Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, the Director General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), has reiterated the pressing need for skill development across the country.

He highlighted that Africa’s working-age population is projected to triple by 2050, emphasizing that strategic interventions are crucial to meet this impending challenge.

He was speaking at the 2024 Africa Skills Week Youth Summit in Accra on Monday.

Dr. Asamoah pointed to the importance of addressing key issues outlined in the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which focus on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

He stressed the need to equip young people with relevant skills to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labor market and to drive sustainable development across the continent.

Dr Asamoah noted that, “With 70% of Africa’s population under 30, youth are pivotal to our continent’s future, so as we come in with the official opening tomorrow, we want the youth to know they are the future of Africa. Most of the youth, somebody who is one year old today in 2050, will be 26 years old. So the focus is on the youth and how we can equip them with the skills. Now we all know that we only have a youthful population in Africa, among other continents.”

“Africa is the only continent with such a large youthful population, and this number is expected to double in the next 26 years. Therefore, Africa must prioritize its youth to ensure the continent’s future development.”

The Africa Skills Week 2024, themed “Skills and Jobs for the 21st Century: Quality Skills Development for Sustainable Employability in Africa,” officially commenced with an African Youth Summit in Accra, in partnership with the All Africa Students Union and other key partners of 2024 Africa Skills Week. The week-long gathering will host over 600 delegates across Africa to discuss skill development and youth empowerment.

The summit aims to develop a strategic plan to empower African youth with the skills necessary to thrive by 2063, turning challenges into opportunities for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future. This initiative supports the AU’s Agenda 2063 vision, promoting a resilient and transformative educational ecosystem across Africa.