Maiden International Education Seeks Stronger Government, Private Sector Collaboration to Reposition African Education

Maiden International Education (MIE) has called for stronger collaboration among governments, private organisations, development partners and other stakeholders to reposition education across Africa. The organisation says the continent must move beyond traditional empowerment programmes and invest more deliberately in future-oriented skills, especially technology and foreign language education.

The appeal was made in Port Harcourt during a press conference to mark the organisation’s 10th anniversary. Speaking at the event, Managing Director Greatman Badom said MIE’s decade-long experience has shown that strategic investment in education, language acquisition and international collaboration can become a powerful tool for economic development and youth empowerment.

Badom argued that government alone cannot create jobs for Africa’s fast-growing youth population. Instead, he said sustainable development requires deliberate investment in specialised skills that can improve employability, support entrepreneurship and position young people for global opportunities. His message reflects a wider concern across the continent: young people often complete school without the practical competencies needed in a digital and globally connected economy.

A major focus of MIE’s current direction is technology. The organisation says it wants to integrate tech into its programmes in order to expand access to language education across Nigeria and Africa. That shift suggests a recognition that digital tools can scale learning, reach more students and make education more flexible and affordable than traditional classroom-only models.

MIE’s advocacy is not limited to technology alone. Badom also urged federal, state and local governments to work with institutions like MIE to introduce structured language programmes into public schools, provide scholarships, support educational innovation and create policies that encourage global competitiveness among students. In his view, language education is not just an academic subject but a gateway to international mobility, cross-border work and broader economic participation.

The organisation is also calling on private sector actors, multinational companies, international agencies, philanthropists and development partners to support educational initiatives through sponsorships, scholarships, infrastructure development and strategic partnerships. That emphasis on shared responsibility reflects the reality that education funding and reform are too large to be handled by government alone, especially in systems already dealing with infrastructure gaps and limited resources.

The push for collaboration aligns with broader continental thinking on education reform. Across Africa, policymakers and development partners have increasingly stressed the importance of public-private partnerships, digital learning and skills-based education. These approaches are meant to improve access, modernise teaching and make education systems more responsive to labour market demands.

MIE’s position is especially relevant at a time when discussions about AI, digital skills and future work are shaping education policy worldwide. As jobs increasingly require digital literacy, communication skills and adaptability, organisations like MIE are arguing that Africa’s education systems must do more than produce graduates; they must produce globally competitive problem-solvers

The anniversary event also highlights the role of non-state actors in education transformation. MIE says its core pillars include collaboration, service and consistency, and it insists that meaningful impact cannot be achieved in isolation. That philosophy mirrors the reality of many education reforms, where progress often depends on partnerships between ministries, schools, training providers, donors and employers.

MIE’s call is also timely in Nigeria, where young people continue to face high unemployment and underemployment despite growing school enrolment. By focusing on foreign language education, international competencies and technology-driven learning, the organisation is making the case that education should be tied more closely to opportunity, mobility and entrepreneurship.

For students, the implication is clear: the skills that matter most are changing. Reading and examinations remain important, but they are no longer enough on their own. Digital fluency, communication skills and access to global knowledge are becoming just as important for future success.

Whether governments respond to MIE’s call remains to be seen. But the message from Port Harcourt is straightforward: Africa’s education systems need deeper partnerships, stronger innovation and a sharper focus on practical skills if they are to prepare young people for the global economy.