Introduction
Reimagining human capital development in Africa means more than reform — it calls for a bold transformation of education, training and lifelong learning systems to power the continent’s sustainable growth and innovation. The 2025 Ministerial Round Table (MRT) brings together high-level policymakers, experts and stakeholders to focus on three interlinked drivers of this Transformation.
The first session addresses practical learning and pedagogy for growing blended and digital learning. The second examines how Africa can shape and prepare for AI — ensuring it serves African needs and ambitions. The third turns to the power of data — how we collect, interpret and apply it — as a cornerstone of future-ready education systems.
This briefing paper offers a short overview of these themes to frame and inspire the discussions in Dar es Salaam on 7 May 2025. It does not aim to answer all the questions – it sets the stage for an open and urgent dialogue.
Developing Skills for the Digital Workplace
The African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030) calls for a workforce equipped with advanced digital skills to drive industrialisation and economic progress. With Africa projected to have the youngest and fastest-growing workforce globally by 2050, the time to invest in digital literacy and future-facing skills is now.
This thematic area will feature The Digital School and its SkillED Academies – a pioneering model for equipping young people with practical, job-ready skills aligned with labour market demands. It focuses on bridging the divide between education and employment, particularly for marginalise learners with limited access to traditional systems.
Operating in over 20 countries across four continents, the Digital School combines digitised curricula, a dedicated learning platform, accessible digital content, safe learning environments, devices and connectivity, and ongoing support for educators. Its partnerships with organisations such as the World Food Programme and the International Committee of the Red Crescent have helped to expand its reach and strengthen its impact.
Participants will be invited to consider how this model might inform national approaches to skills development and youth employability – and what it would take to replicate or adapt such an approach in their own systems.As governments seek to empower young people and unlock their potential, the session will also ask: what kinds of skills are truly needed for Africa’s digital future — and how do we deliver them at Scale?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness for Africa
AI is rapidly reshaping how people learn, work, teach, write, research – and govern. Its influence reaches deep into education, employment, public services and civic life, and Africa cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.
Several countries, including Morocco, Senegal, Benin, Kenya and Rwanda, have taken the lead with national AI strategies. But a major opportunity remains: to ensure AI works for Africa, by Africans, and with African values and contexts at its core.
From tools like Kwame for Science – an AI assistant offering science support and past exam questions- to mobile apps that teach coding in local languages, AI is already present in African classrooms. Institutions like AIMS and the AMMI programme are nurturing a generation of African AI talent.
Yet significant gaps remain. Too many policies are disconnected from classroom realities. The AU’s Continental AI Strategy (2023) is a landmark step – but without structured advocacy, public awareness and cross-sector coordination, implementation will falter.
While AI presents exciting opportunities to transform education in Africa, realising its potential depends on addressing key barriers — from infrastructure deficits and skills shortages to governance challenges. Crucially, the relevance and representativeness of the data on which AI systems are trained must also be tackled.
This thematic area will open a forward-looking discussion around:
- What does an AI-ready African education system look like in practice?
- How do we ensure that policy commitments translate into classroom realities?
- What role can local AI models, developed in African language, play in supporting culturally relevant learning?
- How can African nations tackle the deeper issues of bias, data sovereignty and inclusive AI governance?
The discussion will also consider how initiatives such as the Open Knowledge Foundation and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data can help localise and embed AI solutions – designed for and with African learners, teachers and systems.
Above all, the session will challenge participants to consider how African countries can take ownership of their digital future – through strategic investment, ethical use, and homegrown Innovation.
The Centrality of Data
Data is fast becoming a cornerstone of decision-making in education – from national planning to personalised learning. While digital platforms generate increasing volumes of data on how students engage with content and progress through lessons, other vital information continues to come from school records, teacher reporting, household surveys and system-wide assessments. Together, these sources help identify learners at risk, guide targeted support, and shape more effective policies, teaching practices and curricula.
When used well, data supports early intervention, tailored learning, and continuous improvement. Techniques such as machine learning and predictive analytics offer powerful tools – but only when the data is available, relevant and reliable.
Yet across Africa, data is often limited, incomplete or inaccessible. Many countries lack the infrastructure to collect and manage education data at scale. Even when data is gathered, it is often stored in centres outside the continent – raising urgent questions of ownership, sovereignty and Control.
There are growing concerns about how personal data – especially student data – is used, and whether current systems adequately safeguard privacy, consent and public trust. The risk of bias, particularly when datasets are imported or poorly contextualised, can distort outcomes and deepen Inequalities.
To harness the full benefits of data, African countries must invest in robust systems, trusted standards, strong governance frameworks, and human capacity – not only to generate and protect data, but to build a shared culture of data fluency: the ability to interpret, communicate and apply data confidently, ethically and effectively.
Building data fluency across education systems involves:
- Thinking critically with data
- Applying data in different contexts
- Using data tools and techniques with confidence
- Communicating insights clearly and ethically
- Exercising sound judgement on when and how to act on data
A data-fluent educator, policymaker or leader doesn’t just read data – they use it naturally and purposefully, like a fluent speaker of a language, applying it to improve outcomes while staying grounded in ethics and context.
This thematic area will explore how African countries can take control of their data future – by building the capacity to generate, govern and apply data effectively; strengthening systems; shaping their own standards; and using data in ways that serve learners, protect rights, and support better decision-making.
