Young activists across Africa are calling for urgent action on the crisis facing young children in the continent. More than 1,500 Global Youth Ambassadors from Theirworld mobilized on the Day of the African Child to demand that African leaders allocate 10% of education spending to support the 200 million children under the age of five.
Under the Act For Early Years campaign initiated by Theirworld, youth ambassadors sent over 75 letters to government ministers in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia, emphasizing the critical importance of preschool education. Additionally, young campaigners utilized social media and poster campaigns, while Nigerian newspapers highlighted their calls to prevent Africa’s youngest children from falling behind.
At a special event at Kiryandongo refugee camp in Uganda marking the Day of the African Child, two senior officials from the African Union advocated strongly for meeting the 10% investment target for early childhood education across the 55-member union. They urged African countries to increase funding for pre-primary education during televised interviews.
Poloko Nuggert Ntshwarang, African Union Special Rapporteur for Education, stressed the need for greater financial commitment to education, proposing that 10% of education budgets should be dedicated to early childhood education and development.
Anne Musiwa, African Union Special Rapporteur for Parentless Children, echoed this sentiment during meetings with Ugandan ministers, emphasizing the theme of “education for all children” and the urgency of action.
Theirworld’s Global Youth Ambassadors in Africa are advocating for African nations to commit to allocating at least 10% of their education budgets to preschool education by 2030, a target endorsed by over 140 nations in 2022.
Yusuf Muhammed Saidu, a Global Youth Ambassador from Nigeria, shared personal experiences witnessing the positive impact of early childhood education and called on the Nigerian government and all African leaders to prioritize preschool programs.
Highlighting the inequality faced by children across the continent, the young campaigners stressed that many are denied their fundamental right to preschool education, exacerbating disparities between socio-economic groups.
Halimat Omowumi Olaniyan, a Global Youth Ambassador from Nigeria, emphasized the transformative impact of early education on her own academic and career success.
Responding to the youth ambassadors’ advocacy, South Africa’s Department of Basic Education affirmed its commitment to achieving universal access to quality early childhood development programs by 2030. Director-General H.M. Mweli outlined strategies to incrementally increase budget allocations for early childhood education.
Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld, supported the African youth’s call to prioritize high-quality preschool education, citing the current lack of investment as a barrier preventing millions of children from realizing their full potential from the outset.