By Chefor Ngwenyi Meungwe (Download full policy brief)
Introduction
Cameroon, like many other countries, faces the critical challenge of ensuring education and economic empowerment for its youths and women. The intersection of education and economic freedom is crucial for promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities in Cameroon, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to promote education and economic freedom among youths and women. Education is a fundamental right that plays a vital role in shaping the future of individuals, communities, and nations (Brookfield 2013). It is essential for acquiring skills, knowledge, and values necessary for personal and professional development. Moreover, education is a key driver of economic growth, poverty reduction, and social progress. However, in Cameroon, the education sector faces significant challenges that hinder the economic freedom of its youths and women (Neneh 2014)
Education and Economic Freedom, a Challenge for Cameroonian Youths
Economic freedom refers to the ability of individuals to make choices about their economic activities, free from undue restrictions, and to enjoy the fruits of their labor without excessive government intervention or exploitation by others (Gwartney et al., 2015) It encompasses therefore the right to own property, start a business, trade freely, and pursue economic opportunities without discrimination or harassment The education sector in Cameroon faces significant challenges that hinder the economic freedom of its youths. Despite progress made in increasing access to education, disparities persist in educational access. Many youths lack quality education due to factors such as poverty, gender bias, and regional disparities and in some cases culture. For instance, girls from rural areas are more likely to drop out of school due to early marriage, pregnancy, and domestic chores. Furthermore, the quality of education remains a concern, with outdated curricula, inadequate infrastructure, and teacher shortages hindering effective learning outcomes (Brookfield 2013). Women constitute 49.6% of the world’s population, while young people aged 10 to 24 represent 15.5% (Wirba 2021), indicating to us that youths and women make up the majority of the world’s population, hence the absence
of these ones in the job market is crucial could stagger economic growth and other development indicators .
The lack of quality education limits the ability of youths to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to compete in the job market, thereby perpetuating poverty and limiting their economic potential.
