'Africa's Schools Are Preparing Students for Jobs That No Longer Exist' – Sierra Leone's Education Minister Unveils Bold Reform Agenda

KIGALI, Rwanda – Africa's education systems are preparing students for a world that no longer exists, Sierra Leone's Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Hon. Conrad Sackey, declared at the Young Africa Works Summit, delivering one of the conference's strongest calls for urgent education reform in the age of artificial intelligence and automation.

Addressing ministers, policymakers, development partners and business leaders gathered in Kigali for the Mastercard Foundation-hosted summit, Minister Sackey warned that rapid technological change is shortening the lifespan of workplace skills and demanding a complete rethink of how African countries educate their young people.

"The skills acquired today last only for about eighteen months," he said. "Education must prepare learners for lifelong adaptation, not just their first job."

His remarks formed part of Sierra Leone's ambitious vision to modernise its education system and better align learning with the realities of the 21st-century economy.

Sierra Leone Charts a New Course

Minister Sackey announced that Sierra Leone is developing a new Education Sector Plan, expected to be launched by 2027, that shifts the country's focus from memorisation and academic credentials to lifelong learning and practical competencies.

At the heart of the proposed reforms are the Five Cs—Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Civic-Mindedness and Computational Thinking—which the ministry believes are essential for preparing learners to succeed in an increasingly digital and technology-driven world.

The framework aims to equip students with adaptable skills that remain valuable even as industries evolve and new technologies transform the labour market.

Funding Education Based on Results

In one of the summit's most significant proposals, Minister Sackey called for the introduction of performance-based financing, arguing that universities, colleges and technical institutions should be funded according to the employability of their graduates rather than the number of students they enrol.

"My suggestion is to have some form of performance-based financing, for which employability is the performance element," he told delegates.

The proposal would encourage stronger collaboration between educational institutions and employers while ensuring that public investment delivers measurable employment outcomes for graduates.

Elevating Technical and Vocational Education

The minister also urged African governments to dismantle the long-standing stigma surrounding technical and vocational education and training (TVET), arguing that skilled trades are becoming increasingly vital to economic growth.

Under the proposed funding model, technical institutions that successfully prepare students for employment would receive the same recognition and financial support as universities, helping to create a more balanced and responsive education system.

Regional Momentum for Reform

Minister Sackey's proposals resonated across the summit. Rwanda's Minister of Education, Hon. Joseph Nsengimana, announced plans to publish graduate employment data at three, six and nine months after graduation, giving students and parents better information about educational outcomes.

He also stressed that education systems must anticipate future labour market needs rather than respond solely to present-day demands, reinforcing the urgency of reforms across the continent.

A Blueprint for Africa's Future

As artificial intelligence, automation and digital innovation continue to reshape global economies, Minister Sackey's address positioned Sierra Leone among the African countries seeking to transform education into a driver of employment, innovation and national development.

His call for competency-based learning, lifelong education and performance-driven funding offered delegates more than a critique of existing systems—it presented a practical roadmap for preparing Africa's young people for the jobs of tomorrow.

For many at the Kigali summit, the message was unmistakable: Africa cannot build tomorrow's workforce with yesterday's education model.

Source: MBSSE