The ADEA Steering Committee
held its eleventh session April 13-15, 1999 in N'Djamena, Chad. The
session was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Chad, Mr. Mahamat
Saleh Ahmat. The meeting was held the day after the meeting of the
ADEA Bureau of Ministers.
Major items discussed during the meeting were the following: status
of the Prospective Stock-Taking Review in Africa; organization of
the 1999 Biennial Meeting; and, terms of reference for the evaluation
of ADEA's Working Groups.
Prospective Stock-Taking Review of Education in Africa
ADEA is currently undertaking a major review of education in Africa.
The objective of the review is to identify-within Africa-viable solutions
and policy responses to three major challenges facing education in
Africa: access, quality and capacity-building. The results of the
review will provide the theme and content for ADEA's 1999 Biennial
Meeting.
A synopsis of the status of the review was given in terms of the
number of countries and working groups participating in the review,
and topics chosen. Discussion revolved around: (i) the work that would
be involved in the next few months in preparation of the Biennial
Meeting; (ii) the need to ensure that all relevant educational issues
are included in the review; and (iii) the value of having Working
Groups draw lessons from their activities and, if possible, cover
thematic areas omitted by the countries.
Two regional seminars will be held in June-one for the Eastern, Southern
and Indian Ocean countries and the other for Western and Central African
countries -during which participating countries will be invited to
share their reports with their peers.
ADEA 1999 Biennial Meeting
ADEA will be holding its next Biennial Meeting in December 1999.
Hon. Bengu, Minister of Education of South Africa and Chair of the
ADEA Bureau of ministers, informed members that his government had
officially approved the holding of the meeting in Johannesburg. Other
matters relating to the format and logistics of the meeting, and to
coordination with the EFA 2000 Forum were discussed.
Matters relating to ADEA Working Groups
At its last meeting held in November 1998, the Steering Committee
decided to conduct an evaluation of the Working Groups. The evaluation
will address major issues related to the role of the Working Groups,
their interface with African Ministries of Education and their overall
utility for the Ministries. The draft terms of reference for the evaluation
of the Working Groups was discussed.
The status of two working groups that have been inactive-Education
Research and Policy Analysis and Distance Education-was discussed.
In order to re-activate these working groups it was agreed that an
African-based institution should be sought to host the Working Group
on Education Research and Policy Analysis and that joint leadership
could be a solution for the Working Group on Distance Education.
Other items
The Steering Committee was briefed on the status of two ongoing ADEA
activities:
Furthermore, ADEA's potential involvement in the implementation of
OAU Decade of Education activities, and coordination between MINEDAF,
COMEDAF and ADEA was discussed.
Finally, presentations on various initiatives involved in the promotion
of education in Africa were made: The African Forum for Children's
Literacy in Science and Technology (AFCLIST); the African Development
Bank (ADB) Education Policy Paper; a UNICEF publication entitled State
of the World's Children; The Guidance and Youth Development Center
for Africa; the UN Special Initiative for Africa; the World's Bank
Education Sector Assistance Strategy for Africa; and the World Bank
Draft Operational Policy on Textbooks and Reading Materials.
The next meeting of the Steering Committee will take place on October
25, 1999 in Paris.
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