Head of the Education Section at UNESCO Ghana, Prosper Nyavor, has highlighted the need to balance global educational standards with African realities. He has, therefore, urged a shift in narratives to acknowledge the continent’s strengths and innovations.
Speaking at the launch of the book “Reconceptualising the Learning Crisis in Africa: Multi-dimensional Pedagogies of Accelerated Learning Programmes” by Professor Kwame Akyeampong and Dr. Sean Higgins on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra, Mr. Nyavor emphasized that while the challenges in African education are real, they should not overshadow local achievements and resilience.
“I believe Professor’s presentation has clearly shown that there is indeed a problem. Whether we call it a crisis or not, the reality is that something is not right. When you send your child to school, you expect a tangible outcome. Yet, across many African countries—and even beyond—the data suggests that we often do not achieve the results we anticipate, particularly at the basic education level,” he said, reflecting on the persistent gaps in learning outcomes across the continent.
Focusing on Ghana, Mr. Nyavor stressed that the expectations of parents, society, and government are not being fully realized. “In Ghana, the situation is no different. The evidence is clear: what parents expect, what society expects, and what government expects from the education system are not being realized. We are not receiving the outcomes we envision for our children after they have spent years in school. So yes, there is an issue. Even if we choose not to describe it as a crisis, we must acknowledge that we are falling short of our expectations. Our education system is not delivering the results we desire for our children and for our nation’s future,” he stated.
When asked how global narratives can better highlight African strengths rather than focusing solely on deficits, Mr. Nyavor emphasized the importance of engagement with global frameworks and collective goal-setting. “We need to start from the global goals. When these goals are agreed upon, our governments and ministers participate at the UN level to commit to collectively achieving the targets within ten to fifteen years. These agreements inform everything we do,” he said, citing the example of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which measures the proportion of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics at the end of primary school.
While acknowledging the need for foundational skills, Mr. Nyavor also called attention to the unique capabilities African children acquire through socialization. “We can acknowledge that Africa does have its strengths. We have educated professionals working in international organizations across the world, and we all agree to pursue certain standards. When we measure performance, we must appreciate the additional skills African children acquire through socialization — resilience, leadership, even becoming young contributors to household income as Prof showed. These are valuable achievements,” he noted.
He further stressed that equipping African children with globally recognized competencies is crucial if they are to compete on the international stage. “Unless we are saying our children will remain in Africa forever and never compete globally, we must ensure they are equipped. When a child takes the SAT or the TOEFL, we cannot say, ‘Because we are from Africa and are fisherfolk, please judge us differently.’ That is not how the world works,” he said.
Mr. Nyavor concluded by emphasizing the importance of a strong African voice in shaping global education frameworks. “Therefore, we must engage strongly at the global level and agree on indicators that reflect our realities. With a stronger voice, our local strengths and experiences can help shape global frameworks so that Africa is not viewed purely through a deficit lens. If we sit back and accept global standards without asserting our perspectives, these standards will inevitably shape how we act locally,” he said.
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