Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka has urged African governments to move beyond policy commitments and implement practical measures that will improve foundational learning outcomes for millions of children across the continent.
Speaking on Thursday during the second day of the Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX2026) summit at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, Msaka said the time had come for African countries to translate commitments into measurable results.
He said while previous engagements had focused on understanding the learning crisis and developing strategies, FLEX2026 should prioritise implementing solutions capable of improving literacy and numeracy at scale.
Msaka said Africa’s growing youthful population presents enormous opportunities for economic and social development, but warned that those opportunities can only be realised if children acquire strong foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
He described learning poverty as one of Africa’s greatest challenges, saying the failure by many children to attain basic literacy and numeracy reflects weaknesses within education systems rather than the abilities of learners.
The minister called on governments to increase domestic investment in foundational learning, saying sustainable reforms require strong government ownership, effective use of education data, coordinated implementation and adequate financing that reaches classrooms.
He also urged delegates attending the summit to strengthen partnerships and adopt practical solutions that will accelerate efforts to eliminate learning poverty across Africa by 2035.
Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Executive Secretary Albert Nsengiyumva said learning poverty has consequences that extend beyond the education sector.
He said children who fail to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills at an early age face lifelong disadvantages that affect productivity, employment opportunities and national economic growth.
Nsengiyumva said discussions on foundational learning now include Ministers of Finance because investment in early learning is both an education and economic priority.
Established in 2023, the Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) is Africa’s premier country-to-country peer learning platform dedicated to improving early-grade reading, mathematics and socio-emotional learning. The initiative is spearheaded by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).
Leave a Reply