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It is perplexing how Africa keeps developing educational policies that never see the light of day.\u00a0 There are various initiatives that, if adopted, might improve our educational quality and thereby\u00a0 reduce unemployment. The problem is that policies are created by people who do not teach in\u00a0 classrooms and have little to no expertise in how things work in practice. If only educators are\u00a0 involved, there will be a positive shift.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The educational system is designed in such a way that the majority of African youth are not\u00a0 encouraged to think beyond the box. We take classes that are unrelated to our interests. In\u00a0 school, we do not learn any unique skills. There are no classes on emotional intelligence, stress\u00a0 management, investment and retirement planning, internships, entrepreneurship, or self-discovery; there are no educational counselors to help us make decisions, and we have little to no\u00a0 knowledge of work-life balance or networking. And this is where the rise in youth\u00a0 unemployment begins. <\/span><\/p>\n The scarcity of job opportunities for potential youth after graduating could be due to a lack of job vacancies, the presence of artificial intelligence in that role, the\u00a0 years of working experience required, age and criteria, or when the ratio of youth ready\u00a0 for the market exceeds the market’s job opportunities and salary, among other factors. As a result\u00a0 of these factors, many African youths in Africa are unemployed, leading to an increase in social\u00a0 vices and corruption.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Consider Malawi’s teacher-to-student ratio policy. The government recommends 1 to 60, which\u00a0 is extremely difficult to achieve due to an insufficient number of teachers for a huge number of\u00a0 students, particularly those in primary schools. A teacher is responsible for over hundred (100)\u00a0 students and is expected to teach between six and nine topics. This is a failed policy!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In Ghana, the brightest students in several subjects are recognized on speech and prize-giving\u00a0 days. Our continent’s educational system is appalling. Students are applauded for performing\u00a0 well in exams, but they are not pushed to improve their employable skills. What does that say\u00a0 about us? The curriculum at school focuses mostly on extrinsic motivation, which means that\u00a0 learners do or act solely to impress, reward, or satisfy someone other than themselves. These\u00a0 types of kids may not generate creativity or high levels of innovation in the long run. <\/span><\/p>\n Educators\u00a0<\/span> must focus on developing intrinsic motivation, which is an inner drive that propels students to\u00a0 explore all possibilities on their own, to be adventurous, and to succeed. So, what we are driving\u00a0 at is that our educational system and policies force most African youths to think like employees.\u00a0 We tend to focus on paper qualifications. What about essential talents for contributing to the\u00a0 economy?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to inclusive education policy, it exists in the documents but not in practice.\u00a0 According to the United Nations, nearly 90 nations attended the World Conference on Special\u00a0 Needs Education in Salamanca, Spain, in 1994, yet only a few countries practice it. <\/span><\/p>\n There are\u00a0 many students with various disabilities, but only a few of them have access to education due to\u00a0 insufficient special schools or a lack of teaching and learning tools in schools. Others are just\u00a0 placed in inclusive settings to attend school, yet this type of schooling does not benefit them at\u00a0 all. If African countries fully adopt this policy, there may be fewer people on the streets who\u00a0 become beggars because of their infirmities and rely on the government for their fundamental\u00a0 necessities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A Need to Move from Regurgitation to Application Systems\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Many concepts are taught to students purely to prepare them for examinations rather than to\u00a0 equip them with practical abilities that will allow them to be more productive than simply\u00a0 waiting to be hired by the government or private enterprises. Most African countries’ curricula do\u00a0 not assist students in acquiring practical skills that will assist them in meeting their everyday\u00a0 needs as well as meeting the expectations of Africa. Most books include knowledge that Africans\u00a0 cannot apply in real-life settings; that is, indigenous knowledge is excluded, particularly in\u00a0 secondary and tertiary education. Students simply memorize for assessments to advance to the\u00a0 next level and then forget after taking examinations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Poor Educational Foundation\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Most African children do not participate in Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs\u00a0 because they are not available in most parts of the continent, particularly in rural areas. This\u00a0 period is essential for the physical, social, and cognitive development of all children. When\u00a0 children do not attend ECD programs, they struggle to keep up in their early primary school\u00a0<\/span> years. Unfortunately, Africa does not budget for this or offer a shadow budget to this department,\u00a0 making it impossible for the ECD team to reach out to a wide range of people. ECD is the best\u00a0 place for children to get their particular needs assessed and get help before it’s too late. Some\u00a0 deficits, for example, can be diagnosed and addressed appropriately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Poor Educational System\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The passing standards in this system are far too low, so there is far too little emphasis on life\u00a0 skills and classroom discipline. And there is an infatuation with academic qualifications; as a\u00a0 result, too many students desire to go to school and earn these theoretical certificates without any\u00a0 practical application, leaving many graduates unemployed after graduation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Less Focus on Artisan Training\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Those who choose this path are taught technical and vocational skills that will mold them and\u00a0 position them to work with others or on their own after graduation. They are graduating not just\u00a0 with degrees but also with practical knowledge that many others lack. We need painters,\u00a0 plumbers, and electricians, yet we dismiss them. It is preferable to be a plumber with a ready\u00a0 market rather than a degree holder with little to no work available.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Highly Regulated Labor Market\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Because it is so difficult to fire an inefficient employee, many firms aim to automate as much as\u00a0 possible to hire fewer people. A continent with as many unemployed people as ours should not\u00a0 have to rely so heavily on automation. Unions are something that can be changed. Unions are far\u00a0 too powerful, and their primary goal is to keep current employees rather than expand the labor\u00a0 force. Unions’ demand for salary increments and better working conditions means that firms are\u00a0 under so much pressure that they do not have the spare capacity to expand their businesses and\u00a0 create jobs.