Introduction : Philosophy and Goals :
Objectives, Strategies & Operating
Mechanisms : Governance & Structure
Introduction
The Working Group on Non-Formal Education (WGNFE) works with African ministries
of education, partner agencies, and NGOs to facilitate and strengthen the links
and partnerships between all stakeholders in NFE. The Working Group also
promotes communication and sharing of information on strategies for monitoring
NFE in order to ensure its optimal contribution to national educational goals.
Philosophy and Goals
Today's decision-makers, educational planners, and development workers recognise
that no single educational modality will meet the demands in Africa. A
combination of alternative approaches is needed. The non-formal sector, with its
important links to society and the workplace, can be a valuable instrument in
revitalising education in Africa.
The Working Group strives to help build an African educational system that will:
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Provide education (formal and non-formal) to all, across gender, age and socio-economic barriers;
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provide equity and access to learning and related employment opportunity whilst respecting each group's contribution to sustainable development;
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give voice to the wisdom and varied knowledge of African societies whilst revitalising and strengthening these resources through the contribution of other cultures and traditions with the support of new technologies;
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include a variety of continuing education, civic training and workplace learning in business, industry and professional life;
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use alternative approaches, including non-formal education as a bridge between formal training and the application of new learning;
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link African vernacular languages with the learning of international languages.
Programmes and activities are developed and implemented in conformity with the
following working principles:
Selectivity:
A broad mandate and limited resources requires that the WG selects activities,
which it can develop in a two-year period, with the following criteria:
Coherence: activities complement each other in accomplishing the objectives of
the WG
Leverage: activities have a high potential for eliciting host country and donor
agency support
Variety: the WG programme has a good geographic, linguistic sampling, demand driven and service orientated to the greatest extent possible, rendering
service as a first priority to African practitioners and sponsors of NFE
Country based operations:
The primary constituency and counterparts of the WG are public sector
representatives of interested ADEA member countries. top
Objectives, Strategies and Operating Mechanisms
The WGNFE's broad objective is to provide a platform to national and regional
stakeholders to explore and develop policies and strategies for strengthening
the contribution of NFE to the goal of education for all.
Main strategies include:
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Making use of local dynamics by supporting measures that help to promote a better understanding of who is doing what in the fragmented field of non-formal education.
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Strengthening links and promoting dialogue between the major stakeholders in each country (Government ministries, NGOs, PVOs, CBOs etc.), so as to define roles and responsibilities, as well as to design strategies for advocacy and problem solving in non-formal education.
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Enhancing the capacity of African educators and stakeholders to analyse strengths and weaknesses in non-formal education and its contribution to education for all.
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Promoting regular exchange of information and a culture of "learning from each other" at national and regional levels, through newsletters, workshops, seminars, study visits, etc.
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Encouraging monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure optimal contribution of NFE to the national education goals, including gender equality in basic education.
The most important mechanism through which the Working Group seeks to put these
objectives and strategies into practice is the
Country Working Group.
Each country wishing to take part in the WGNFE programme is encouraged to set up
a Country Working Group that represents the relevant government ministries and
other main providers as well as interested stakeholders involved with non-formal
education.
The WGNFE supports conceptual and theoretical work (e.g. policy research,
knowledge-building activities), and promotes dialogue through regular meetings,
seminars and workshops at the local, national and regional levels, through these
Country Working Groups (CWGs).
The WGNFE also works with other ADEA Working Groups with which it shares common
interests. It collaborates with the Working Group on Education Statistics
(WGES); the Working Group on Books and Learning materials (developing literacy
materials); the Working Group on Female Participation (studying gender aspects
of non-formal education) and the Working Group on the Teaching Profession (as an
interface between the formal and non-formal sectors).
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Governance and Structure
The functional structure of the WGNFE is designed to facilitate activities
whilst ensuring a strong move towards ultimate African ownership of the
programme. The Steering Committee ensures accountability and guidance within the
overall framework of objectives and regulations set out by the ADEA partners. It
comprises ADEA agencies and African ministers. An Advisory Committee provides
feedback on proposals and strategies relating to activities in the various
countries and regions. It has representatives from the Steering Committee, from
CWGs in East, West and Southern Africa, from regional bodies and other partner
agencies.
Members of the WG include government ministries, development partner agencies,
NGOs and institutions providing training for non-formal education programmes. At
present however planning, implementation and management resides mainly with a
Core Team of agencies.
The
Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation serves as the Lead Agency and
the Commonwealth Secretariat serves as the Co-ordinating Agency and Secretariat,
whilst UNESCO also serves as a Co-ordinating Agency. It is intended that most of
these functions of leadership and co-ordination will gradually be transferred to
suitable organisations / institutions in Africa. The present Core Team works in
close collaboration with Country Working Groups, but also tries to build links
with Regional Networks and also with Partner Agencies at the regional and
national levels, as illustrated in Figure I. top
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