GRASSROOTS FIX

The release of UNESCO's latest Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report should be welcomed as a milestone for education in Africa. After decades of investment, policy reforms and advocacy, the continent achieved gender parity in primary school enrolment in 2021 and is edging closer to parity in lower secondary education. Yet the report also reminds us that progress is far from complete. In 2024, Africa still had only 93 girls enrolled in upper secondary school for every 100 boys. That is an achievement worth celebrating. But celebration should never become complacency. The danger with the language of "gender parity" is that it can create the illusion that the education challenge has largely been solved. Numbers can tell us how many children enter school, but they cannot tell us whether education systems are fair, whether learners acquire meaningful skills, or whether the most vulnerable children are receiving the support they need. Kenya illustrates this contr...

As the world turns its attention to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Africa stands at a pivotal crossroads. The continent arrives with a powerful agenda centered on climate justice, equity, and resilience. Yet, despite its moral authority as the region most affected by climate change but least responsible for it, Africa’s success at COP30 will depend on one crucial factor, unity. Without collective purpose and coordination, the continent risks walking away with unfulfilled promises and missed opportunities. African negotiators are preparing to push for concrete outcomes that could redefine the continent’s climate future. Their priorities are clear: scaled-up climate finance, the full operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, a fair and just energy transition, and equitable access to global carbon markets. However, these goals can only be achieved if Africa speaks with one voice and resists the fragmentation that has often diluted its influence in global climate negotiations. A...