Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, AU Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, is urging African nations to push for more funding to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) targets by 2030. Citing UNESCO studies, he noted that Africa would require $90 billion to achieve these goals.
Speaking at the inaugural Africa Skills Week 2024 in Accra, Prof. Belhocine emphasized the need for collective action to advocate for the necessary resources. The five-day event, themed “Skills and Jobs for the 21st Century: Quality Skills Development for Sustainable Employability in Africa,” gathers education stakeholders across the continent to discuss how to enhance policies and systems for skills development.
He reiterated the AU’s commitment to helping member states strengthen the foundational pillars of skills development, highlighting that increased investment in infrastructure and resource mobilization is crucial. He also emphasized Africa’s vast youth population, with 500 million children of school age, including 100 million not enrolled in any form of education. Prof. Belhocine pointed out that this youth demographic would be a vital workforce, not just for Africa but globally, in the coming decades.
He encouraged the West to invest in Africa’s youth, framing it as an investment in the future global workforce. Prof. Belhocine also stressed the importance of education and vocational skills training in Africa’s development agenda, in line with Agenda 2063, which prioritizes an education and skills revolution, along with the promotion of science, technology, research, and innovation.
He concluded by underscoring the need to enhance Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through greater investments, high-quality training centers, and stronger ties with industries, ensuring alignment with labor market needs. Africa’s Year of Education 2024 will focus on skills development to empower citizens and drive sustainable, inclusive growth across the continent.