Africa’s youths need the right education, says ex-Eswatini PM Dlamini

Absalom Themba Dlamini, former prime minister of Eswatini, says unless youths in Africa get the right type of education, the future of the continent will be in jeopardy.

The 72-year-old ex-PM, who arrived in Lagos to receive the ‘Award for Excellence in Leadership and Special Recognition’ at an event which was held on Friday, told TheCable that it was no longer tenable for the African youths to attend schools where quality learning was absent.

“It has to start from the basics at primary school level to serve as a foundation from where the youths would grow to become responsible citizens for their countries,” Dlamini said on Sunday.

“The opposite of this unfortunately is what is obtainable in many African countries and I think that is where we miss the point with regard to a rewarding future for our continent.

“I always use my story as a guide for the youths. I am from a very humble background and I struggled a lot to get the quality education which brought me to where I am today. In my country, I have been engaged in travels across communities preaching the need for quality education for the youth. I want to advocate same for influential persons to engage in Africa because I am convinced that no effort should be spared in sacrificing for our collective future.”

Dlamini urged African leaders to give their youths inclusive roles in governments, saying decisions on their youths’ lives should not be exclusive to the governments.

“I believe involving the youths in the decisions that affect them is also a veritable form of empowerment for them,” the former prime minister said.

Dlamini is currently the managing director/CEO of the state-owned conglomerate Tibiyo Taka Ngwane.