How to combat poverty? Get africa's children an education

Dear Readers,

My first blog entry is about a delicate subject that is covered in all the headlines on daily basis and more recently it was the topic of the United Nations millennium developing goals. 

As developed countries strive for post-crisis growth, Africa is on the verge of an economic leap forward. A $1,500bn economy, the continent is ready to leave the third world. Its resources, both natural and human, are untapped. Foreign investment is at last beginning to flow. Its leading nations are even competing to join the fast-developing “Bric” countries. But as will be clear at today’s millennium development goals summit in New York, while Africa is close to a breakthrough it has not happened yet.

Three crucial factors ....

In my opinion any African advance will depend on three crucial factors. First, a wider opening to trade, given that 80 per cent of current exports remains in oil and agriculture. Second, a new African common market is needed. Only regional integration can overcome the fact that only a 10th of Africa’s trade is within Africa itself. Finally, better infrastructure: African road capacity is half that of Latin America and less than a third of Asia’s.

But also, Africa's future depends on a really important fourth factor : developing the skills the labour market needs. There are now up to 1m foreign workers in Africa, as some investors bring with them whole armies of workers to staff plants, build roads and work farms. Without more investments in education, i think Africa will struggle to move up the economic value chain and runs the risk that any new investment will lead to inequitable growth. Governments,  in the developing world, must think strategically about which investments will help them to grow out of the crisis and education budgets should be near the top of this list.

I would like to express my disgust about the injustice and waste in denying education. As well as boosting jobs and gross domestic product, the evidence is clear that education combats malnutrition, maternal and infant mortality and HIV/Aids. According to Unesco if every child could read, 171m children could be lifted out of poverty. In simple words, offering education to children is the best anti-poverty, anti-famine, anti-disease and anti-unemployment programme.

What can be done to realise the gravity of this vision ? 

Developed countries should help the less developed countries by honouring their aid commitment but also should allocate at least 15 % of its aid budgets to basic education and recruit more teachers (something that would be impossible without the aid of developed countries). Please do excuse my pessimistic view of the reality but I still do feel there is light at the end of the tunnel : there is hope at the end of tunnel.  Building on the rapid expansion of mobile phones and increases in the access on online education materials, Africa could be opened to a "new world of learning". And who knows, this could help the African Lionesses match the Asian Tigers. 


Regards,


Yacine Dessouki




Sources : 

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/190683/163043/151685/promoting_flexible_education_for_nomadic_populatio.htm (Image)

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/