Tanzania's Vice President Calls for Urgent Action to Address Education Underfunding in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

Tanzania’s Vice President, Dkt. Philip Mpango, has issued a strong call for increased investment in education across Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the region's alarming underperformance on global education indices. 

Speaking at the opening of the East African Regional Education Conference and the African Union's 2024 Year of Education , The Vice President highlighted that the growing population in East African countries signals the need for more financial resources to meet the demands for quality education and healthcare. 

Dkt. Mpango emphasized the critical need to address the chronic underfunding of education, which is hindering the region’s human capital development and overall economic growth.

Dkt. Mpango pointed out that Sub-Saharan Africa scores an average of 0.4 on the World Bank's Human Capital Index, significantly lower than the global average of 0.57. 

This index is a key indicator that measures a country’s investment in the education and health of its population, reflecting the potential productivity of the next generation. 

The Vice President underscored that this low score highlights a serious gap in education investment across the region, which could have long-term negative consequences.

He stressed that education is fundamental to unlocking the potential of Africa’s youthful population. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest fertility rate in the world, a demographic feature that could be either a blessing or a burden. 

With the right investments, particularly in education, this young and dynamic population could drive economic growth and lead to what is known as the "demographic dividend." 

However, without adequate funding and resources, the region risks squandering this opportunity, with the growing youth population becoming more of a challenge than an asset.

Dkt. Mpango also highlighted the stark economic implications of underfunding education. He cited World Bank research showing that every additional year of schooling can increase a young person’s earnings by up to 14%. 

This makes education one of the most effective tools for economic development and poverty reduction. However, he lamented that Sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly the EAC member states, continue to struggle with inadequate educational funding, which severely limits the quality and accessibility of education.

The Vice President emphasized that the challenges facing education in the region—such as access, quality, teacher capacity, and the integration of ICT—are interconnected and can be more effectively addressed through collective efforts and regional collaboration. 

He praised the efforts already made by EAC member states to harmonize their education systems, but he cautioned that much more needs to be done, particularly in terms of securing the necessary financial resources.

Dkt. Mpango also acknowledged the role of international partners in supporting education reforms across Sub-Saharan Africa but stressed that governments in the region must take the lead in prioritizing education funding. 

He called for a renewed commitment from EAC member states to allocate more resources to education, ensuring that their systems are better equipped to meet the demands of the 21st century, including the challenges posed by globalization, technological advancements, and the digital transformation of education.

In closing, Dkt. Mpango urged all stakeholders to use the EAC Education Conference as a platform to forge stronger partnerships and develop actionable strategies to address the underfunding of education in the region. 

He expressed hope that the outcomes of the conference would lead to tangible improvements in education funding, ultimately enhancing the human capital and future economic prospects of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Vice President's message was clear, Sub-Saharan Africa cannot afford to neglect its education systems if it hopes to achieve sustainable development and economic prosperity. 

The cost of inaction, he warned, would be far greater than the investment needed to secure a better future for the region’s youth.