Enabling or Suffocating the Talent the World needs? A Verdict of Africa’s Educational Systems and Policies

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to establish whether the educational systems and policies in Africa were enabling or suffocating the development of the talent that the world expects. This was triggered by a notable unanimity in the extant literature that Africa could be a game changer in the global economic landscape for the next 100 years given its young age and the adoption of SDG-4 on education. Methodology: The study utilised an integrative literature review design to collect and analyse the data. A sample of 12 records that met the inclusion criteria was reviewed. To ensure quality appraisal of the sources, an assessment of the methodological quality of each record using Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Qualitative Checklist was done. Findings: The study explicitly notes facilitative efforts to talent development such as growth of the education sector, increased funding, increase in the quantity and quality of teachers, improved educational infrastructure and facilities, and increased learner enrolment, among others. In spite of these observed facilitative efforts, there are debilitating misses and barriers that appear to stifle talent development like inadequate funding, weak physical infrastructure and facilities, inadequate staffing, weak school curricula, high dropout rates, and low completion rates and learning outcomes. The education systems and policies in Africa continue to nurture inequitable access to educational opportunities, and most low quality and relevant education that does not appear to effectively meet the global labour market needs. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: At the theoretical and conceptual level, the study locates the debate in the theories of talent development to attract educational scholars and policy makers to view education as an imperative to talent development. It recommends that governments and educational sector stakeholders in Africa allocate adequate funds to meet the planned educational requirements and promote more effective policy implementation to ensure successful talent development that meets the global labour market needs. This study makes a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of education as an imperative to talent development that Africa will need to leverage its population dividend and become a respectable global partner.