Satisfaction des exigences minimales du marché du travail par le système éducatif: Evaluation dans un contexte de faible système d’information sur la formation et l’emploi

Abstract

Satisfying the minimum requirements of the labour market through the education system: Assessment in a context of weak training and employment data – The number of young people entering the labour market in Africa will increase considerably over the next two decades. With nearly 200 million young people aged 15–24, Africa has the youngest population in the world; this volume will double by 2045. As the question of the professional integration of young people in Africa is set to become even more pressing over the next two decades, it is imperative that African countries prepare for this time bomb. The education system, while not the only deciding factor, bears a responsibility in the difficult professional integration of young people. To fully play its role, it must be organised according to the country’s development needs and the demands of the labour market. Establishing a proven process of assessing, analysing and anticipating economic demand is an essential first step. Yet the majority of African countries have still not implemented such a system. Meanwhile, the education system must take steps to satisfy the minimum short-term requirements of the labour market. This article, which seeks to highlight these requirements, presents a method that enables countries to assess the minimum requirements of the labour market at specific periods and, in return, to assess the degree to which the education system satisfies these requirements. The method is developed especially for countries with weak systems of collecting data on education, training and employment, as is the case in most sub-Saharan countries.