The African Union has announced a significant new initiative, the Decade of Education, spanning from 2025 to 2034. The idea is to allocate more funds to schools, make education free for every child, and train more people with valuable skills. On paper, it sounds great. However, one important question needs to be asked: What exactly are we trying to fix?
Emmanuel Ezeoka, an education consultant, in a recent powerful article, says that if we continue to spend billions on a faulty system, we are only helping it fail faster. According to him, the real problem is not just money or access—it is that our education system is no longer helpful for today’s world. Let us be honest. The school system we are using was copied from colonial powers. It was built to produce obedient workers, not creative thinkers. That is why, even after obtaining all the certificates and degrees, many Nigerian graduates are riding Okada, selling recharge cards, or emigrating to do cleaning jobs abroad.
Nevertheless, it was not always like this. Long before colonial rule, African societies had their education styles. In places like ancient Egypt, Timbuktu, and Igbo land, people were trained in practical skills, innovation, and values. They learnt by doing, not just reading books. That system worked. Ezeoka, in a passionate plea to African governments and policymakers, is calling on leadership in the region to return to a plan that once worked. He says it is time to stop chasing shadows, such as focusing only on school buildings and certificates. It is time to start teaching the next generation of African leaders real-life skills, mentorship, digital tools, and how to solve problems in their communities.
“If we do not rethink the purpose of education now, this ‘Decade of Education’ may just end up as a Decade of Wasted Effort, ” he says.
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