CONFINTEA VI Mid-Term Review 2017: The Status of Adult Learning and Education in Sub-Saharan Africa; Regional Report

The Sustainable Development Goals include educational targets which are entirely congruent with the existing focuses of ALE in African countries – to ‘ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy’ (4.6), to ‘substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship’ (4.4) and to ‘ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’ (4.7). National targets and the criteria for success in reaching those targets will need to be developed. Undoubtedly, international cooperation and international support can help this gearing-up process.