This factsheet on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Africa presents data and facts on how African Governments need to invest more in STEM. African Governments have recognized the critical role that STEM education can play in enhancing Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) as enablers for addressing many challenges that the continent faces, such as poverty and inequalities, diseases, climate change impact, food and nutrition security, and digitization, among others.
However, African countries fall behind in STEM education outputs compared to the rest of the world. This lack of investment has led African countries to have limited capacity and output of technical skills training that is crucial for technicians and other related professions needed to support STI-based economic activities.
The fact sheet advocates for greater investment in STEM education, which can pave the way for scaling up African human capital development with a strong focus on leveraging technology and science and accelerating innovation. It recommends that African governments should address inefficiencies in public spending in the Education sector and should allocate earmarked funds for STEM programmes. Other recommendations to promote the investment in STEM education are presented in the fact sheet.
