Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Adolf Mkenda, has called for comprehensive efforts to evaluate Tanzania’s demographic trends and create job opportunities to prevent social unrest due to rising youth unemployment.
Speaking at the 12th Africa Evidence Summit (AES2024) under the theme “Bolstering African Scholarship to Advance the Impact of Evidence,” Prof. Mkenda highlighted the demographic shift with youth set to dominate Tanzania’s future population.
“We must prepare today’s children for tomorrow’s workforce by ensuring a conducive environment for employment and income generation,” he emphasized.
With Tanzania’s population at 61.7 million and fertility rates gradually declining, projections from a World Bank report indicate a potential increase to between 120 million and 141 million by 2050.
Prof. Mkenda stressed the need for robust policies to drive national development, noting the critical role of demographics, technology, and globalization in policy evaluation.
He warned that failing to address demographic changes could lead to a significant rise in unemployed youth, potentially causing social unrest.Prof. Mkenda also acknowledged the dual aspects of globalization, stressing the importance of strategic planning to leverage global opportunities while avoiding over-reliance on imports.
Prof. Fortunata Makene, Executive Director of the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), applauded African scholars for their contributions to generating relevant evidence to tackle pressing challenges.
She highlighted the summit’s aim to foster dialogues and workshops exploring new avenues for enhancing African scholarship.
CEGA Executive Director, Ms. Carson Christiano, noted the growing movement towards evidence-informed policy in Africa and the increasing involvement of African scholars in research and policy debates.
The summit brings together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss the latest evidence on economic development and poverty alleviation in Africa.
