EDUCATION - The African Mirror

May

10

2025

We set out to improve literacy among struggling readers in Kenya – what we learnt

EDUCATION

LITERACY – being able to read, write and understand written or spoken language – is a cornerstone of educational achievement. Yet, for millions of children worldwide, acquiring basic literacy skills is a significant challenge. This is a result of systemic inequalities, poverty, conflict, displacement and gender disparities. A UNICEF report on global literacy levels in 2023 found that 89% of 10-year-olds in sub-Saharan Africa were unable to read or comprehend a basic story. In Kenya, the gap in foundational literacy is stark. A nationwide evaluation of over 44,000 children across 1,973 primary schools in 2023 found that three in 10…

May

09

2025

By FREDERIK WILD and DAVID STADELMANN

Does free schooling give girls a better chance in life? Burundi study shows the poorest benefited most

EDUCATION

TEENAGE pregnancy rates remain high across many parts of the developing world: In Africa, on average, about one in ten girls between the ages of 15 and 19 has already given birth. These early pregnancies often come with serious consequences for young mothers and their children. They are linked to lower education levels, poorer health outcomes, and reduced economic opportunities. Scientists, development agencies and NGOs have long heralded education as a powerful tool to reduce early childbearing. Education may directly influence women’s reproductive behaviour, but it can also improve their employment and income-generating opportunities, leading them to postpone pregnancy. But…

May

07

2025

By PEARL S. KYEI; FRED DZANKU and SAMUEL KOBINA ANNIM

30 years of free basic education in Ghana: a report card

EDUCATION

GHANA, like many sub-Saharan African countries, began investing substantially in free education three decades ago. This led to an increase in the number of children who attend primary school. But what has the impact been on learning outcomes? The Conversation Africa spoke to demographer Pearl Kyei, who, with economists Fred Dzanku and Samuel Annim, has researched population literacy and numeracy in Ghana after three decades of free education. How long has Ghana offered free basic education? Ghana introduced what it calls the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme in 1994. This meant that families could send children to public…

Apr

30

2025

By AYOBAMI PRECIOUS ADEKOLA and AZWIHANGWISI HELEN MAVHANDU-MUDZUSI

Teachers in South African schools may be slow to report rape of girls: study shows why

EDUCATION

IN South Africa, the age of consent for sex is 16 years old. Engaging in sexual activity with someone under the age of 16 is considered statutory rape, even if the minor consents as defined under the law that applies to adults. In December 2021, South Africa’s Department of Basic Education introduced a policy aimed at reducing the country’s high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual exploitation. It requires educators to report cases where older sexual partners impregnate learners under 16 years of age. We are researchers in sexual and reproductive health who have been working on a decade-long community…

Apr

25

2025

By CECILE DE VILLIERS

Sexual predators at school: why South African law is failing to protect children from teachers

EDUCATION

SCHOOLS should be a safe environment, a place of learning where children can develop their potential. In South Africa, many public schools aren’t like this. Instead, they are hothouses for teachers’ poor performance, financial mismanagement, assault and sexual misconduct. When cases of misconduct in schools emerge, they tend to follow the same pattern: public outcry, media involvement and political promises. What often follows is inaction. Teachers are not always held accountable. One reason is a fragmented legislative framework applicable to teachers. This can be explained using sexual misconduct as an example. As a labour law researcher, I analysed legislation, statistics…

Apr

24

2025

By EMMANUEL OJO

Global crises have hit education hard: 24 years of research offers a way forward for southern Africa

EDUCATION

GLOBAL crises have shaped our world over the past two decades, affecting education systems everywhere. Higher education researcher Emmanuel Ojo has studied the impact of these disruptions on educational opportunities, particularly in southern Africa. He looked at 5,511 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024 to explore what the research suggests about making education systems more resilient. Here, he answers some questions about his review. What are the global crises that have undermined education? In my review, I drew up a table documenting how multiple crises have disrupted education systems worldwide. The cycle began with the 2000-2002 dot-com bubble collapse,…

Mar

27

2025

By MOSES NGWARE

Kenya’s decision to make maths optional in high school is a bad idea – what should happen instead

EDUCATION

KENYA’S education ministry announced in March 2025 that mathematics would be an optional subject in senior secondary school, which begins in grade 10. Most students in this grade are aged 15 years. The education minister said the mathematics taught from grade 4 to grade 9 was sufficient for foundational “numeracy literacy”. The change, in January 2026, is part of a shift to a new education system styled as the competence-based curriculum. The decision is not to scrap maths altogether but rather to make it optional. However, given the poor performance in this subject, it is expected there will be few…

Mar

12

2025

By VIJAY REDDY

How good are South African kids at maths? Trends from a global study

EDUCATION

SCHOOL mathematics in South Africa is often seen as a sign of the health of the education system more generally. Under the racial laws of apartheid, until 1994, African people were severely restricted from learning maths. Tracking the changes in maths performance is a measure of how far the country has travelled in overcoming past injustices. Maths is also an essential foundation for meeting the challenges of the future, like artificial intelligence, climate change, energy and sustainable development. Here, education researcher Vijay Reddy takes stock of South Africa’s mathematical capabilities. She reports on South African maths performance in grades 5…

Mar

05

2025

By GABRIELLE WILLS

Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead

EDUCATION

AT the dawn of democracy in 1994, South Africa faced a sobering reality. Fewer than a third of 25- to 34-year-olds had achieved at least a matric (12 years of schooling completed) or equivalent qualification. Thirty years on, the proportion of individuals in this age group that had completed their schooling had almost doubled to 57%. This figure will be further bolstered by the record-breaking results in the National Senior Certificate (matric) examinations in recent years. South Africa’s school completion rates are now high and comparable to other middle-income countries. But this good news is tempered by very high youth…

Feb

12

2025

By GRETCHEN GENG and PHILLIP SLEE

How can you help your child make friends?

EDUCATION

ONE of the things children (and parents) may worry about at the start of the new school year is whether will have friends. This could be true for children starting or changing schools or simply going back to a new year with different class arrangements. How can parents talk to their kids about making friends? Why is it important to have friends? We research young people’s well-being and provide programs to schools on how to talk about mental health. Having lasting, meaningful friendships is extremely important for children’s health, development and wellbeing. They can validate young people’s aspirations and interests…