DEVELOPMENT TOPICS: EDUCATION

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Education is the most important driver of development in Africa, offering solutions to poverty, inequality and unemployment. By investing in education, we can unlock opportunities for millions and build a stronger, more sustainable future.

The Trialogue Knowledge Hub explores a range of solutions to these challenges in education that companies can get involved with.

Challenges facing education in Africa

Despite being a basic human right, education remains out of reach for many. Some of the barriers facing the sector include overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teacher training, poor infrastructure, and limited access to learning resources.

An additional challenge is the fact that most African governments devote less than 20% of their national budget to education.

Corporate social investment (CSI) in education

According to Trialogue’s research into CSI spend in 2024, education remains a top priority for CSI: 92% of companies surveyed supported education, which received an average of 45% of CSI expenditure.

Companies recognise that basic literacy and numeracy are the pressing priorities, since without these foundational skills children cannot advance at school. Early childhood development (ECD) received an average of 31% of education spend in 2024.

Although the largest proportion of CSI in the sector was not subject-specific (38%), maths and science received the second highest proportion of support (24%).

The school dropout crisis in sub-Saharan Africa

A more fundamental challenge remains: ensuring that children enter and stay in the schooling system. Sub-Saharan Africa has the world’s highest rate of children out of school – more than one in five 6-11-year-olds and almost three in five 15-17-year-olds – and the region has the world’s highest drop-out rate.

Millions of children dropped out of school during the Covid-19 pandemic, and school attendance has continued to drop – the number of children missing out on education globally increased by six million in 2023, according to UNESCO.

This means we are getting further away from United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education for all by 2030.

Solutions: how companies can support education

To improve education access and retention, companies can invest in:

  • Financial support – Scholarships and fee waivers ease financial burdens on families
  • School feeding – Meals are an incentive to attend
  • Psychosocial supports – Addressing mental health issues, trauma, and other challenges improves learners’ ability to learn
  • Safe learning environments – More secure facilities, better sanitation, and menstrual hygiene products
  • Flexible learning options – Good transport, catch-up programmes to help learners re-enter school, and alternative education pathways
  • Teacher training and retention – Making sure teachers are well trained and well paid so they remain in the sector
  • Digital and learning technology – Bridging the digital divide to ensure better learning outcomes
  • Corporate investment in education is critical to ensure that Africa’s future generations thrive.

Discover how your company can drive meaningful impact and support sustainable education initiatives.

Explore more insights on CSI in education on the Trialogue Knowledge Hub.

 

EDUCATION: all resources

The 2024 Trialogue Business in Society Handbook is available.

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