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Jobless Crisis In Africa Report: More Than Half Africa’s Youth Are Illiterate

Jobless Crisis In Africa Report: More Than Half Africa’s Youth Are Illiterate

From Coastweek.

African governments were urged to tackle the crisis of youth unemployment during the 23rd World Economic Forum on Africa.

A recent African Economic Outlook Report estimates more than 50 percent of Africa’s youth, about 133 million young people, are illiterate, according to a report in Coastweek.

Those who have some education often exhibit skills irrelevant to demand in the labor market. In a situation where educational and skill requirements are increasing, the result is millions of unemployed and underemployed youth, the report said.

Countries like South Africa that have injected huge capital into education need to “re-look and re-mold” their education system to prepare students to enter the workforce, Henley Business School Director Jon Forster Pedley said, according to the report.

“Quality education that equips our youth to be productive at work without companies investing more on training for them to be productive at work pace is what we need,” Pedley said.

Raizcorp CEO Allon Raiz said more investment in agriculture is a lasting solution to youth unemployment. “Government should focus on agriculture to ensure that more jobs are created for both rural and urban youth,” he said.

Read more at Coastweek.