Young Africa Finds Its Voice in Education Overhaul

Education Learners Transition

Ghana’s classrooms are about to get a new compass.

Thanks to a national policy shaped by the African Center for Economic Transformation’s Youth Employment and Skills program, students facing the daunting “What’s next?” question will soon have structured guidance. The policy, now before Ghana’s parliament, promises to equip schools with proper counseling tools, a long-missing piece in the country’s education puzzle.

Rwanda, meanwhile, is putting more money behind its education promises. Pushed by ACET’s YES-PACT coalition, the government hiked its education spending to 24% of the national budget this year, up from 21%. That extra cash means real changes: better training programs, modern tools, and tech-savvy lessons for students entering a digital economy. Kigali isn’t stopping there—it’s chasing 30% by 2028.

Over in Ethiopia, vocational teachers are finally getting their due. The country baked YES-PACT’s teacher training ideas right into its national strategy. Think sharper skills, hands-on lessons, and curriculums that match what employers actually want. It’s a quiet revolution for the people molding Africa’s next workforce.

Why the sudden sprint? Demographics don’t lie. By 2050, Africa will have 830 million young people—dreamers, job seekers, potential innovators. Waste that talent, and the continent stalls. Harness it, and you get an economic rocket.

“The future of Africa’s economies hinges on preparing youth today,” says Mona Iddrisu, who leads the YES program. She’s seen young voices shift from ignored to essential. In Malawi, South Africa, and beyond, students now sit with ministers, calling out everything from impossible bus fares to suffocating startup rules. Their ideas aren’t just heard; they’re shaping solutions.

For once, the system’s bending toward the young. Ghana’s counselors, Rwanda’s budgets, Ethiopia’s teachers—they’re stitching education back to real work. The job crisis hasn’t vanished, but Africa’s youth aren’t waiting. They’re building the future they’ll inherit.

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