an Eldis Resource
Growing a knowledge-based economy: evidence from public expenditure on education in Africa
Economic and political developments in Africa need to be underpinned by investment in knowledge
Authors:
A.B. Kamara; L. Bousrih; M. Nyende
Publisher:
African Development Bank , 2007
Africa needs to harness science and technology, integrate into global markets and transform its economies in order to sustain growth and be able to face fierce global competition. The authors argue that knowledge-based economies based on research knowledge and innovation are essential for continued growth and development.
The authors conclude that:
- there is a strong need for African governments to exert efforts in the stages of creation, expansion and application of knowledge so as to narrow down the ever increasing knowledge gap with other emerging economies
- public expenditure and policy should invest in the dissemination and application of knowledge as well as its creation
- governments (and donors) should focus on retaining trained human capital by ensuring that education financing programmes include opportunities to reach tertiary level education, include incentives and address job creation
- development assistance needs to assume the role of facilitating a link between education planning and investments in knowledge-generation with population growth and access to social services to ensure that other social services do not lose resources as a result of focus on education.