<\/span><\/p>\n Less Understanding of how to Create, Multiply, and Retain Wealth\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Many people believe it is a finite amount that is just unevenly distributed. We should aim for a\u00a0 much larger cake rather than simply attempting to slice it differently. Our educational system is\u00a0 deficient in teaching students how to produce, attract, multiply, and maintain wealth. It also\u00a0 excludes addressing talents, creativity, and skills, which are all intertwined when it comes to\u00a0 wealth creation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Relying Heavily on Certain Sectors for Income\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n More money can be earned if manufactured goods are produced on the continent. Countries that\u00a0 import our raw materials profit significantly more than we do. To manufacture and turn raw\u00a0 materials into completed products, we must adapt the education system so that acceptable\u00a0 occupations for unemployed African youths can be developed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Current Relationship Between Africa\u2019s Education System and Employment\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Given the evidence of a high unemployment rate among graduates, it is safe to assume that the\u00a0 African educational system and the employment rate have a negative relationship. Millions of\u00a0 African youths are being negatively impacted by the education system and its practices. The\u00a0 educational system, for the most part, does not fit our environment. It has a huge gap that must\u00a0 be filled as soon as possible before things worsen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We can tailor it to our environment by incorporating foundation skills, or the core reading and\u00a0 numeracy abilities taught in primary school, which will allow people to acquire jobs that pay\u00a0 enough to meet their basic needs. These qualities are required for further training and skill\u00a0 development, without which there is little chance of finding meaningful work or engaging in\u00a0 entrepreneurial activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Analysis, communication, problem-solving, creativity, and leadership are all transferable talents\u00a0 that may be applied in a wide range of situations. Staying in education, as well as internships or\u00a0 work-based programs, all contribute to the development of these skills.<\/span><\/p>\n Apprenticeships and work-placement programs can also help students learn technical and\u00a0 vocational skills in fields like agriculture, technology, and construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unemployment: Good or Bad?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2219 Unemployment is a contagious disease that fosters social vices and unethical actions. It\u00a0 affects both the unemployed and the employed, as well as the national economy, and it\u00a0 has the potential to cascade. It has an impact on demand, consumption, and purchasing\u00a0 power, resulting in less profitability for firms as well as budget cuts and layoffs. It starts a\u00a0 vicious cycle that is tough to break without outside help.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u2219 Unemployment may be advantageous. It may present an opportunity to pursue a long held desire and start a new chapter in one’s life. It can also be devastating, culminating in\u00a0 death. Context, attitude, options, opportunity, and personal or social support all have an\u00a0 impact on the repercussions of unemployment. On a national scale, however, it is a drag\u00a0 on the economy in question, producing crime and social disturbance at times but also\u00a0 allowing for the birth and fostering of new ideas at others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u2219 In desperation, an unemployed youth may pay large sums of money or offer sex as a\u00a0 bribe to obtain a job in an institution. It becomes a habit once it is realized that money or\u00a0 sex can purchase “anything.” It advances to a higher level of corruption, which is evident\u00a0 in all facets of African youth. Some may resort to societal vices such as armed robbery,\u00a0 drug and child trafficking, prostitution, and assassination to survive. This instills fear and\u00a0 apprehension in the continent, driving away international investors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Education is vital to our country’s growth and development, so it must be present. However, it\u00a0 should be tailored to our environment, be balanced, and give us the required exposure,\u00a0 information, skills, and opportunities so that when youths enter the workforce, there is enough\u00a0 room for everyone. Otherwise, excessive unemployment, corruption, and social vices would be\u00a0 the daily anthem.<\/span><\/p>\n Article by <\/span>Elizabeth Dwamena-Asar<\/strong>e and <\/span>Patricia Anuwality Nyirongo<\/strong><\/p>\n Elizabeth Dwamena-Asare<\/em><\/strong> is a Ghanaian creative writer and hotel manager. She is helping reduce illiteracy in her community through the of practical literacy initiatives. She is also a published author, and her works have been published on platforms the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Anthology, the Leti Arts website, Writers Space Africa, Africa Matters Media, and Amazon Kindle. Elizabeth is a Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI) fellow and a ShE Leader in the Africa Matters Initiative.<\/em><\/p>\n Patricia Anuwality Nyirongo<\/em><\/strong> is a Malawian specialist teacher. She is also a poet and an article author. Her stories are based on real-life experiences and her imagination. Most of her articles tackle mental health, teachers’ welfare, youth advocacy, and education. Some of her work appears in the Kalahari Review, Literary Shanghai, Scribbles, and the Malawi National Newspaper. Patricia is also currently a SHe Leader at African Matters Initiative.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Content created and supplied by: Kritiq (via Opera \n , . , . () , , , , , , , , . \/ , and\/or . , , and\/or , and\/or <\/span> It is perplexing how Africa keeps developing educational policies that never see the light of day.\u00a0 There are various initiatives that, if adopted, might improve our educational quality and thereby\u00a0 reduce unemployment. The problem is that policies are created by people who do not teach in\u00a0 classrooms and have little to no expertise in how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1253820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[671,1277,3625,1493,3746,582],"class_list":["post-1253819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-top-stories","tag-africa","tag-educational","tag-policies","tag-system","tag-unemployment","tag-youth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1253819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253819\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1253819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1253819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1253819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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