• Guinea launches MPS30, MPS32 to reform higher education system
• Projects aim to align curricula with labor market needs
• Low graduate employment drives urgency amid high youth joblessness

Guinea’s Ministry of Higher Education on Monday launched two major projects in Conakry aimed at overhauling the country’s university system. Known as MPS30 and MPS32, the initiatives are part of the Simandou 2040 program and seek to align higher education with labor market needs.

The launch brought together leaders from public and private institutions alongside ministry officials, all focused on a single objective: making university training more relevant to the economy.

The findings behind the reform are troubling. Minister Diaka Sidibé said the country’s 48 institutions produce more than 15,000 graduates each year, yet only 30.96% are employed 12 months after completing their studies, a situation she described as “unacceptable.” A July 2025 report from the National Labor Observatory estimates that unemployment among young graduates exceeds 40%.

Two Complementary Measures

MPS-32 focuses on revising academic curricula to better match labor market needs. MPS-30 aims to identify skills gaps and labor demand, with the data to be integrated into a dynamic information system. The two initiatives are distinct but mutually reinforcing.

Both projects build on work carried out since 2022. Sivory Doumbouya, director general of higher education, highlighted the progress made. More than 90 academics, supported by 103 international experts, have developed around 141 model programs. Sixty master’s programs have also been created. “We are not starting from scratch. We are building on existing work and scaling it up,” he said.

In practical terms, the reform includes redesigning existing programs, aligning them with international standards, and introducing new degrees. The minister identified digital technology, artificial intelligence, energy, and mining as priority sectors. A National Observatory for Graduate Integration will also be established to track graduates’ employment outcomes 18 months after completion.

The two projects form part of a broader national strategy. Mamadou Angelo Diallo, delegate general of the Simandou 2040 program, said the initiative “is not just an industrial project; it is the social contract of a new Guinea.” The stated ambition is to produce not just graduates, but contributors to economic development.

Population growth adds urgency to the reform. The unemployment rate among 15- to 24-year-olds stood at 7% in 2025, according to the World Bank. This figure masks structurally high joblessness among university graduates. In response, the government is stepping up efforts in technical and vocational training.

A Reform Within a System Under Reconstruction

The initiative is part of a broader overhaul of public policy. In July 2024, Guinea adopted its first National Employment Policy (2024–2030), aimed at promoting access to decent work. In July 2025, the Ministry of Technical Education validated a National Professional Apprenticeship Strategy (2026–2030).

Developed with support from the International Labour Organization and based on Recommendation 208 on inclusive apprenticeships, the strategy calls for 80% of training to take place within companies or with master craftspeople.

On the ground, the Guinean Agency for the Execution of Public Works for Employment (AGETIPE) is implementing labor-intensive public works projects to create temporary jobs for young people. In 2025, the prime minister set a target of 100,000 new jobs.

Experts, however, remain cautious. Guinea’s economy still lacks the structural industries needed to sustainably employ graduates. According to the African Development Bank, the informal sector accounts for 96% of employment and offers few stable or decent jobs. Despite growth of 5.7% in 2024, the World Bank notes that 52% of the population lives below the international poverty line, up seven percentage points between 2019 and 2024. Growth remains largely driven by the mining sector, with limited spillover into the broader economy.

MPS30 and MPS32 represent a credible lever for change. Their impact, however, will remain limited without a parallel transformation of the country’s productive base beyond extractive industries.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou