Most African governments consistently fail to meet crucial education funding targets, hindering the provision of quality public education for millions of children, according to a Human Rights Watch announcement Monday during the African Union’s Day of the African Child.
The organization claimed the persistent underinvestment undermines governments’ legal and political commitments to ensure free and compulsory quality education from pre-primary through secondary levels across the continent. Despite internationally agreed-upon benchmarks, including UNESCO’s recommendation for education spending to reach between four to six percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or conversely, 15 to 20 percent of total public expenditure, most African nations fall short.
The African Union raised the upper end of its GDP benchmark to seven percent in December 2024. However, data gathered over the last decade indicates that only one-third of African countries met the benchmark. Numbers declined to one-quarter by 2022. The United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) 2024 analysis for the Day of the African Child indicated that fewer than one-in-five African countries dedicated 20 percent or more of their public spending to education.
The funding crisis has severe consequences, leaving schools underfunded, classrooms overcrowded, and teachers undertrained. Africa currently has the highest out-of-school rates globally, with over 100 million children and adolescents unable to access education. The financial burden often falls on families, who shoulder 27 percent of total education spending. An estimated US$ $183 billion is needed annually for children’s education to reach AU Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, available resources stand at only $106 billion, leaving a financing gap of over 40 percent.
Human Rights Watch points to political decisions, economic policies, and regressive austerity measures as key drivers of underinvestment, noting that 15 countries spend more on debt servicing than on education. This disproportionately impacts children from the poorest households as well as young girls, who face barriers like tuition fees, school-related gender-based violence, and discriminatory practices against pregnant or parenting students. As the continent observes the AU’s Year of Education 2025, experts are urgently calling for action.
