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Prof. Fatou Sow SARR, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), urged on Monday in Dakar for a comprehensive overhaul of the sub-region’s educational system to ensure alignment with the actual demands of the job market.
She remarked, “The deep concerns expressed by young people here today about their futures reflect the mismatch between current training programs and labor market realities.”
She spoke at the inaugural lecture themed “Political Changes and Crises in West Africa: What Can Culture Do?” held as part of the first edition of the West African Festival of Arts and Culture (ECOFEST), Prof. Sow SARR emphasized the urgent need for systemic change.
The lecture was attended by Senegal’s Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage, Mr. Bakary SARR; Prof. Mamadou Diakhité, President of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) Commission; Prof. Mamadou FALL, Associate Professor; as well as officials like Guinea’s Secretary-General of Culture and Handicrafts, Mrs. Ramatoulaye Camara, Ghanaian artist Gyakie, and other regional dignitaries.
Youth unemployment remains a critical challenge for ECOWAS and UEMOA. With a burgeoning youth population facing high unemployment, precarious living conditions, and social disorientation, there is broad consensus on the need for coordinated reforms to tackle economic and social challenges through education.
Prof. Sow SARR stated, “Our current educational model is outdated, rooted in colonial frameworks designed to produce administrative clerks, not innovators and leaders needed for today’s Africa.”
This understanding has emerged from national and regional youth forums over the past two years, highlighting the urgency of change.
As Africa stands as a strategic hub with abundant resources including oil, gas, bauxite, and uranium, the region lacks sufficient scientific and technical expertise required to harness these assets effectively.
She declared, “It is imperative to develop a scientifically advanced Africa, capable of leveraging its resources through homegrown expertise. Otherwise, we risk delegating this essential work to professionals from other countries and continents.”
ECOFEST, inaugurated on Sunday, November 30, by Senegal’s Prime Minister Mr. Ousmane SONKO, will continue until December 6, 2025, at multiple venues across Dakar.
