Hi, Quartz Africa readers!
Education Education Education
Back in 1996, then British opposition leader, Tony Blair laid out the top three priorities of his party in the run-up to the election which saw him become prime minister. They were: “Education, education, education.” The single-minded nature of that policy speech and its mantra came to mind this week in Kigali, Rwanda at the Next Einstein Forum conference while listening to presidents, academics and entrepreneurs on various panels and in one-on-one conversations with the scores of scientists and researchers present at the event.
Education was front of mind in recognition that it’s the only way to really make a substantive change to the majority of African economies from being natural resource-reliant to knowledge-led. A white paper issued during the event by NEF made a very strong case for a “knowledge-based development model” saying it could “ensure the continent’s self-sufficiency, independence and self-generating mechanisms of well-being gains for all segments of its population rather than depending on outside help.”
Along with an enabling regulatory framework and financing support, education is a key part of NEF’s vision for achieving its goal. Among the several outcomes targeted include to have integrated pan-African legislation to support innovation, enabling a highly educated, knowledgeable, skilled and creative population and building on the existing community of African scientists. Community of Scientists at NEF.
The white paper also highlighted NEF’s aim to help with “significantly reducing brain drain of African scientists.” It was noticeable when the latest batch of NEF Fellows were announced that a good number of the African scientists were working outside the continent (though some split their time at home). In practical terms this is to be expected due to the limits of research funding particularly in sub Saharan Africa (perhaps, outside of South Africa). However more support to help promote the work of African researchers particularly those at home with the launch of Scientific African, pan-African, peer-reviewed, open access multi-disciplinary journal aimed at amplifying the work of African scientists to their global peers.
And more African leaders understand the need to prioritize science and research and to look at the quality of education. Senegal’s president Macky Sall suggested there needs to be a balance between the focus on improving the quality of science and STEM subjects in higher education with overarching policy reforms that attract foreign investors.
“We need to develop reflexive thinking in our teachers and students,” said Ghanaian health systems researcher and NEF fellow Aku Kwamie, speaking on a panel. “This takes collaborative effort of government, teachers and every stakeholder.”
— Yinka Adegoke, Quartz Africa editor
Stories from this week
Facebook might not be welcome to help with Nigeria’s 2019 elections. The social media giant offered to support Nigeria’s electoral commission in voter education and citizen engagement. But in the wake of revelations that Cambridge Analytica harvested 50 million profiles from its network, the company might not be welcome anymore in its largest African market. However, it looks like Cambridge Analytica’s actual impact on Nigeria and Kenya’s last elections might have been overstated by…Cambridge Analytica.
Blockchain could be used to improve transparency in South Africa’s public sector. The decentralized nature of blockchain technology allows network users to operate on an independent basis without a central authority. Jeffrey Dinham explains how the ledger system can be used to improve accountability in South Africa’s education and finance sectors.
Africa’s leaders have created the world’s largest free trade area since the WTO—here’s how it helps ordinary Africans. There’s been a lot of anticipation around the African Continental Free Trade Area signed off by 44 African countries. Landry Signé outlines five key policies governments must implement to help bolster the content of the accord.
North Africa is the new investment hub for financiers looking to Africa’s economic promise. Africa’s commodity-dependent economies like Nigeria and Angola were nowhere to be seen in the top rankings of the 2018 Africa Investment Index. Instead, Morocco, along with Egypt and Algeria, emerged as leaders, offering conducive business environments, liquidity, and social capital to investors.
Bill Gates is treating Nigeria like a startup he invested in—and that’s a good thing. In a speech in front of Nigeria’s top leaders, Bill Gates highlighted the government’s failure in addressing health, education, and economic growth. As a philanthropist who has committed over $1.6 billion to Africa’s most-populous nation, his critical speech has a better chance of delivering results, writes Yomi Kazeem.
The still-pertinent message of one of Africa’s oldest animation films. Bon Voyage Sim, a five-minute film about a republic of upright toads, was made in 1966 by Nigerien filmmaker Moustapha Alassane. Revisiting the film exactly three years after the death of Alassane, Lynsey Chutel recounts how the animation has stood as a metaphor for the reality of African politics.
Chart of the Week
Global automakers are betting on Africans’ demand for new cars. Africa has the lowest number of vehicles in use globally, with the majority of the cars on the road being imported, secondhand Japanese vehicles. But as Abdi Latif Dahir reports, carmakers like Volkswagen are setting up plants from South Africa to Nigeria and Rwanda to wean drivers off imported cars.
Other Things We Liked
The central role music played in Ethiopia’s change of guard. Last week, Ethiopia’s ruling coalition appointed its first Oromo to lead the country after years of protests, arrests, and deaths from within the ethnic group. In African Arguments, Awol Allo details how Oromo musicians helped provide the soundtrack to the revolution.
The citizen journalism project mapping the failed aid projects across Africa. Incomplete wells, broken toilets, and decaying school and hospital infrastructure define donor projects in many African nations. Bright Magazine spoke to Peter DiCampo, a photographer who is running a project using mobile and Facebook surveys to document failed aid schemes.
Kenyans on the coast are renting their spouses out to make ends meet. Tourism is a key foreign exchange earner for Kenya and a major employer of many of its people. But along the nation’s pristine beaches, Osman Mohamed Osman reports in Al Jazeera English on how poverty is pushing husbands and wives into prostitution just to feed and educate their children.
Keep an eye on
International Book Fair of Tunis (Apr. 6-15). The 34th edition of the book fair will take place in the capital Tunis with exhibitors from 25 countries attending the event.
India’s president to visit Africa (Apr. 7-15). President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, and Swaziland. The increased Indian outreach to Africa comes as China solidifies its diplomatic, military, and trade influence.
*This brief was produced while listening to Rewind by Sauti Sol ft. Khaligraph Jones (Kenya)
Our best wishes for a productive and thought-filled week ahead. Please send any news, comments, suggestions, keys to African-made cars and classic African animation clips to africa@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter at @qzafrica for updates throughout the day. This newsletter was compiled by Abdi Latif Dahir and edited by Yinka Adegoke.
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