Africa needs $90 billion to achieve universal education by 2030, AU commissioner says

Speaking at the opening session of the inaugural Africa Skills Week 2024, hosted in Accra by the Ghanaian Government in partnership with the AU, Belhocine revealed that the continent would need an estimated $90 billion to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.

According to Belhocine, who is an Algerian biomedical scientist, studies conducted by UNESCO indicate that this significant amount is necessary if Africa is to provide universal access to quality education within the next six years. "If we were to reach SDG 4 targets by 2030, Africa would need $90 billion," he said.

Belhocine also called on African countries to push for additional funding to bridge the education gap. “I think that we need to really bring our heads together to advocate for this,” he is quoted by local media outlet Graphic Online.

The Commissioner first raised concerns about Africa’s education shortfall during the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council Meeting of the African Union in Accra, earlier this year. At the meeting, he emphasised the continent’s pressing need for more teachers, noting that Africa would need to train 15 million teaching professionals to fill the gap.

Around 500 million children are of school-going age in Africa, but 100 million of them are out of school. Belhocine also pointed out that African nations spend between $60 and $900 annually per child’s education, compared to the $8,000 spent by advanced economies.