Lights of Hope and Education in Angola

Maria Julia Mayoral *

As in any other society, the role of the teacher is irreplaceable, said the Secretary of State and Head of the Civil House of the Presidency, Adão de Almeida, at the opening of the academic year.

It was estimated from the teacher that “the light that abolishes the darkness of ignorance and cultural poverty emerges, and upon it depends the fulfillment of hope necessary to build progress” of nations.

He said that for the 2022-2023 cycle, the government has ensured the production and subsequent free delivery of 48 million textbooks for pre-school, primary and secondary education, as well as educational materials for use in laboratories.

He explained that the lithography work was preceded by an important review and update process for pre-school and primary school manuals, in order to raise the quality of learning.

Although the progress made in recent years is encouraging, more investment is needed to ensure universal access to education.

The senior official explained that from 2017 to 2022, more than 670 schools were built to serve about two million new students in the various educational subsystems, with a focus on pre-school and first grade.

He announced that over the next few months, another 40 centers for nearly 10,000 additional students would be operational.

He noted that during the five-year period under analysis, about 45,000 professionals entered this sector; Thus, in public education there are currently about 220,000 teachers and more than 10 million registered in pre-school, primary and secondary education.

In the Secretary of State’s opinion, the data presented leave no doubt about the significant national commitment to a “truly universal and accessible” education.

challenges ahead

Despite the quantitative and qualitative progress made, Angola faces various challenges rooted in the education system itself and socio-economic conditions.

According to official statistics, 24 percent of the population over the age of 15 needs to learn to read and write. Although the situation is not the same in all governorates, accounts confirm that illiteracy affects a large number of young people, especially in rural areas.

According to the National Director of Youth and Adult Education (EJA), Evaristo Pedro, the highest percentages of illiterate people are in the provinces of Bié, Huila, Malang, Moxico, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sur.

The executive officer announced, that he will continue to create the human, physical, technical and technological conditions to enhance adult education, through initiatives such as the second phase of the Learning for All and Empowering Girls (PAT2) project.

With funding from the World Bank, PAT2 plans, in the next three years, to increase the number of people served through the Literacy and Youth and Adult Education (EJA) subsystem, he emphasized.

The expert said, the internal economic crisis, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 virus, forced to scale back investments in the EJA, which also considered the damages of the epidemic in terms of interruption of classes.

However, by its weight, the program maintains its purpose of decreasing the craft and occupational illiteracy rate of youth and adults, especially women, in rural and semi-urban areas.

On September 8, Education Minister Luisa Grillo reaffirmed the purpose of having approximately 162,600 adult students in the literacy system this school year.

From 2018 to 2022, the plan served two million 207 thousand 627 people, one million of whom were 137 thousand 631 women, according to the owner details.

He admitted that the current challenges “principally involve increasing the supply and improving the teaching and learning process, and creating conditions so that an increasing number of citizens can become educated and continue their studies until the completion of secondary education.”

According to Foreign Minister, Tite Antonio, educational issues are at the center of the debate on development in Angola and the African Great Lakes region, as more than 75 percent of the region’s population is under the age of 25.

“We seek to have educated citizens, with a revolution in their skills backed by science, technology and innovation, thus following the spirit of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda,” the Foreign Minister emphasized. .

Victory in the polls

On August 24, the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won the general elections, taking 51.17% of the vote.

After the results were ratified by the Constitutional Court, the lawsuit was sealed at the polls, giving the party and its leader, João Lourenço, legitimacy to continue to lead the state and government over the next five years.

In educational matters, the MPLA program for the five-year period 2022-2027 supports ambitious expectations related to quality, increased investment in infrastructure, school enrollment, and ongoing teacher training, in general and in university teaching.

The National Development Plan 2023-2027, developed by Adão de Almeida, will promote human capital development, based on the educational and training needs of citizens, and put science, culture and technology within their reach.

To perform its social function, education and teaching must be “inclusive, equitable and inclusive”; He noted that no one should be left behind when it comes to the right to education and the exercise of citizenship.

We need that the process of teaching and learning removes the student from the negative attitude of a simple future of knowledge and positions him as an agent capable of developing “critical, free and independent thinking,” he said.

He commented that Angola aspires to an education system that promotes inclusion and gender equality, cultivates respect for difference, fosters a sense of individual and collective responsibility, peace and development.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Zahira Virani, sees the country’s efforts to ensure access to quality education in an inclusive and equitable manner are commendable, as a strong ally in efforts to reduce social inequalities.

rmh / mjm

* Reporter Prensa Latina in Angola