New York, United States – “Transforming Education” an event, co-hosted by Devex and NewGlobe on the occasion of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, to explore initiatives designed to improve the quality and learning outcomes of education in low- and middle-income countries. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s KwaraLEARN is one such initiative which the Governor discussed on the world stage shedding light on the giant strides of this current program and the urgency of the education crisis for Africa and for the world.
Speaking during the event, Governor AbdulRazaq stated that “Education is the urgency of now” he further explained that to localize solutions, multi-lateral organizations should look at track records and work towards building on existing success to address the challenge of education in Africa.
The fireside chat event tagged “Addressing Africa’s learning crisis and preparing for a young future: Finding solutions” had Richard Jones, Editorial Director Devex interviewing H.E. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State, and Shannon May, Co-founder, NewGlobe.
The event addressed the education crisis in low- and middle-income countries which is at a critical level, with over half of children unable to read and comprehend a simple story by the end of their primary education. The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated this dire situation, necessitating a transformative overhaul of the education sector. A return to the pre-pandemic state is insufficient; instead, ambitious efforts for learning recovery and acceleration are imperative to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, focusing on inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030. It will also shine a light on what’s needed to equip everyone from teachers to education ministries with the data tools needed to drive improved learning outcomes for all.
In response to the fact that the world is significantly off track from meeting SDG 4, and what needs to be done to get back on track and accelerate towards achieving SDG 4 by 2030 Shannon May said “Those in development finance institutions should pay attention to programs that are working in states that have had the courage to implement them and double down” programs such as KwaraLEARN in states such as Kwara State. She further stated that ”Kwara is outperforming the education levels that its GDP per capita would normally predict, if you invest in education now, you can leapfrog to economic prosperity”.
The conclusion of the session was that to address this crisis in low- and middle-income countries, a collaborative and concerted effort, acknowledging the pressing need for data-driven education reforms and investments, and fostering a collective commitment to quality education will pave the way for a brighter future.
