African countries suffer from too much schooling with little learning

To transform the continent and develop the needed human resources that are beneficial to the continent’s needs, African countries are being called upon to reform their educational systems.

Prof. Emmanuel Nnadozie, the Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), an agency of the African Union Commission, speaking to ghanabusinessnews.com in an exclusive interview in Accra, said African countries must pay particular attention to education.

He called upon the countries to pay attention to building, training, retaining and fully utilizing their citizens.

He noted that among others; “Paying attention to the educational system, especially at the secondary school level,” and cited what others have said about the fact that the education sector in many African countries is in crisis.

“Why did they say it’s in crisis? They say number one, there is too much schooling and too little learning. Number two, they say Universities are not training African students to solve Africa’s problems. You see if you continue to train them on things that are elsewhere instead of focusing on things that are right here, they will leave,” he said. He gave an example of an African country which he didn’t name, that has more medical doctors in Manchester in the UK, than it has at home.

Using the case of malaria as an example, Prof. Nnadozie asked why after more than 60 years of independence, African countries haven’t yet been able to eradicate malaria. “Who are we waiting for to come and eradicate malaria for us?” he asked.

“We have medical schools everywhere, I’m sure if they pay attention to it, it will happen,” he added.

He wondered why African universities are not training their students to address the needs in their countries, because the needs are there.

“It’s important to make sure that the educational sector responds to the imagined and future issues. Issues of digitalisation, the fourth industrial revolution. These are issues that need to be done. At ACBF, we are putting together a programme for digital capacity development, once it is rolled up, we will have an impact in these areas,” he said.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

Update: Watch the full interview below.

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