Educators and innovators from across Africa and the U.S. will gather for a solutions-driven global education conference, convened by The Africa-America Institute, aimed at putting forth a bold agenda to improving the educational landscape in Africa.

AAI’s Second Annual State of Education in Africa conference, co-sponsored by The Ford Foundation and with support from the World Bank, will be held on September 2, at the InterContinental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.

Policy-makers, educators, administrators, philanthropists and other stakeholders will meet for a daylong conference to assess the progress of education at all levels in Africa and identify opportunities and challenges in education on the African continent. The State of Education in Africa conference is built on the inaugural State of Education conference held in 2014 at the Ford Foundation in New York City.

While some of the fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa, UNESCO statistics show that prosperity is slow in trickling down to the greater population as some 30 million children in sub-Saharan Africa were not enrolled in school in 2011.

Startling statistics reveal that 42 percent of African school children will drop out of school early, with about one in six leaving before Grade 2. Overall, more than two in five children who start school will never reach the last grade of primary education, UNESCO cited.

“The African education system stands at a pivotal crossroad. The State of Education in Africa conference seeks to elevate discussions on how education is an engine of economic growth and development in Africa and to mobilize a strong commitment to implementing innovative solutions and practical interventions to transform the education system,” said Amini Kajunju, President and CEO of The Africa-America Institute.

“As the world’s most youthful continent, the working age population is expected to grow at a rapid pace at more than 10 million each year,” said Kajunju. “African young people must be educated and equipped with the skills and knowledge for jobs necessary to sustain economic growth and make the continent competitive in a knowledge-based economy.”

Some of the world’s leading education experts will serve as keynote speakers and panelists at the annual education conference. Panel discussions will range from “Teacher Training”, “Global Best Practices in Education”, “Spotlight on Vocational and Technical Training and Higher Education”, “Early Childhood Education”, and “Reforming Science and Technology Education in Africa”. (Check out the stellar line up of panelists here.)

Patrick Utomi, Founder/CEO at Centre for Values in Leadership, will serve as keynote speaker where he will speak about how to revitalize Africa’s educational system. Innovations in education to improve learning outcomes continue to flourish throughout Africa. The conference will feature its first-ever PitchFest, an innovative competition that put forth cutting-edge ideas, tools, information and technologies that can help bring about a better educational system in Africa.

For more information and to register, please visit the State of Education in Africa Event Page and www.aaionline.org.

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ABOUT AAI: Founded in 1953, The Africa-America Institute (AAI) is a premier U.S.-based international organization dedicated to strengthening human capacity of Africans and promoting the continent’s development through higher education and skills training, convening activities, program implementation and management.