Africa-Press – Ethiopia. African countries need to build resilient education system relevant for 21st century learners, Botswana Education and Skills Development Minister said.
In an exclusive interview, Douglas Letsholathebe said “we have 21st century learners who need different types of not only curriculum but how we present the curriculum and pedagogy.”
The current students also want to go online to learn rather than the chalking board, he added.
“The issue of digitalization will help us to solve these types of problems. We may have to transform from using the hardcover books to using e-books that help us to give access to textbooks that most of the students remember. We do not want to leave anybody behind,” the minister elaborated.
According to him, this year’s AU summit theme, therefore, comes at the right time because the need for human resources is changing every time not only in Africa but all over the world.
Thus, African countries need to look at, build resilient education system and curriculum that are relevant and answer the needs of 21st century learners, Letsholathebe stressed.
It is therefore important to look through all the way from the curriculum and assess the education system.
African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) Chief Executive Officer, Nardos Bekele, said on her part that it is very important to focus on education because the education system has not been really relevant to socio-economic transformation in the continent.
“That’s why you see, graduates and dropouts coming out from institutions, learning institutions, and really roaming around; and they are prone to being a threat to the society rather than being the productive asset of the society.”
Moreover, the CEO urged that the leaders come out with a program that is very comprehensive, critical and very important as the population is growing.
“We need to harness this demographic dividend.”
Nardos pointed out that “there are many innovation hubs, accelerator labs, everywhere in this continent. But the services they provide vary — some are excellent, others not.”
The agency is mapping them out, trying to strengthen those that are weak and also see that information and best practices are disseminated as a continent.
This year’s AU Summit has paid special attention to education and training with the theme: “Educating an Africa fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education system for increased access to inclusive, qualitative, lifelong and relevant learning for Africa.”
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