Education news out of South Africa seems to suggest that while more youths are attending school, a less-than-acceptable percentage of those youths have not completed the journey to the tertiary level. BOSA reports that of the 1.2 million learners who began their schooling journey in grade one in 2013, only 615,000 managed to pass matric in 2024. That is a real pass rate of just 51%. This means that over 590,000 young South Africans have been left behind, their futures dimmed by a system that should have uplifted them.
- High Dropout Rate: Of 1.2 million learners who started grade one in 2013, only 51% completed matric in 2024.
- Low University Admission Rates: Just 47% of learners achieved a Bachelor’s Pass, and fewer than 15% of these students will enroll in university.
- 30% Pass Mark: A minimum pass mark of 30% undermines the capabilities of South Africa’s youth, perpetuating low expectations and poor outcomes.
- International Rankings: South Africa ranks 107 out of 141 in global skills readiness, with 81% of children unable to read for meaning by age 10.
Meanwhile across the African continent, there has been an increase in school attendance. However, disparities continue to exist as male attendance outweigh their female counterparts in many countries. In Sub Saharan Africa, teenage pregnancies are forcing millions of girls to drop out of school. Countries such as Zambia, Morocco, Sudan, Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe are hardest hit by this teenage pregnancy crisis.
The World Bank Press Release No: 2025/019/AFR noted that “Currently, 7 in 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to pre-primary education, and fewer than 1.5% of youth aged 15 to 24 are enrolled in vocational training, compared to 10% in high-income countries.
Educational growth is linked to economic growth and overall advancement. However, the fragile economic recovery in Sub-Saharan Africa seem to suggest that any kind of growth will only happen in low gear. According to the latest edition of Africa’s Pulse, economic activity in the region is projected to grow by 3% in 2024 from a low of 2.4% in 2023, this recovery is not enough to lift millions out of poverty. Growth per capita remains sluggish – just 0.5% in 2024, compared to an average of 2.4% between 2000 and 2014.
Ghana has started 2025 off by calling a conference. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education has unveiled plans to host a National Education Conference. The forum, is aimed at transforming Ghana’s educational system. According to Iddrisu, the conference will provide a platform for critical analysis and solution-finding to ensure that education in Ghana is of high quality and relevant at all levels. He emphasized the importance of making education accessible to every Ghanaian, while also preparing citizens for the challenges of the modern world.
Form North to South, East to West, the countries on the African continent continue to face the challenges to their educational, political and environmental climates with the hope that 2025 will bring better outcomes for their citizens.
Leave a Reply