In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 98 million children remain out of school, according to UNICEF. This number reflects a combination of issues, including poverty, conflict, gender inequality, and weak educational infrastructure. However, teachers are at the forefront of battling a growing education crisis.
On this World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate African teachers who have become the lifeline of education in a changing world, often going beyond their traditional roles to ensure that children, particularly the most marginalised, have access to learning and opportunities to thrive.
According to reports from UNESCO, public education expenditure accounts for 4.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) (ranging from 3.3% in Eastern and South-eastern Asia to 5.4% in Oceania) and 14.2% of total public expenditure (from 9.6% in Northern Africa and Western Asia to 16.5% in sub-Saharan Africa).
High-income countries spend 1.3 percentage points of GDP more on education than low-income countries, although the latter dedicate 4.4 percentage points more of their total government expenditure to education.
Scale of Crisis
UNESCO’s 2023 data shows that sub-Saharan Africa is home to 40% of the world’s out-of-school children. In 2022, 57 million primary-aged children were not attending school in the region. The gender disparity is also troubling, with UNICEF noting that girls in some parts of Africa are 1.5 times more likely to be excluded from education than boys.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this crisis, with over 250 million children out of school at the peak of the pandemic across Africa. Teachers faced the challenge of adapting to remote learning with limited resources. However, despite these obstacles, African teachers have shown remarkable resilience and creativity, ensuring children remained engaged in learning.
Teachers as Agents of Change
African teachers are far more than classroom instructors; they are community leaders, carers, and advocates for children’s rights. Many teachers in remote areas travel long distances to reach their schools, often lacking adequate transportation, technology, and teaching materials. In conflict zones, teachers continue to work despite risks posed by violence and political instability. In regions such as the Sahel, where extremist groups have caused widespread disruption, teachers risk their lives to ensure education continues, making them true agents of change.
In Kenya’s Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, teachers—many of whom are refugees themselves—provide education to thousands of displaced children. These teachers play a crucial role in helping children who have fled war and persecution rebuild their lives through education. Their efforts have led to commendable results; UNICEF reports that enrolment rates in Kakuma’s primary schools have increased by over 40% since 2015, despite the camp’s growing population.
Similarly, in Nigeria, which has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, estimated at 20 million, teachers have been central to bringing students back into the classroom. Through initiatives such as the Nigerian government’s “Better Education Service Delivery for All” programme, which funds teacher training and community outreach, over 1 million out-of-school children were enrolled in school between 2018 and 2023.
Innovations in Education
To tackle Africa’s diverse educational challenges, many teachers are leading innovative programmes. These include mobile schools, community-based education initiatives, and literacy campaigns aimed at reaching rural and nomadic communities. Ethiopia, for example, has introduced mobile schools in pastoralist areas, allowing teachers to travel with migrating communities, ensuring that children’s education is not interrupted.
In Uganda, the government, with support from UNESCO and the Global Partnership for Education, launched the “Teacher Changemakers” programme in 2022. This initiative equips teachers with digital skills to improve literacy through technology. More than 10,000 teachers have been trained so far, reaching 1 million students. Early literacy rates among the program’s participants have increased by 15% within just one year, according to UNESCO.
The Need for Investment in Teachers
The World Bank estimates that Africa will need 17 million additional teachers by 2030 to meet the growing demand for education, driven by the continent’s rapidly increasing youth population, which is projected to reach 1 billion by 2055. Investing in teachers is critical to closing this gap.
According to UNESCO, teachers in sub-Saharan Africa earn on average less than $200 a month, with many rural teachers making far less. This low pay, combined with poor working conditions, has resulted in high attrition rates among teachers.
The Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report estimates that achieving national targets for for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (inclusive and equitable quality education) in low- and lower-middle-income countries will require an annual financing gap of USD 97 billion between 2023 and 2030. To address this, education spending must increase from around 40% of total spending in 2023 to 50% by 2030, excluding tertiary education, which would increase costs further.
Despite these challenges, teachers remain central to Africa’s development. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) argues that achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education) requires urgent action to improve teacher training, working conditions, and remuneration. The UN estimates that global funding for education must increase by $39 billion annually to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030, with a significant portion directed to sub-Saharan Africa.
Advocates for Equity and Inclusion
Teachers are also crucial in addressing gender inequality in education. In Africa, girls are often kept out of school due to cultural norms, early marriage, and household responsibilities. Teachers, especially female educators, are instrumental in advocating for girls’ education and breaking down barriers that prevent their attendance. In Senegal and Mali for instance, teachers partner with local NGOs to conduct community outreach programmes that shift societal views of girl child education.
In addition, teachers have been making efforts in promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities. Inclusive education policies in Rwanda has trained teachers to support disabled children, resulting in a 25% increase in their enrolment in primary schools over the last five years, according to Rwanda’s Ministry of Education.
A Call to Action
The dedication of African teachers is important to reversing the continent’s education crisis, but they cannot do it alone. Governments, international organisations, and civil society must support teachers through increased funding, training, and policies that prioritise education for all children, particularly those in vulnerable communities.
Initiatives such as the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) and the UN’s Global Education Coalition represent positive steps. However, much more is needed to ensure that every African child has access to quality education.
