UNESCO Pledges Enhanced Support for Education in Africa Amid Challenges

Addis Ababa — The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has committed to bolstering its support for education in Africa, addressing the critical challenge of ensuring access and quality of education across the continent. With approximately 63 million children in sub-Saharan Africa not attending school, the urgency for enhanced educational support has never been more pressing. This announcement came in the wake of the African Union (AU) designating 2024 as the Year of Education, highlighting the dire need for increased resources towards improving access to quality learning.

According to Ethiopian News Agency,the education sector in Africa requires significant attention and investment to foster the continent’s development. Giannini emphasized the necessity of mobilizing over 77 billion USD in additional funding by 2030 to support the sector’s growth. She highlighted the transformative potential of Africa’s youthful population in driving the continent’s development, provided that adequate educational opportunities are made available. UNESCO plans to intensify its partnership with African nations to strengthen educational systems, acknowledging the substantial investment required and urging the AU to augment its resource mobilization efforts in collaboration with various stakeholders.