Scaling innovation for the future of education
Africa struggles to embrace the needs of its ever-growing population: 98 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa are currently out-of-school, while 72 million young people, aged from 15 to 24, are neither trained nor employed. Two thirds of them are women. In such a context, digital tools can foster transformation:
This article explores the ways in which a vast EdTech reform can respond to Africa’s pressing educational difficulties, its needs for improvement and lasting change.
Education: One of Africa’s Key Challenges
Africa’s population is the world’s youngest, as it crosses 1.4 billion, 70% of the population is under 30 years old. By 2055, over one billion children will be living on this continent. However, Africa's education system is facing three significant challenges that need to be quickly addressed.
Access: In sub-Saharan Africa, 98 million children are out-of-school. Between 2015 and 2021, this number rose by 12 million. Girls, rural communities and low-income families are the most exposed to this phenomenon.
Quality: The continent lacks around 15 million teachers. This shortage, combined both with inadequate training and outdated curricula, generates limited learning outcomes. In some regions, less than half of teachers have an appropriate degree, while absenteeism is very high. For instance, it reaches 22% of school time in Mozambique.
Skills gap: With 72 million young people (15-24) neither in education nor employment, the skills mismatch hinders economic progress, particularly for women (who make up two-thirds of this group).
These catastrophic figures talk for themselves: a large-scale education reform is vital. Digital solutions are essential.
Digital Transformation: The Fastest Way to Education and Work
Not only can digital technologies strengthen education at all levels, starting from early childhood to adult training, they are also more inclusive, as they provide scalable, cost-effective means to reach all populations.
In rural areas, mobile-based learning platforms are key to bridging skill gaps. For instance, the Kenyan platform Eneza Education has reached five million users through basic mobile phones, with consequent results: exam scores improved by 5%. In Tanzania, another platform responds to Africa’s urgent need for learning systems: 17 million children use Ubongo each week, through its academic programs.
Many additional tools rely on AI to tailor content, allowing students to work at their own pace. In Brazil, Khan Academy has improved math proficiency, as it was integrated into public education.
Other startups target adult learners. For instance, Alt_School provides online courses leading to several certifications. The Egyptian platform Almentor offers several courses and contents in Arabic. Others like Andela aim to train their users to an evolving market and provide them with in-demand tech needs. They also connect them with recruiting companies. Another example is that of Sayna, a Malagasy provider of gamified digital courses in tech skills, that also connects its learners to lucrative IT micro-tasks. High school and university students can rely on Gradesmatch, an orientation platform that helps them understand the different kinds of careers they can aim at.
Technology supports students but also constitutes a valuable tool for teachers. In South Africa, AI-driven solutions enable professors to reduce their number of administrative tasks, which give them more time to focus on student engagement. As early as 2015, Rwanda adopted the Comprehensive Assessment Management Information System (CA-MIS): through this application, teachers can follow their students’ progress in real time. In Nigeria, educators rely on Edves, a learning software that enables them to track academic progress.
These statistics could grow, should Africa’s digitalization expand. Projections are encouraging to that effect: internet mobile penetration is expected to reach 51% in 2025, which is quite impressive, as it was only 3% in 2010.
More than ever, technology appears to be the strongest tool at Africa’s disposal to promote education.