Akufo-Addo Calls on African Youth to Champion Education for the Continent's Future

Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged young people across Africa to see education as the foundation for the continent's future, saying it remains the strongest tool for economic growth, peace, and sustainable development.

He made the remarks while speaking as Special Guest at the 3rd West Africa Youth Summit in Accra. The event brought together youth leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and security experts from across the region to discuss how young people can play a bigger role in shaping Africa's future.

Addressing the gathering, Akufo-Addo said investing in education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. He noted that giving young people access to quality education can also help protect them from violent extremism and other social challenges affecting parts of West Africa.

The former President pointed to Ghana's Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme as one of the country's major educational reforms. Introduced in 2017, the policy removed tuition, boarding, and textbook fees, making secondary education more accessible to students from low-income families.

Akufo-Addo said the programme has opened the doors of education to millions of young Ghanaians and has significantly increased school enrolment across the country.

However, official figures show that while earlier reports referred to nearly six million beneficiaries using cumulative yearly enrolment data, the Ministry of Education has since clarified that the actual number of unique students who benefited from the Free SHS programme between 2017 and 2024 is 3,511,733.

Although the programme has been widely praised for expanding access to education, it has also faced a number of challenges over the years.

The sharp increase in student enrolment led to the introduction of the double-track system in many schools because existing infrastructure could not accommodate the growing numbers. Delays in government funding have also affected school feeding, teaching materials, and other essential services in some institutions.

Education analysts have further argued that while more students are now in school, greater attention should be given to improving learning outcomes and equipping graduates with practical skills in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to meet the demands of today's job market.

The summit also focused on the need to give young people greater opportunities to participate in leadership and decision-making.

Levinia Addae-Mensah, Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), encouraged African governments to move beyond consulting young people and instead give them meaningful roles in national development.

Similarly, Austrian Ambassador to Ghana Jürgen Heissel stressed that lasting peace cannot be achieved without the active involvement of young people. He called for stronger investment in education, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and civic engagement to help build a more resilient Africa.

The discussions at the summit reinforced a common message: expanding access to education is an important step, but improving quality, creating opportunities, and empowering young people to lead will be critical to Africa's long-term development.

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