What we do — the challenge

The youth of Africa is at risk.

The youth of Africa is at risk. Rapid population growth has increased the absolute number of poor people in Africa to approximately 413 million.

413mpeople living in poverty in Africa

1 in 3young Africans aged 15–35 are unemployed

0.40Africa’s Human Capital Index, against a global average of 0.57

9 in 10children cannot read and understand a simple text by age ten

It is estimated that one third of Africa’s youth aged between 15 and 35 are unemployed. Africa’s latest score on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index — an index that measures the potential productivity of the next generation — is 0.4, lower than the global average of 0.57. This means that children born in Sub-Saharan Africa will be only 40% as productive when they grow up as they could have been if they had complete health and education.

One of the biggest contributors to weak human capital outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa is poor foundational literacy and numeracy. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa cannot read and understand a simple text by age ten — far worse than their counterparts in Europe and Central Asia. There is increasing evidence intricately linking the next generation’s potential productivity to poor foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes. Without the basic skills, children in Africa are unable to acquire the education and skills to productively contribute to the economy and civic life.

Governments need to take notice of the magnitude of this problem and the urgency to resolve it. They must be enabled to make the ‘right’ investments to improve foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

Why invest in FLN?

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) refers to building basic literacy and numeracy skills during the early years of primary school. Evidence suggests these skills should ideally be developed during the first five years of education — the period when a child is best placed to develop cognitive abilities in language and mathematics.

Literacy and numeracy skills are the bedrock for a child’s future learning. Investing in foundational literacy has been linked with increased adult earnings, agricultural productivity, and better health outcomes for the next generation. It aligns with the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals, and is a precursor to the attainment of SDG 4, which prioritizes quality education for all.

By not focusing on FLN, countries in Africa are entering a dangerous trap in which their children are not equipped with the skills to recognize their full potential — eventually impacting opportunity, innovation and economic growth. Third graders who cannot read at grade level today are on track to become the lowest income, least skilled citizens. Poor FLN outcomes will ultimately lead a whole generation of children and youth into a cycle of abject poverty, unemployment and insecurity.

What is needed to overcome the challenge?

Governments in Sub-Saharan Africa often either do not prioritize foundational learning or do not have the right tools to improve it. We think governments need to take a combination of four actions:

Increase knowledge and awareness about FLN

Understand the magnitude and the causes of the problem in their country, and familiarise themselves with best practices to solve it.

Increase commitment through the ‘right’ actions

Governments and policy makers need to adapt their education policies and plans by adopting evidence-based policies that target foundational learning.

Increase resources to supplement policy changes

Any policy reform to improve FLN outcomes will need to be supplemented by appropriate budgetary allocations.

Increase capacity for implementation

Sound policies often fail to deliver results due to poor implementation. Governments will need the right support to implement reforms effectively.

Human Capital Africa will use data-driven advocacy to ensure that governments take these actions.

See how we do it