see many children sitting in classrooms who are not acquiring basic skills or competencies—this is what we term ‘learning poverty’,” Lamine said. He called for improvements in the quality of education, emphasizing the need for equity, access, and relevance in educational services, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas. “Equity means providing equal quality education and resources to all learners, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status,” he added.
Lamine pointed out the stark disparities in educational resources between urban and rural areas. “Students in rural public schools often lack access to trained teachers and necessary instructional materials, unlike their urban counterparts,” he said. Addressing these imbalances is critical for ensuring all students receive a high-quality education.
Moreover, Lamine advocated for adherence to international normative policies and frameworks to enhance educational outcomes. He underscored the importance of increasing domestic education funding, recommending that governments allocate 20 to 25 percent of their national budgets and 6 to 7 percent of their GDP to education. “Effective allocation and expenditure of these funds are crucial. We need to ensure that money is spent efficiently to truly benefit schools and students,” he emphasized.
Lamine also suggested that decentralizing educational funding to local government entities could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public expenditures on education. “Devolution might provide a solution for better targeting and utilization of educational resources,” he said.
In conclusion, Mr. Mamadou Lamine’s remarks underscore the multifaceted challenges facing the East African education sector and the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address them. As the region works towards the 2030 deadline for SDG 4, his insights provide a crucial framework for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to overcome these significant obstacles.
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