On the occasion of the 2nd Annual Education Innovation Africa Conference, starting tomorrow in Nairobi, Kenya, where I will participate in the Opening Keynote on Tuesday: Implementing Quality Affordable Education In Africa: Where Do We Start?

One of my main message will be the increasing returns to education that we are witnessing around the world. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in Africa. The highest returns to schooling are found in countries in Africa, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania.

In the host country, Kenya, women have one of the highest returns to schooling at over 19%.

Overall, the rate of return to another year of schooling in Kenya is 16.9 percent, compared to a global average of 10 percent. There are high returns for each level of schooling, from 17.6 for primary education, 15.9 percent for secondary, and 22.4 for higher education. All this suggesting that investing in educational expansion and quality is worthwhile in Kenya. It is impressive just how profitable education has remained in Kenya.