The African Union (AU) Commission (AUC), in partnership with the government of Namibia and UNICEF, has officially launched the “End Learning Poverty for All in Africa (ELPAF)” campaign.
Held under the framework of the African Union Year of Education 2024, the campaign aims to eliminate learning poverty in Africa by 2035, according to the AUC’s statement issued Friday.
The campaign calls for national action plans, high-level policy commitment, increased domestic financing, and adoption of proven, scalable interventions that improve foundational literacy and numeracy, particularly for children under the age of 10.
The launch event in Namibia was graced by Dr. Elijah Ngurare, Prime Minister; Sanet Steenkamp, Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture; senior government officials; representatives of UNICEF; development partners; civil society; and education experts.
Mrs. Sophia Ashipala, Head of the Education Division at the African Union Commission, lauded Namibia’s leadership and swift adoption of the ELPAF initiative.
She reaffirmed the African Union’s unwavering commitment to supporting member states in addressing the urgent learning crisis, promoting inclusive and equitable education systems, and advancing the vision of a continent where every child can read, write, and count by the age of ten.
However, she emphasized the urgency of action, noting that recent data indicates 90% of ten-year-olds in Sub-Saharan Africa are still unable to read and understand a simple text or solve basic mathematical problems, underscoring the critical need for targeted national interventions and sustained political will.
UNICEF on its part reaffirmed its strong collaboration with the AU and national governments in co-implementing the campaign.
As the fourth country to launch the ELPAF, Namibia is setting a precedent for other member states.
The national campaign reflects a unified call to action—to scale up evidence-based teaching methods, strengthen early childhood education, enhance teacher training, and ensure that foundational learning outcomes are tracked and improved.
MG/as/APA