Angola Education Market Opportunities
Overview: Education Challenges in Angola
Angola has a population of about 36 million people of which 66 percent are under 25 years old.
From 2001 to 2014, the number of children entering school almost quadrupled. Yet, about 22 percent of children in Angola are still out of the education system and 48 percent of enrolled children do not complete primary school. Angola’s public education sector has been struggling with poor learning outcomes such as low primary completion rates, shortage of qualified teachers and physical classrooms, high percentage of children and adolescents out of school, and low secondary school enrolment rates. These challenges are further exacerbated by the country’s young demographic and the government’s persistently low levels of investment in public education due to other, competing development priorities.
Angola’s Education Development Goals
With their education challenges in mind, the Government of Angola developed a long-term, education-focused strategic framework called Plan Nacional de Desenvolvimento da Educação (PNDE) 2030 also known as “Educar Angola,” created under Presidential Decree no. 19/15. The strategy sets broad guidelines for Angola’s development in the education sector, highlighting the guarantee of fundamental freedoms and rights, including the right to education, human development and the well-being of Angolans, and the promotion of the development of science, technology, and innovation as a cornerstone of development and economic diversification. The policy aims to eliminate illiteracy especially in the rural population and expand technical qualification and professional training in target sectors. The goal is to facilitate the transition of trained youth into the labor market and provide quality jobs that meet the country’s development agenda.
U.S. companies in the education sector should focus their attention on Educar Angola as a starting point to frame the particular product or service and pique the interest of key stakeholders. Key priorities found in Educar Angola are:
• Improving the quality of teaching
• Improving and expanding preschool education
• Increasing enrollment in primary and secondary education by improving the quality of education and combatting school failure
• Improving education quality and guaranteeing inclusion and support for students with special needs
• Promoting the improvement of teacher, technical, and vocational training, and increasing technical-professional courses based on labor market needs
• Reducing youth and adult illiteracy
U.S. companies that meet any number of these government priorities for education will make considerable headway with key private and public sector stakeholders. These are the most pressing needs the Government of Angola has prioritized in education. Interventions that meet these needs are more likely to receive public funding as they are justified and connect back to Angola’s national development goals.
Key Opportunities
Several opportunities exist for U.S. suppliers of educational products, U.S. higher education institutions, and educational service providers across Angola. When developing your “pitch” to Angolan government sector counterparts, it is critical that the solutions your company provides link to Angola’s education development goals. The U.S. Commercial Service in Angola can help you refine your sales pitch to connect and make inroads with Angolan stakeholders.
Low-cost, U.S. technologies that will help students learn at a distance (in the case of rural populations), increase reach and access to education at all levels, and interventions or systems that develop cadres of qualified teachers quickly will find ample opportunities in Angola.
In addition, U.S. companies are encouraged to seek public-private-partnerships and think creatively about ways to provide a product or service with alternative finance mechanisms, especially if targeting the public school system in Angola. Note that private schools are completely separate entities that have access to a different pool of resources than the public school system. The U.S. Commercial Service in Angola can help you navigate the public and private school systems and can link you to U.S. government and private-sector resources that can help with project financing.
Education Market Opportunity Areas:
Educational Technology (EdTech) Solutions
U.S. companies specializing in educational software, learning management systems, online learning platforms, and educational apps can export their products to support Angola’s education system in enhancing teaching and learning experiences.
Curriculum Development Services
U.S. firms with expertise in curriculum design and development can provide services to Angolan educational institutions to modernize their curricula, align them with international standards, and improve educational outcomes.
Teacher Training Programs
U.S. organizations offering teacher training, seminars, and certification programs can provide their expertise to Angola to enhance the skills and competencies of Angolan educators.
Educational Materials and Resources
U.S. publishers and suppliers of textbooks, workbooks, educational games, digital boards, teaching aids, and classroom supplies can export their products to Angolan schools and universities to support teaching and learning activities.
English Language Training
Given the global importance of English proficiency, U.S. companies specializing in English language training programs, such as language schools, online English courses, and English proficiency tests, can provide their services to Angola to help improve English language skills among students and professionals in public/private sectors.
Higher Education Services
As of 2023, Angola has 100 institutions of higher learning of which 31 are public and 69 are private. There is enormous interest for Angolan students to study in the United States. Universities and colleges can recruit Angolan students to go to the United States to study abroad. Additionally, U.S. institutions can provide higher-education services to Angola by establishing partnerships for international exchange programs, conducting joint research, and professional development opportunities for Angolan students and faculty members.
Educational Consulting Services
U.S. consulting firms with expertise in education policy, institutional development, accreditation, and quality assurance can provide their services to Angola to assist educational institutions and government agencies in improving the overall quality and effectiveness of the education system.
Key Stakeholders
For U.S. companies in the education sector interested in entering the Angolan education market. The U.S. Commercial Service in Angola can facilitate business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking to help you acquire the necessary contacts and enter the market. In addition to the Ministry of Education (MED), here are a few, additional stakeholders important to Angola’s education market.
The Ministry of Education
https://med.gov.ao/ao/
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation
(MESCTI) https://mescti.gov.ao/ao/
Local Association of Private (ANEP-Associação Nacional de Educacao Privado)
https://anep.ao/
Angola English Language Teacher’s Association (ANELTA)
https://sites.google.com/view/aneltaangola/home
Next Steps
For more information about the opportunities in the education sector and to design your market-entry strategy for Angola contact Commercial Assistant & Budget Analyst Tandeo Peshi at Tandeo.Peshi@trade.gov.