Secondary Education In Africa Virtual Summit Held By Mastercard Foundation
Mastercard Foundation held a virtual summit to launch their report on Secondary Education in Africa on Thursday 13th August. The virtual summit was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube and featured prominent African political leaders, policy makers, youth ambassadors, secondary education teachers and others. The key topic in discussion focused on how the youth can be prepared for the future of work and each speaker highlighted projects being done towards this.
Reeta Roy President & CEO of Mastercard Foundation in her opening remarks stressed on three main areas to align Secondary education with the current and future needs of African economies; Inclusion, Teacher Workforce and Digital Skills.
“Even amid disruption, digital skills serve as a passport to participate in the economy. And, as multiple industries across Africa from agriculture to health to creative industries accelerate digitization of value chains, digital skills are crucial for young people to compete for jobs or create their own jobs.”
African leaders like Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Her Excellency President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson former President of Liberia shared the impact of covid-19 on education and the financial support being input towards secondary education in their various countries.
President Paul Kagame stressed the importance of extracurricular activities towards building skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication skills.
Rwanda President @PaulKagame joins the @MastercardFdn #SecondaryEdAfrica virtual summit. Watch now https://t.co/IBNlarXWWm
— Naa (@OyooQuartey) August 13, 2020
" Students need skills like teamwork which will help them in the future of work. This can be initiated through extracurricular activities like sports." President @PaulKagame #SecondaryEdAfrica
— Naa (@OyooQuartey) August 13, 2020
" Curriculum reform has already been initiated by several countries. Vocational training is being included in school curriculums." @MaEllenSirleaf #SecondaryEdAfrica
— Naa (@OyooQuartey) August 13, 2020
Ghana’s Minister of Education, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was part of the virtual panel and he shared the commitment the government has towards reimagining secondary education in the post-pandemic era. He mentioned the impact of the Free Education on the lives of the average Ghanaian youth and how it’s reduced the numbers of youth on the streets.
" We made a pledge to provide free education in our manifesto. For students to go through secondary education makes a better human than a 15yrd roaming the streets." Hon. Matthew Prempeh speaks on #SecondaryEdAfrica @MastercardFdn pic.twitter.com/lMuD5cXOc8
— BloggingGhana (@BloggingGhana) August 13, 2020
"We need to create the mindset of life-long learning." Primrose Adjepong, Co-Founder Butterfly Effect Ghana @butterfly_gh #SecondaryEdAfrica
— MastercardFoundation (@MastercardFdn) August 13, 2020
Kenyan secondary education experts also shared their needs as teachers in the secondary education system.
Peter Tabichi
— BloggingGhana (@BloggingGhana) August 13, 2020
Kenyan science teacher and 2019 Global Teachers: Prize winner
" As teachers for us to do our best, we need external motivation such as through material support such as technological support such as lab apparatus etc." #SecondaryEdAfrica @MastercardFdn pic.twitter.com/D5Q0qrtvsD
