Working Group on Mathematics and Science Education

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Mathematics and Science Education (MSE), an acknowledged catalyst for industrial and technological development, faces serious challenges in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, attention is urgently needed to improve performance in mathematics and science subjects for the youth in SSA who will need to compete in the knowledge economy and information-based society that globalization promotes. In SSA, everybody talks of the important role MSE can play in driving economies and societies. However, very few countries have allocated the resources and practical expertise needed to address issues that hinder young people in their efforts to understand mathematics and science (content and context). SSA is in a hurry to embrace information technology, yet little effort is being made to create a critical mass of young people having the basic science skills required to survive these revolutionary changes.

WGMSE is a milestone in that it will accelerate and expand classroom activities for African youth within the continent-wide framework of ADEA. The working group will help ADEA to translate its visions into actual delivery of mathematics and science education to African pupils, while continuing to promote policy dialogue and commitments to strengthen mathematics and science education at the highest government level.

What is the Working Group on Mathematics and Science Education?

The Working Group on Mathematics and Science Education (WGMSE) was created in November 2004 to contribute to the improvement of Africa's mathematics and science education (MSE) programs and their greater adaptation to the challenges of the 21st century. This will be done by strengthening individual, institutional and societal capacities; and promoting regional cooperation by sharing information among member countries regarding challenges and successful innovative experiences in MSE. Although WGMSE is currently focused primarily on the secondary level, the working group is expanding the scope of its activities to include MSE at the primary level. Participants will include ministries of education, collaborating institutions, development partners, members of the Africa Principals Convention and education professionals.

The working group is led by Kenya's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It is coordinated by The Centre for Mathematics and Science Education in Africa (CEMASTEA). Based in Nairobi, CEMASTEA has created a strong network for mathematics and science educators in SSA, organized four regional conferences and conducted training for mathematics and science educators coming from all over Africa.

What are the objectives of the working group?

The main aim of the working group is: (i) to improve mathematics and science education in SSA at the school level by strengthening individual, institutional and societal capacities to advance teaching/learning of these subjects; and, (ii) to promote regional cooperation in this area through a program of activities approved both by the working group's steering committee and ADEA. Special attention will be given to girls through specially designed activities within the WGMSE's work program.

What are the working group's strategy and activities?

During this first year, WGMSE will establish a steering committee and address a program embracing networking, capacity building, research and information dissemination activities.

a. Capacity building

Every year, the working group will train a number of trainers in MSE from selected countries to strengthen institutional capacities in MSE, muster broader participation of experienced and interested participants and widen the circulation and the dissemination of the knowledge and skills in the area of mathematics and science education. The focus is on issues likely to have maximum impact on the transformation of classroom practice and on in-service/pre-service development in MSE. This includes demonstrating and documenting the methods and impact of effective practices/experiences in education via the ASEI (Activity, Students, Experiment, and Improvisation)/PDSI (Plan, Do, See and Improve) paradigm used and underway in some African countries. The working group continues to offer technical assistance on matters of training and exchange of resource personnel. School principals will also be targeted to build capacities in resource management.

b. Networking

WGMSE will utilize the SMASSE-WECSA Association, an already established network, to strengthen the network through its annual regional conferences. The conferences provide a professional forum to take stock of the working group's activities, try out new approaches to teaching and learning and discuss key and emerging issues in MSE; in collaboration with partners and interested organizations including other ADEA working groups. Particular emphasis will be given to actual classroom demonstrations based on ASEI/PDSI.

c. Analytical work

The working group seeks to upgrade the capacity of practitioners and responsible educators to improve their ability to conduct participatory evaluation and action research based on their own experience, and to be able to communicate results more widely. Discussion is underway between WGMSE and the South African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) for collaboration in the area of monitoring and evaluation of quality changes in classroom activities.

Investigating and experimenting with new kinds of partnership will involve documenting the relationships that presently exist among ministries of education and the varied players in secondary education; assessing the role that the public sector can play in supporting these highly diverse educational modalities; updating members' knowledge of productive linkages between primary and secondary education; and developing pre-service or in-service teacher training programs.

d. Information dissemination

WGMSE will establish a regular publication system, set up and maintain an up-to-date website on MSE information, and establish an information center to facilitate exchange of information among African educationists and policy makers in MSE. In addition to country-based activities, country working groups will be expected to make presentations to international gatherings in the area of MSE and to contribute to working group publications.

e. Advocacy

The working group will promote the formation and growth of country working groups to provide a framework for analysis and review of policy and practice at country level and identify training needs. The working group will also make concerted effort to dialogue with policy makers in SSA on effective resource mobilization, prioritization and resource use for enhancing quality in the classroom; and to foster interest among potential donors in providing the material support that WGMSE cannot by itself provide. This will allow the most promising experiences to gain a wider audience and replication in other settings. Being a performance oriented working group, WGMSE will try to fill the gap between practitioners in MSE and policy makers through advocacy, which will enlist the latter to be more supportive to the former.

How to Contact the Working Group

Working Group Leader:
Mr. Takahiko SUGIYAMA
WGMSE Leader,
Chief Advisor JICA Expert for SMASSE Project Phase II
P.O. Box 30596 - 001000 Nairobi,
KENYA
Tel: +254 20 57 36 80/ 57 48 30
Fax: +254 20 387 3811
E-mail: sugiyama@jica.go.jp ; adm@smasse.org

Working Group Coordinator:

Ms. Peula LELEI
Head, SMASSE National Inset Center
WGMSE Coordinator,
SMASSE - WESCA SECRETARIAT
P.O. Box 30596 - 00100 Nairobi
KENYA
Tel:+254 20 387 36 80
Fax:+254 20 387 38 11
E-mail: info@smasse.org

Working Group Coordinator:
Mr. Keiichi NAGANUMA
WGMSE Coordinator SMASSE-WECSA Secretariat
P.O. Box 30596 - 001000 Nairobi,
KENYA
Tel: +254 20 57 36 80/ 57 48 30
Fax: +254 20 57 38 11
Email: adm@smasse.org