From Global to Local: UNESCO’s Role in Africa’s Educational Development

Abstract

This paper explores the role of UNESCO in Africa’s Educational development and Africa’s present and future socio-economic prosperity. It delves into the question: does multilateralism really matter in promoting educational development in Africa? Our findings are that UNESCO has had a positive impact on Africa’s educational development through various programmes that have influenced the States’ policy direction, education financing through partnerships and collaborations with Member States and other organizations such as the GPE. The international liberal theory and its variants were adopted as the theoretical perspective and its assumptions affirmed by the evidence supplied herein. UNESCO’s various norms, principles and policies in educational development, have triggered corresponding behavioral change among African states. Thus, the activities of UNESCO have shaped the Continent’s pace in educational development and toward the creation of sustainable futures.  This paper equally discusses the various sources of educational development financing and identifies some of the challenges African States are facing in funding education and ensuring universal access to quality, and equitable education for Africa’s children and youth, who constitute about 77% of the population. One of the challenges is national underfunding of the education sector and an increasing reliance on contributions from the private sector. However, many African States have complied with UNESCO’s basic national education financing norm of allocating a minimum of 20% of national budgets to education. This paper proposes a number of recommendations to improve education outcomes and sustainable futures for all.