Outjo: Namibia, through the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, on Thursday launched the 'End Learning Poverty For All in Africa' (ELPAF) campaign in Africa.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the campaign, which took place over three days at Outjo in the Kunene region, is a flagship initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC) launched last year in collaboration with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The initiative was launched in response to the learning crisis on the continent of Africa. Namibia becomes the fifth African country to launch the campaign, alongside Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch, the Head of Education at the AUC, Sophia Ashipala, highlighted the progress in expanding access to education but noted that learning outcomes remain low. "Over 90 per cent of 10-year-olds in Sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read and understand a simple text or solve basic mathematical problems. This learning crisis not only denies children their right to quality education but also severely constrains their potential to participate meaningfully in society and engage in productive work, and contribute to national development," Ashipala stated.

She emphasized the importance of the ELPAF campaign, which aims to end learning poverty across the continent by ensuring that every African child acquires foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional development by the age of ten. Ashipala applauded the Education Ministry for its open call to experts and researchers to submit papers on this topic, stressing that education reform must be participatory, data-driven, and homegrown.

Kunene Region governor, Vipuakuje Muharukua, supported the initiative, urging the education ministry to conduct regular assessments on teachers and learners for any learning disabilities. "Africa is united in its call to end learning poverty," Muharukua remarked.