Capacity-Building through the Intra-African Exchange Program
As ADEA prepares for a week of reflection on the topic "Partnerships for Capacity-Building and Quality Improvements in Education," two African experts designated by ADEA for the Intra-African Exchange Program report back on their missions—hands-on experience with partnership and capacity-building in African countries.
Sharing of African expertise has become a major concern for ADEA. The Intra-African Exchange Program was designed to address this concern by promoting cross-fertilization of innovative, problem-specific solutions devised in Africa. The program allows African experts to exchange know-how and experience with their African colleagues.(1)
In 1996, Sao Tome and Principe became the first country to benefit from the program, and it continues to take advantage of Mr. Djibril Debourou’s experience as it develops its education policy. Mr. Alamah Condé visited Togo’s Ministry of Education last April, bringing his experience on the redeployment of teachers in Guinea.
Formulating education policy
Sao Tome and Principe is presently involved in reforming the country’s education system and developing a new education policy. In March 1996, the government held a Forum to reflect on the problems afflicting the education system and invited Mr. Djibril Debourou, an expert designated by ADEA, to participate. Mr. Debourou, author of a study on formulating education policy in Benin(2), professor at the National University of Benin and Member of Parliament, had been involved as a resource person in ADEA’s 1995 Biennial Meeting. This first mission became part of a longer-term technical support plan when Mr. Debourou returned to Sao Tome last May and August. he was commissioned to support the National Commission charged with implementing the Forum’s recommendations in its effort to develop an education policy.
In May, existing studies were used to perform a more intensive analysis of the education system, which revealed a need for additional information, particularly on financing the education system, the role of the government and the family, and the possibilities for outside intervention.
However, developing education policy goes beyond sector studies. Although studies are needed to point the way, the policy development process includes social and human factors that are critical to its success. In particular, all those involved must feel they have a stake in the process in order to ensure real consensus, long-term commitment, and a genuinely participatory approach. During Mr. Debourou’s visit in May, the National Commission met with all of the teacher unions, as well as with principals from the preschool, primary and secondary school levels, superintendents, and the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports.
Mr. Debourou was scheduled for another mission in September. At the end of this mission, he will assist the National Commission in producing an education policy document.
Redeployment of teachers
Last April, Togo’s Ministry of Education received a visit from Mr. Alamah Condé, Assistant Inspector-General at the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research in Benin* and author of the ADEA publication The Redeployment of Teachers in Guinea. Mr. Condé’s mission was to lead a seminar on the redeployment of teachers.
The primary goals were to demonstrate the advantages of redeploying personnel, to emphasize key considerations in managing the redeployment process, and to identify the prerequisites that must be in place before the process begins.
Guinea’s hands-on experience with redeploying teachers was studied as a starting point for developing a Togolese approach. This analysis allowed the participnts to see the redeployment process as a concrete project with "a goal to be achieved by real people, in a specific context and in a given period of time, with specific resources requiring the use of appropriate tools," rather than a dangerous enterprise riddled with uncertainties.
Future missions planned
During the month of September, five Namibian educators specialized in early childhood will leave for Mauritius to meet with colleagues in their area.
Recently, another request to participate in the intra-African exchange program has been received. Botswana is requesting the support of two experts (Mr. Lalugula from Tanzania and Mr. Ng’ombe from Malawi) to assist the ministry of Education in the process of elaborating a national book policy.
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