Empowering The Future: SADC Secretary General Calls For Innovative Education To Develop Southern Africa’s Youth
Harare – In a keynote address at the 6th Southern Africa Youth Forum, Her Excellency Boemo Ndu Sekgoma, the Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (Sadc-PF) and Patron of the Southern Africa Youth Forum, has called for the consolidation of policy and legal frameworks to empower the youth through innovative education.
The forum, held under the theme “Empowering the Future: Innovative Education for Sustainable Development in Africa,” took place from August 10-13, 2024 in Zimbabwe.
“This time around as we ponder on the theme, we will be contemplating the consolidation of policy and legal frameworks to empower the youth through innovative education, in line with the theme of the African Union for this year,” Sekgoma said.
She emphasized the need to embrace an education system that is relevant, inclusive, and transformative, going beyond traditional classrooms to nurture creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This, she said, will equip young people with the knowledge and tools to address pressing issues such as climate change, poverty, and inequality.
Sekgoma also highlighted the growing public debt burden and its impact on the provision of education and health in developing countries, particularly in Africa. She noted that on average, African countries pay four times more for borrowing than the United States and eight times more than the wealthiest European economies.
“This has precipitated a situation where a total of 52 countries—almost 40 percent of the developing world—are in serious debt trouble,” she said. “More disturbingly, the report shows that at least 19 developing nations allocate more money to interest payments than to education, and 45 allocate more to interest payments than to health expenditures.”
The Secretary General called on young people to add their voices to the calls for a reformed and more inclusive international financial system, ensuring that developing countries can prioritize funding for education and health.
Misheck Gondo, the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) Regional Coordinator, emphasized that the forum serves as a platform for young people to engage in action, dialogue, advocacy, and collaboration on various issues affecting youth in the Southern Africa region.
“SAYoF believes that youth in the Southern Africa region should be Stakeholders, Innovators, Change Makers, and Leaders for Transformation, not only beneficiaries of state resources,” Gondo said.
The Southern Africa Youth Forum aims to provide a space for young people to voice their concerns, share experiences, and contribute to developing and implementing policies that affect their lives, covering themes such as education, employment, entrepreneurship, youth leadership, gender equality, climate change, governance, peace, and social inclusion.
