The Poor Quality of Education in Africa

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic poor quality of education in Africa, highlighting a significant gap in learning outcomes compared to global averages and the critical role of early childhood development and systemic governance in improving economic growth.

• Sub-Saharan Africa consistently underperforms in primary and secondary education compared to the rest of the world, with 2019 average test scores of 30.4 and 38.4 out of 100, respectively. Primary scores in the region ranged from 22.6% in Burkina Faso to 39.1% in Madagascar, while secondary scores ranged from 31.9% in Niger to 47.8% in Seychelles.
• Learning outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa are significantly lower than in developed regions; less than half of students meet the minimum proficiency threshold, compared to 86% in developed countries. The top-performing country in sub-Saharan Africa scores lower on average than the lowest-performing country in Western Europe, and approximately 90% of people in Africa cannot write or understand simple text by age 10, compared to a global average of 70%.
• Early childhood development (ECD), including proper nutrition and appropriate curricula, is essential for cognitive and social foundations. However, many students enter public primary schools characterized by overcrowding and low teacher-to-student ratios, which prevents them from excelling despite any prior ECD education.
• The World Bank identifies four immediate causes for the 'learning crisis' in global education affecting sub-Saharan Africa: children arriving unprepared due to illness, malnutrition, or poverty; teachers lacking skills, motivation, or being absent; inadequate delivery of teaching and learning materials; and poor management and governance.

APA

Aikins, E. R., & Cilliers, J. (2026). The Poor Quality of Education in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=04-poor-quality-education

Chicago

Aikins, Enoch Randy, and Jakkie Cilliers. The Poor Quality of Education in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=04-poor-quality-education.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aikins |first1=Enoch Randy |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=The Poor Quality of Education in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=21 April 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=04-poor-quality-education |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aikins2026poor, author = {Aikins, Enoch Randy and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{The Poor Quality of Education in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=04-poor-quality-education}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }