New York, USA – A new report highlights the significant challenges facing many parts of Africa, including escalating violence in regions like eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
These crises are described as undoing years of progress and resulting in severe violations of international law.
The report, citing estimates from UNESCO, points to a substantial global funding gap of $100 billion to achieve universal education by 2030, with $70 billion of this gap concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa.
This comes as traditional donor countries have reportedly reduced humanitarian aid, with global aid to education seeing a 14% drop recently.
According to the report, investing in the education of Africa’s youth is presented as the single best investment to address these complex humanitarian crises. Such investment is seen as crucial for empowering future generations to prevent conflicts, alleviate extreme poverty, and ensure economic development, peace, and stability. Without this focus on education within a broader vision, these goals are unlikely to be met.
The World Bank is cited, noting that foundational learning in sub-Saharan Africa could potentially double GDP per capita by 2050.
Despite increased school enrollment figures, the number of out-of-school children in Africa has also grown, surpassing 100 million. Compounding factors like conflict, climate change, and forced displacement are further hindering access to education, particularly in humanitarian crises. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) estimates that about half of the world’s 234 million crisis-affected school-aged children live in sub-Saharan Africa.
The report stresses that sustainable economic growth requires stability, which in turn depends on education. It also links lack of opportunity and instability to forced displacement and migration within and outside of Africa.
Examining the situation in eastern DRC, the report notes decades of violence that have worsened recently, resulting in an estimated 3.5 million forcibly displaced children. These children face significant risks, including violence, abduction, and recruitment into armed groups. The report highlights particularly alarming accounts of sexual violence against girls.
In Sudan, the ongoing conflict has led to approximately 30 million people requiring humanitarian assistance, including 16 million children.
Over 12 million people have been displaced, straining resources in neighboring countries.
Around 16.5 million children are estimated to be out of school in Sudan due to conflict and other factors.
Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies, is working with partners to advocate for increased humanitarian funding for education in Africa and globally. They emphasize the strong economic case, pointing out that Africa has the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population.
Studies suggest significant economic returns on investment in education. The World Bank notes that each additional year of schooling can lead to a 10% increase in hourly earnings.
Some analyses indicate that every $1 invested in tripling pre-primary education enrollment in sub-Saharan Africa could generate up to $33 in returns.
Education is described as a transformative investment that can break cycles of poverty, displacement, and conflict, paving the way for peace, stability, and economic development. The report concludes by contrasting global military spending with the potential impact of relatively small investments in education and other key sectors, arguing that such investments could yield significant practical results and build a lasting legacy of stability and economic growth.
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