EDUCATION

IN AFRICA
Shehanie D.
Gabay
BEEd 1A
 WHY EDUCATION IS
IMPORTANT?
“Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy
to govern but impossible to enslave.”

• Education develops character, improves the mind, expands our

knowledge, and empowers us to be self-sufficient.
• Education enables us to maximize our potential.
• Education transforms a person into a critical thinker and a capable
decision-maker.
 SOUTH AFRICA
P • 84th position on global education system.
• 4th best education system in Africa.
• There are 12.7 Million learners in 30,000 schools.
26,000 of these are public schools, while 15,000 of
EP these state schools are primary schools.
• There are only 450 special schools for learners with
special needs.
ED • The average ratio of learners to teachers is 29:1 in
public schools and 18:1 in private schools. 

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 PROBLEMS

P • Poverty
• Gender Disparities
EP • Crumbling Infrastructures
• Overcrowded Classrooms
ED
• Lack of Learning Materials
• Lack of Learning Facilities
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 EDUCATIONAL
P PROGRAMS
• Early Learning Center
EP • Literary Center
• High School Program
ED • Teacher Mentorship Program

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 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
EDUCATION SCHOOL/LEVEL GRADE LEVEL AGE YEARS
Primary Primary School 1-9 7-15 9

P Secondary Secondary Education 10-12 14 3

Secondary Vocational Secondary Education 11-12 16 2

Post-Secondary National Certificate 1

EP Post-Secondary Higher National Certificate 2

Tertiary Bachelor’s (Arts and Sciences) 3

Tertiary Bachelor’s Honours 1

ED Tertiary Bachelor’s (Professional) 4-6

Tertiary Master’s 2

Tertiary Doctorate 2-4

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 LITERACY RATE
P
MALE FEMALE TOTAL YEAR

Literacy Rate (%)

EP 15-24 years old

15 years old and older

98

95.5
98.8

94.5
98.4

95
2019

2019

65 years old and older 80.7 73.7 76.4 2019

ED

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 NIGERIA
P • Education is compulsory between the ages of
6 and 15.
• The language of instruction is English.
EP • Mandatory school consists of primary and
junior secondary education.
• Education in Nigeria is managed by the state.
ED

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 PROBLEMS
• Learning outcomes were low

P • Teachers in the public schools were poorly trained and lacked

incentive to improve their performance.
• Materials and curricula were out-dated, while facilities were often
EP inadequate, decaying and unhygienic.
• The flow of direct funds to schools was limited and uneven.
ED • Children from marginalised communities often received no basic
education at all, while girls rarely continued their studies after

LR primary school.
 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
P • Technical Assistance
• Strengthen the governance framework to support
basic education reform

EP • Develop and implement ten-year sector plans

• Adequate teacher training
• Integrate a basic curriculum into existing Islamiyah
ED and Quranic schools
• Established School Based Management Committees

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 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
EDUCATION SCHOOL/LEVEL GRADE LEVEL AGE YEARS

P Primary

Secondary
Primary School

Junior Secondary 7-9

6-11

12-14
6

Secondary Senior Secondary 10-12 15-17 3

EP Post-Secondary

Vocational
Non-University level-technical and
vocational
Higher Technical-Non-University 2
level
Vocational Higher Technical-Non-University 4

ED
level
Tertiary Undergraduate Programs 13-16 4

Tertiary Master’s Degree 17-18 1-2

Tertiary Doctorate Degree 19-21 3

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 LITERACY RATE
P
MALE FEMALE TOTAL YEAR

Literacy Rate (%)

EP 15-24 years old

15 years old and older

81.6

71.3
68.3

52.7
75

62
2018

2018

65 years old and older 40.1 17.6 28.3 2018

ED

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 KENYA
• 2017 – Strongest educational System on the African
P Continent.
• 2018 – The top African Country for education
outcomes.
• 2019 – A Kenyan was named the most outstanding
EP teacher in the world.
• The government of Kenya, Invests more in the
schools located in the cities, and very little for the
ED schools in backward regions.
• In some regions, 5% students are not enrolled in
schools.
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 PROBLEMS

• Insufficient Learning Materials

P
• Gender Disparity
EP • Lack of Schools and Teachers
• Poverty
ED • Teenage Pregnancies
• Political Influence
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 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
P • Supporting education and vocational training
for disadvantaged young people and children
EP • Provides mentoring and counselling
• Monitoring educational progress
ED • Providing support with career planning and
future employment
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 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
P EDUCATION
Primary
SCHOOL/LEVEL
Primary Education
GRADE LEVEL
1-7
AGE
7-13
YEARS
8

Secondary Secondary 8-11 14-17 4

EP
Post-Secondary Post-Secondary Diploma 1-2

Vocational Vocational Secondary 1-3

Tertiary Bachelor’s 4

ED
Tertiary Master’s 1-2

Tertiary Doctorate 1-6

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 LITERACY RATE
P
MALE FEMALE TOTAL YEAR

Literacy Rate (%)

EP 15-24 years old

15 years old and older

87.6

85
88.1

78.2
87.8

81.5
2018

2018

65 years old and older 57.4 43.7 76.4 2018

ED

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REFERENCES:
• Thelwell, K. (2019, January 9). WonLife: Educational Program for South Africa - The Borgen Project. The Borgen Project.
https://borgenproject.org/wonlife-educational-program-for-south-africa/.
• South Africa Education System. (n.d.). South Africa Education System.
https://www.scholaro.com/pro/Countries/South-Africa/Education-System.
• South Africa | UNESCO UIS. (n.d.). South Africa | UNESCO UIS. http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/za.
• Thelwell, K. (2019, January 9). WonLife: Educational Program for South Africa - The Borgen Project. The Borgen Project.
https://borgenproject.org/wonlife-educational-program-for-south-africa/.
• Nigeria Education System. (n.d.). Nigeria Education System.
https://www.scholaro.com/pro/Countries/Nigeria/Education-System.
• Nigeria | UNESCO UIS. (n.d.). Nigeria | UNESCO UIS. http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ng.
• Kenya | Global Partnership for Education. (2021, September 8). Education in Kenya | Global Partnership for Education.
https://www.globalpartnership.org/where-we-work/kenya.
• Kenya Education System. (n.d.). Kenya Education System.
https://www.scholaro.com/pro/Countries/Kenya/Education-System.
• Kenya | UNESCO UIS. (n.d.). Kenya | UNESCO UIS. http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ke.