Davis College co-hosts its third ‘Education for a Changing World’ Summit in Kigali, Rwanda

Contributed by President of Akilah, Karen Sherman

The world of work is expected to change dramatically over the coming decades. Automation, climate change, artificial intelligence and other shifts in the global economy will impact future employment in both the developed and developing world. However, the challenges will be most acute in Africa, which will be home to over a billion youth by 2050, and more young people will be entering the workforce on the African continent than on all other continents combined.

These demographics present a significant opportunity, but also a potential risk if we can’t address their future education and employment. This was a key topic of discussion at a recent symposium on building human capital in Africa held in Kigali, Rwanda, the third in a series of events this year organized by Davis College, a new global network of universities expanding throughout Africa and Asia, and Akilah, Davis’s all-female campus in Rwanda. The conversations have centered on bridging the parallel issues of youth workforce readiness and school-to-work transitions, with the goal of better preparing young people for the labor market during and post education.

According to several panelists at the Education for A Changing World symposium in Kigali, which was co-sponsored by Rwanda Development Board, Generation Unlimited, Educate!, and Future Fund for Education, the continent is simply not able to provide enough jobs for those that need them, and even fewer that offer decent wages or benefits. At the same time, young people are not being adequately prepared for the jobs that do exist today. This is especially true for young women and girls, who already face significant barriers to their education and employment in Africa and could be disproportionately impacted by the future of work if more isn’t done to close access, skill, and technology gaps.

We know that education systems and skill building programs must change, and quickly. But how?

Many of the recommendations from the event came from young people themselves; students from local secondary schools and universities comprised about half of the symposium’s audience. They suggested that higher education institutions be more flexible and adaptable academically to meet real world demands. This means less emphasis on lectures and rote memorization, more on experimentation and experiential learning. Information and communications technology should be a staple in every classroom from primary onward, and curriculum should be competency-based so that students are accountable for showing what they can do vs. what they know.

Davis | Akilah board member Dr. Carmen Nibigira sharing opening remarks.

Attendees also heard about the green economy, and how human adaptation to climate change is projected to create 60 million new jobs worldwide. Olivier Mbera, country general manager from EnviroServe, pointed out that electrical waste or e-waste is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors, one that will generate six million jobs in the next five years. Today, only 20 percent of the 4.4 million tons of e-waste is being recycled. Agriculture, which represents about 70 percent of the workforce across Africa, is also critical for the future, despite the fact that young people are less drawn to it as a profession. “Let’s make agriculture sexy,” said the symposium’s MC. Overall we need to ensure that students are prepared to participate in these opportunities, that green skills match green jobs, and that research and development is geared toward sustainability.

Panelists and focus groups also explored why so many young people today are not able to launch their own businesses, which is critical given that, in many African countries, economic growth and job creation is limited. The dialogue focused on how to de-risk innovation and entrepreneurship, to create the right environment and support system for youth to take risks and fail forward. “We need safe spaces where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity,” said one student.

A report on the symposium findings, in particular the youth focus groups, is underway, which will bring forth concrete recommendations and next steps for stakeholders, including governments, educators, industry leaders, youth advocates, and development professionals. Those steps should come with a sense of urgency, as there are millions of learners in Africa that require an accessible and affordable option that connects them to the global knowledge economy. The overwhelming sentiment of the day was that the time for action is now.

The disparity in educational quality and access is one of Africa’s most daunting challenges, but momentum for educational change is rising, and young people are eager to be part of the solution. Asked what the future of education could look like in 2040, one sixteen-year-old girl replied: “Governments and institutions have moved away from teaching students what to learn, to how to learn. It is not a system of cramming but a skills-based approach.”

Davis College, which is now scaling an accessible and affordable competency-based academic model centered on 21st century skills, personalized learning, innovation, ethical leadership, and sustainability, one focused on career-readiness in Africa, and others are paving the way for that change. Similar learning institutions, from primary through tertiary, should follow suit.

Karen Sherman is the president of Akilah Institute and the author of Brick by Brick: Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Survivors Everywhere, to be published in January, 2020.