ADEA Working Group on Education Sector Analysis (WGESA)

What is the Working Group on Education Sector Analysis (WGESA)?

WGESA in tune with changing African education

WGESA was founded in 1989 as one of the first working groups of ADEA. Since inception, its programs and activities have evolved to reflect both the wide-ranging changes that took place in education in Africa and the initiatives undertaken within ADEA to adjust to these changes.

Four distinctive phases mark this process:

During the early stage, WGESA activities tended to focus on global inventories and analytical overviews of education in Africa, the major objective being to address partner agency's needs for a better understanding of the challenges at stake in education on the continent.

In mid-1990s, WGESA activities concentrated on country-based and country-led reviews of sector analysis undertaken by national teams to reflect a new call for strengthening the role of African leadership in directing their educational programs, the banner being to have African MOE's in the driving seat.

Following the 1999 Johannesburg Biennial, and as ADEA tended to focus more on sector programs field issues of WGESA shifted attention towards capacity building, improvement of actual field practices, Africanizing and the strengthening its regional network.

Presently, the Group has embarked on a new phase, with a new co-ordinator, a renewed focus on improving field practices, the strengthening of its capacity building activities and a better use of the knowledge generated by the research studies for implementation.

Now that the challenge contours facing education in Africa are well identified , the Group's work is focusing on the design and implementation of concrete strategies, tangible steps and appropriate instruments so that its interventions are more efficient. This will allow for more effective intervention, that are in tune with current African needs. Two WGESA programs illustrate this new trend: the Peer Review Exercise and the Formative Research initiative (see sub-heading on programs and activities).

The WGESA Vision

WGESA's aims to contribute to strengthening capacities of African education systems and individuals in education sector analysis, thus supporting effective educational policy formulation and implementation through research, training, advocacy and exchange of expertise.

WGESA Goals and Objectives

WGESA intends to:

1. develop a body of knowledge on sector analysis that is applicable to the contextual challenges of African education systems, thus enhancing access to the best available research on sector analysis and training materials;

2. strengthen African expertise and contribute to the development of African capacities in educational reforms using a sector approach;

3. promote a deeper understanding of the usefulness of ESA for informed decision-making and implementation through information sharing and advocacy;

4. contribute to networking and policy dialogue between stakeholders at different levels including ministries of education, civil society, co-operating partners and the research community.

ADEA WORKING GROUP ON

EDUCATION SECTOR ANALYSIS (WGESA)