“Africa is indeed politically “independent,” but I believe we still need to decolonize our education systems and focus on heritage-based education that supports the economic development of Africa,” Fortune Charumbira, president of the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union, said at the PAP’s meeting.

He highlighted the importance of developing curricula that are relevant, promote sustainable development, and drive prosperity across the continent.

“There are necessary efforts we need to carry out to make sure that they get educated, trained, and acquire skills to not only create decent living conditions and foster economic growth but to shape the future of our continent in a brand-new way. It is our common responsibility,” echoed Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, chief executive of the AU’s African Peer Review Mechanism continental secretariat.

She underscored the pressing need for quality education for Africa’s burgeoning youth population, which is expected to exceed 2.3 billion by 2050.