World Bank warns of the number of out-of-school children in West and Central Africa

Education and Finance ministers from West and Central Africa met Monday, June 27 in Accra (Ghana), on the occasion of the launch of the World Bank’s regional education strategy for two sub-regions of the continent.

Gathered around the theme “From school to work: a journey for young people in West and Central Africa”, the ministers discussed the priorities and investments needed to advance reforms, improve learning and reinvent education systems to ensure that young people in West and Central Africa can reach their full potential.

The meeting highlighted lessons learned from consultations with key stakeholders and presented the policy options identified in the World Bank’s new regional strategy.

Despite recent progress, education in West and Central Africa is in crisis, according to the World Bank. 80% of 10-year-old children are unable to read and understand simple text, and more than 32 million children are out of school, which represents the largest share of all regions of the world, informs the Bretton Woods institution.