Even though education is intended to create critical thinkers and increase scientific literacy and skills that will enable the next generation of innovators, the textbook-centric, examination-focused education model found in many African countries has limited the continent’s students’ ability to acquire these important core competencies. This is evidenced by the poor performance in science and mathematics demonstrated by students participating in international assessments in the last two decades. 
National and international assessment results consistently indicate that few (i.e., less than 25%) students in pre-tertiary education on the continent posses the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to access the opportunities that the 21st century offers them (Anamuah-Mensah and Mereku, 2005; Asabere-Ameyaw & Mereku, 2010; Whelan, 2014). International surveys have shown that students in Africa performed poorly in mathematics and science (Bofah and Hannula 2015). For example, in the last five TIMMS surveys (i.e., since TIMMS 2003), performance of students from Africa was among the lowest, placing African countries at the bottom of the outcomes league tables (Mulis, et. al. 2008, 2012). 
There have also been decline in performance of students in regional and national assessments as reported in South Africa (Mabena, Mokgosi, & Ramapela, 2021); West Africa (Zalmon and Wonu 2017); and East Africa (Tennant, & Sarungi, 2016; Kiwanuka, et. al., 2015). The low performance of students on the continent is largely as a result of education systems that appear to focus attention on preparing learners for passing examinations (Yusuf, 2018), at the expense of helping them to develop core skills such as critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, digital literacy, reflection and evaluation they will need to participate fully in society. 
Education is critical if Africa is to transform its economy. The theory of human capital (i.e., education’s contribution to economic development) suggests that education equips the individual with knowledge, attitudes and skills (KAS) or competencies for the place of work, which lead to economic development of the individual and his/her community (Becker,  1994). But unfortunately, in most African countries today, education is very theoretical, academic and very deficient in innovation with a lot of emphasis on certification instead of acquisition of relevant KAS (Bawakyillenuo, et. al., 2013; Friesenhahn, 2014). 
It seems that there is too much desire on the continent to have certificates to the detriment of true education and tertiary education institutions have inadvertently created the enabling environments for this race or diplomas (World Bank, 2014; Mereku, 2014). Unfortunately, the practitioners and policy makers have shown little concern about this rat race which is largely responsible for the high rate unemployment among so-called educated youths in many African countries. There will, therefore, be the need to accelerate the development and implementation of policies to improve the quality of teaching at all levels of the education system in countries on the continent. This will entail improving the quality of the teacher by developing and aggressively supporting pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes. 
It is time up now. Africa cannot wait any longer if Africa is to have a footprint in development, African countries will have to redesign their education systems including the curricula in order to realize the aspirations contained in the African Union’s Continental Agenda 2063, and Science, Technology, Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) as the Third   Industrial Development Decade for Africa. The various governments should urgently redesign and revitalize their basic education systems around STEM and also shift their tertiary education systems towards STEM to make STEM the fulcrum around which the entire education systems revolve. This will ensure a steady flow of young people into STEM in universities and careers in STEM research and other STEM-based institutions such as governance, trade, defense, agriculture, manufacturing, technology literacy, health, finance, energy and diplomacy. 
This will require that STEM education at the pre-tertiary level is redefined to include engineering education to prepare students for the future. Such redesigned curricula should shift from academic knowledge to the development of skills including 21st Century skills and the creation of goods and services to improve lifestyles. In addition, a revitalized STEM Education that is inclusive and multi-disciplinary will, according to Khumbah (2019), have the potential to galvanize Africa’s increasing demographics into a dividend to improve its economic development. 

References 

  1. Anamuah-Mensah, J and Mereku, D.K. (2005) “On What Foundation is Africa       Building its Science and Technology Base? Africa’s Participation in       TIMMS-2003”.          Proceedings of the 1st African Regional Conference of Vice-  Chancellors, Provosts, and     Deans of Science, Engineering and Technology.  p110-117. Accessed 25-06-2022 at     DOI: 10.4314/ajesms.v3il.38598. 
  2. Anamuah-Mensah, J., mereku, D.K. and Ghartey-Ampiah J. (2008).TIMMS 2007 Ghana Report: Findings from IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science   Study at the Eighth Grade. Accra: Ministry of Education. Accessed 23-11-2018 at             https://www.academia.edu/33123728/TIMMS­2007Ghana_Report_Findings from             IEAs_International_Mathematics_and_Science_Study-at_the_Eighth_Grade 
  3. Asabere-Ameyaw, A & Mereku D.K. (2010). Comparative analysis of performance of eighth graders from six African countries. Mathematics Connection 8. DOI:       10.4314/mc.v8il.61541 
  4. Bawakyillenuo, S. et. al. (2013). Tertiary education and industrial development in             Ghana. Legon, Accra: University of Ghana, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic     Research (ISSER) 
  5. Becker, G.S. (1994). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, (Third Edition). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. 
  6.  Friesenhahn, I. (2014). Making higher education work for Africa: Facts and Figures. Downloaded November 12, 2015 at     https://www.scidev.net/global/education/feature/higher-education-africa-facts-figures.html# 
  7. Khumbah, N. (2018) STEM Education and African Development, Africa Policy      Review 
  8. Kiwanuka, H.N., van Damme, J. Van Den Noortgate, W. et. al., (2015). “Factors   Affecting Mathematics Achievement of First-Year Secondary School Students in Central       Uganda.” South African Journal of Education 35(3).pp1-14. DOI:             10.15700/saje.v35n3a1106 
  9. Mabena, H., Mokgosi, P.N., & Ramapela, S. S. (2021). Factors contributing to poor learner performance in mathematics: A case of selected schools in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Problems of Education in the 21st century, Vol.79 (3). 
  10. Martin, M.O, Mullis, I.V.S., Foy, P and Stanco, G.M. (2012). TIMMS 2007 international   Results in Science. Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College 
  11. Martin, M.O, Mullis, I.V.S., Foy, P and Stanco, G.M. (2008). TIMMS 2007 international science report: Findings from IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the fourth and eighth grades. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMMS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College. 
  12. Mereku, D.K. (2014). Diploma disease in Ghanaian distance education upgrading programmes for teachers, Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2014.914430. To link to this article: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2014.914430 
  13. Tennant, G., Sarungi, V. (2016). Achievement in Mathematics: Comparative Analysis from East Africa. In: Halai, A., Tennant, G. (eds) Mathematics Education in East Africa. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org.10.1007/978-3-319-27258-0_3 
  14. Whelan, F. (2014). The Learning Challenge: How to Ensure that by 2020   Every child Learns. Acasus, Dubai: United Arab Emirates 
  15. World Bank. (2014b). Demand and Supply of Skills in Ghana: How Can Training Programs Improve Employment and Productivity? URL:https://www.worlbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/B/2014/07/07/000442464_20140707132930/Rendered/PFD/890640PU00Dema00Box385269B00PUBLICO.pdf 
  16. Yusif, K., (2018). A lack of good education in STEM subjects is holding back African growth and depriving its youth of career opportunities. African edition of Accounting and Business magazine 
  17. Zalmon, I.G. & Wonu. N. (2017). “Comparative Analysis of Student Mathematics Achievement in West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in Nigeria.” European Journal of Research and Reflection in Educational Sciences 5(1). Pp24-31.