Press Event: Youth Speaks for Education
IDP Foundation hosted a press event on 20th August 2024, moderated by our Policy & Advocacy Manager, Constance Kwaa Ababio in Accra, Ghana. This event gave a platform to three of the IDP Rising Schools Alumni – Foster Akanbong Awentirim, an alumnus of Success International School and a third year medical student; University graduate, Margaret Awugyi an alumnus of Chris Academy; and Latifa Mudasiru an alumnus of Royal Gospel Preparatory & JHS, who now studies chemistry at KNUST. Also present was Dr. Aisha Asi Akrofi, the Regional Chairperson of Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), who gave a message of solidarity. IDPF’s Regional Director, Africa, Stephen Caleb Opuni called upon the press to give the youth a voice, particularly as Ghana approaches its election.
The Alumni shared the reality of the education crisis in Sub Saharan Africa, and the role of the affordable non-state sector in improving access to, and quality of, all eduaction for all children, now. Latifa shared, “low-fee private schools are being left behind, they’re not being heard or supported. If support is provided to these schools, it will go a long way to help improve education across Ghana.” In addition Foster spoke to the valuable insight of the youth, “we the youth believe in the power of education, and we have first-hand information on the important role of the affordable non-state sector and its place in providing quality education for all children now. But this sector needs more support, and we need the support now.”
Margaret emphasized how there is little attention paid to the opinions of the youth. “Traditionally our culture has mandated that our elders must speak while our youth follow, this norm has unfortunately led to a situation where youth voices are often marginalized. There is a need for this to change, we must see more young people stepping up, particularly at the school level. To achieve more significant change, we need more organized channels for the youth to communicate their consent at the government level.”
Dr Aisha Asi Akrofi from GNAPS message of solidarity further emphasized the need to include the youth in discussions around education.
“Distinguished guests, fellow educators, members of the media, and most importantly, our vibrant youth, on behalf of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, I stand before you today to express our unwavering solidarity with the cause of amplifying youth voices in education. Education is not merely about imparting knowledge; it’s about shaping the future. And who better to contribute to shaping that future than those who will inherit it – our youth?
The voice of our young people is not just important; it is essential. Their perspectives, ideas, and aspirations should be at the heart of our educational policies and practices. By actively listening to and engaging with our youth, we can create an education system that is truly responsive, relevant, and empowering.
We at GNAPS believe that when we give our youth a platform to speak, we open doors to innovation, creativity, and progress. Their fresh perspectives can help us identify gaps in our current system and find innovative solutions to long-standing challenges. Moreover, by involving youth in educational decision-making, we are not only improving our education system but also nurturing future leaders. We are teaching them the value of civic engagement, critical thinking, and responsible citizenship.
To our young people here today and across Ghana, I say this: Your voice matters. Your ideas can shape the future of education in our nation. Speak up, get involved, and be the change you wish to see in our schools and communities. To my fellow educators and policymakers, I urge you to create more spaces for youth participation. Let’s not just talk about youth empowerment, but actively practice it in our institutions and policy- making processes.
In conclusion, GNAPS stands in full support of initiatives that amplify youth voices in education. We commit to continue working towards an education system where every young person’s voice is heard, valued, and acted upon. Let us move forward together in creating an education system that truly serves and empowers our youth. Thank you”
The event was attended by several press and IDP Foundation commends those who have supported this call to action.
https://gna.org.gh/2024/08/journalists-urged-to-amplify-youth-voices-in-governance-leadership-issues/
https://www.myjoyonline.com/journalists-urged-to-amplify-youth-voices-in-governance-and-leadership-issues/
https://ghananewsonline.com.gh/youth-advocates-for-enhanced-education-in-ghana/
Read the statement prepared for the press here:
Sub-Saharan Africa contains the largest youth population in the world with 70% under the age of 30 (UN, 2024), yet lack of quality education access and learning poverty remain key issues. With 87% of children in Africa unable to read and understand a simple sentence by age 10 (World Bank, June 2022) and 98 million children and youth still out of school(UNESCO, 2024) there is an immediate need for decisive action. Africa is facing an annual education financing gap of more than 40% (UNICEF, June 2024), and if we fail to change this picture it may be catastrophic for the future of the world’s economy. One out of three working age people will be African by 2075 (World Bank, 2023) so we need to improve access to, and quality of education, for all children, now. There is an immediate need for system change in education and the youth should have some agency in that process. The affordable non-state sector (ANS) is already educating a significant portion of children within SSA, but this youth consistency is often overlooked or even willfully ignored. Youth voices can ignite greater engagement with governments and education donors highlighting the need to building more resilient education systems by integrating all education for all children, now.
While youth voices are prominent in areas such as climate, there doesn’t seem to be a strong youth voice within education, both in Africa and globally. While education-related challenges are best understood by the youth, the question is, what are the barriers to youth engagement in advocating for improved education? For youth to engage in local and global conversations around education they need to be invited to the table, firstly within the school setting, then with local actors and organizations, as well as the press, so that national government and global payers must pay attention. In addition, a significant portion of the school-age population in Ghana attend a non-state school, the majority in low-fee private schools (LFPS) run by education entrepreneurs in the community, yet these schools are often overlooked by education policies. Strides have been made to regulate LFPS by the State agencies such as National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA), however more can be done to support them and the millions of students that they educate, who are part of the next generation of leaders.
IDP Foundation has supported the affordable non-state sector for over 15 years, working with micro-financiers to provide working capital and training to low-fee private school owners to help improve access to, and quality of, all education for all children, now. We want to see the inclusion of these schools in a connected education ecosystem that is centrally governed and believe that the youth should have agency in their education, with platforms available for them to speak up about issue that pertain to them.
The good news is, we are seeing a global trend toward prioritizing youth voices. For the first time the African Union’s theme of the year is Education, with recognition that “Africa’s Future is Youth-Led” and calls for the facilitation and strengthening of platforms for youth participation in decision-making at all levels. At the 37th AU Summit earlier this year, the Commissioner of the African Union Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, H.E. Professor Mohamed Belhocine, emphasized that “youth must not only be beneficiaries of quality education but also partners in building resilient education systems”. With the launch of their new advocacy campaign “World Leaders: It’s Time to Let #YouthLead” earlier this year, the UN Youth Office has also called for greater youth representation in decision-making roles across both public and private sectors. In its campaign letter, the UN Youth Office called for leaders and institutions to include young people in roles where their voices can be heard, warning that a common future might be at stake if this fails to be done.
IDP Foundation spoke to Alumni from the IDPF Rising Schools Program in Ghana (funded by IDPF and implemented by Sinapi Aba Savings & Loans), who attended a low-fee private school and went on to further their education, saying “although students may be facing education challenges, they do not speak up as they think it is the norm.” They explained that the reason why youth are sometimes not motivated to speak up is due to cultural stigmas and perceptions that elders do not value their opinions, even regarding issues that directly impact them. IDPF is only at the beginning of our journey toward actively focusing on including youth in our learning, while helping strengthen their voice, and therefore call upon the press to create platforms for #youthspeaks4educationafrica