Luanda: President Joo Lourenço announced the mobilization of $500 million for the construction of new primary schools throughout the country over the next two years. This initiative is part of measures aimed at reducing the number of children outside the education system. According to Angola Press News Agency, the President made this announcement during the opening of the National Conference on Human Capital. He also mentioned the allocation of £199 million to address the specific needs of the provinces of Luanda and Icolo and Bengo for the current year, with the goal of strengthening the public school network. The investment will cover not only the construction and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure but also the training and hiring of education professionals. Additionally, it aims to improve teaching and learning conditions in the technical-vocational sector, which is being revitalized through specific teacher training programs. Joo Lourenço highlighted that 85% of public schools currently offer introductory classes, with enrollment expected to reach 64.4% in the 2024-2025 academic year. However, the primary school completion rate remains at 61%. The secondary school enrollment rate stands at 61% for the first cycle and 35% for the second cycle. This has limited the growth of the higher education student population, whose gross enrollment rate is approximately 8%. The President also emphasized the need to accelerate economic diversification and address the skills mismatch between the education system and labor market demands. In his address, President Joo Lourenço reaffirmed the government's commitment to the Annual Program for Sending 300 Angolan undergraduates and master's degree holders of academic merit to prestigious universities worldwide. To date, this program has benefited 823 scholarship recipients by 2024, marking a significant investment in developing highly qualified human capital. The National Conference on Human Capital, themed "Human Capital and the Challenges of Angola's Developme nt," convenes policymakers, academics, international partners, civil society representatives, and businesspeople both from within the country and abroad.
