Engage in a global dialogue/Ride on Equal Opportunity for Quality Education in Africa.

The African child is barely scraping through school. While there has been a plight in education the world over with people questioning the validity of the Traditional Education System (TES), standardized testing has come under scrutiny and possible cancellation, and the 21-century graduates have high unemployment rates, it is important to highlight that there is predominantly a crisis in education. The COVID 19 pandemic has rocked even the established more contemporary educational systems let alone Africa which has struggled to attain and maintain world standards in education.  

In 2021, I rode my bicycle from Malindi, Kenya to Durban in South Africa to create awareness on the importance of education in Africa.  This sparked great conversations in the 4 countries that I passed through (Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa as well as my country Kenya). This particular ride helped raise funds for 18 students who were unable to attend school as a result of a lack of school fees.

 #RideWithWakake 2021 focused on three key factors that demonstrated the current educational state of affairs which the campaign is looking to address; namely:

• Curriculum (the different curriculums used in most schools seem outdated and have inadequate materials).
• The quality of teacher training (there seems to be poor school management and plenty of untrained teachers)
• Poor quality learning environment (e.g. Infrastructure, overcrowding, sanitation, violence etc.)

At the policy level, the current AU Agenda 2063's point number 1 Prosperous Africa; 1.2 speaks to creating Well Educated Citizens, Science Technology and Innovation. This aligns well with UN SDG goal number four - Quality Education which states: "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all."

These world policy objectives resonate with the #RideWithWakake campaign's core objective which is Equal Opportunity For Quality Education. To effectively achieve these shared fundamental goals, we are embarking on a continuous Continental dialogue and ride on the outlook of the education crisis. 

As we embark on an African Continental Cycling tour,  starting on the 16th of June from South Africa and ending on the 18th of December in Morocco, Join me in petitioning;

1.  AU – African Union
2. UN – United Nations
3. UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization
4. UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
5. African Development Bank

The above-mentioned organizations play a direct role in policymaking in education and need to work in tandem with African leadership and educational institutions to accelerate the advancement of quality education in Africa. As we are aware that “We have a 19th-century education system that does not facilitate 21st-century learning.” (Latin America and Caribbean Youth consultation in the UNICEF education-strategy-2019-2030).

Together with African leaders and the communities they serve, identifying and addressing core deficiencies and access to quality education need prioritization.

By signing this petition you are adding your voice to the call to action. Africa needs to move with speed. We have been at the tail end for far too long. 

 

Reference:

day event.com. (2022). International Day of Education 2022. Internationaleventday.Com. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://internationaleventday.com/event/international-day-of-education/

Habitat for Humanity. Great Britain. (n.d.). Poverty and Education in East Africa: Breaking the Cycle. Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/blog/2017/04/poverty-and-education-east-africa/

UN - SDG. (n.d.). Take Action for the Sustainable Development Goals. UN -SDG. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

 

y event.com. (2022). International Day of Education 2022. Internationaleventday.Com. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://internationaleventday.com/event/international-day-of-education/

- SDG. (n.d.). Take Action for the Sustainable Development Goals. UN -SDG. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

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