The Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa was established in response to the increasingly severe crisis in African education. It was created in 1989 by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC - Canada). The network includes twelve countries of which 8 are French-speaking and 4 are English-speaking. Member countries include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
The network's mission is to develop quality educational research in the region that can lead to practical results of direct usefulness to decision-makers and practitioners.
Strategy
ERNWACA has established the following objectives to guide its capacity-building and research activities:
- Improve dissemination of and access to useful information concerning research and decision-making in education;
- Increase regional researchers' skills and institutional research capacity;
- Promote effective cooperation between educational research, decision-makers and program administrators.
Results of Phase I
Since its creation, ERNWACA has divided its work into two phases. The first phase showed generally positive results. Its major output was a series of national reports on the state of research. These reports brought to light a considerable number of local studies. Some 1,056 studies mainly consisting of student dissertations and unpublished research were identified. This material provided the basis for the educational research priorities which were identified and carried out during the second phase. In addition, ERNWACA has also:
- created national chapters and a national educational research dynamic, especially in French-speaking countries where such research was still embryonic;
- produced an information and network bulletin;
- trained researchers through seminars in research methodology.
The evaluation of the first phase led to a proposal for a single coordinating body, involvement of other donor agencies and expansion of the research network. Hence, ERNWACA set out the following objectives for its second phase of activities:
- to consolidate the national and regional structure of the network;
- to improve research capacity through training;
- to establish linkages between English-speaking and French-speaking researchers;
- to develop a research culture in the sub-region.
Today, ERNWACA is coordinated by a single structure that promotes cooperation between the various network members, namely between English-speaking and French-speaking researchers. In addition to IDRC ERNWACA also cooperates with other technical and financial partners: USAID, through the SARA Project (Support for Analysis and Research in Africa), UNICEF, the Regional Bureau for Education in Africa (BREDA/UNESCO) and the German Foundation for International Development (DSE).
Results of Phase II
-- Training
Several regional training activities have taken place. In 1994, a training workshop was organized in Banjul (Gambia) for ERNWACA researchers involved with transnational programs. Researchers from national sections participated in a research methodology workshop in Saly Portudal (Senegal). In 1996, a seminar on dissemination and dialogue with policy-makers was organized in Abidjan for ERNWACA and ERNESA (Educational Research Network for Eastern and Southern Africa) national coordinators. In 1997, ERNWACA sent three researchers and documentalists for further training at the University of Botswana at Gaborone.
At the national level, a number of seminars and training workshops have been organized on the following themes: global educational analysis; education sector analysis and strategies for dissemination and dialogue with policy makers; statistical data analysis; development of research projects; identification of research methodology training needs.
-- Research
ERNWACA has carried out transnational research programs during the second phase. Four major research themes have been examined: the factors affecting pupil access and retention at primary level in Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia; the effects of community participation on access and quality of basic education in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana and Mali; the impact of community participation in terms of results, curricula and capacity development; the complementarity between formal and non formal education in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. The ADEA Biennial Meeting (Dakar, October, 1997) provided the opportunity for ERNWACA to disseminate the results of its studies and enhance its reputation.
In addition to these transnational studies, other research has been conducted on the following themes: the impact of conditionalities on educational reform policies in Benin, Ghana, Guinea and Mali; partnership dynamics in Mali; Koranic schools in Mali; girls' education in western and central Africa. In addition, two studies for the PADLOS project (Sahelian Local Development Support Project) were undertaken in Mali and Senegal.
At the national level, researchers in different countries were invited to undertake studies in such fields as non formal education, girls' access to schooling, pre-school education, decentralization of education and higher education.
-- Promoting research and reinforcing dialogue with policy-makers
ERNWACA gives high priority to the dialogue with policy-makers so that research results will be effectively used in drawing up strategies for the "re-founding" of education systems. ERNWACA is increasingly-recognized by Ministers of Education in member countries as well as by the various technical and financial partners. This recognition led to its involvement in the organization of major meetings such as the Perspectives de Ségou Meeting in March 1995. One outcome of this meeting was the creation of the Observatoire des perspectives de Ségou (OPS) for which ERNWACA provides the technical expertise. ERNWACA also organized the pan-African seminar to launch the Year of Education in Africa (Ségou, October 1995). It also participated in the organization of the meeting of ministers of education of the OPS1 and the Pan-African Seminar on the use of national languages in education systems (Accra, August, 1996).
Recently, ERNWACA participated in the 10th World Congress of Comparative Education in Cape Town, South Africa as co-organizer of the Commission on Research and Policy Analysis in Africa2).
Finally, ERNWACA is a member of the steering committee of the ADEA Working Group on Education Sector Analysis (WGESA). It also involved in revitalizing the ADEA Working Group on Research and Policy Analysis (WGER/PA).
-- Publications
The synthesis report on the state of research in central and western Africa entitled "Neglected and Undervalued" has just been published in English and French. The report has been widely disseminated to decision-makers, researchers, practitioners and donor agencies.
Finally, ERNWACA publishes its own "ERNWACA Bulletin" produced through the Benin chapter.
Future prospects
ERNWACA's future prospects are encouraging. Both the ERNWACA regional coordination bureau and its national sections are invited to assist with development of strategies and education policies. The general objective of Phase III will be to consolidate the accomplishments of the preceding phases, to undertake an education research program and to support dialogue with policy-makers.
Three major components are foreseen:
Research and the research environment
These activities will focus on training, carrying out national studies and partnership with other networks and research institutions such as ERNESA, the Northern Research Review and Advisory Group (NORRAG), ADEA, and the Council for the Development of Research in Social Sciences in Africa (CODESRIA). Priority will be given to national activities.
Dialogue with policy-makers and dissemination of research results
In order to encourage policy-makers to make greater use of research in developing and implementing educational policy, dialogue with policy-makers and dissemination of research results will be encouraged. In this respect, ERNWACA's involvement in the programming of activities for the Decade for Education in Africa (1997-2006) should lead to closer links between research and policy applications3. ERNWACA is also being called upon to play an important role in the planned Foundation for support for non formal education policies. This foundation will provide an ideal framework for strengthening dialogue with policy-makers.
Development of the network
Under this heading, ERNWACA plans to establish a governing board and a scientific committee as well as provide equipment for the regional and national section offices. Connection to internet and electronic mail for the national offices are among the priorities. The creation of a Web Site is planned as well as the creation of an electronic mailing list for ERNWACA members.
Relations with institutions in the North
ERNWACA enjoys excellent relations with institutions and researchers in the North. They will be actively involved in the network through the regional governing board and the regional scientific council. Northern institutions can also help develop the network's research capacity, disseminate research results and raise funds.
Mamadou Cherif Bane
Regional Coordinator
ERNWACA
Notes
1. Meeting organized in cooperation with the OAU and BREDA.
2. Commission organized in cooperation with ADEA and ERNESA (July 1998).
3. ERNWACA is involved in this activity and is the technical authority for the Observatoire des perspectives de Ségou (OPS) (Observatory for the Ségou Perspectives)
For more information on ERNWACA, please contact:
ERNWACA
Regional Coordination
BP 1775 - Bamako, Mali
Tel. : 223- 21 16 12
Fax : 223- 21 21 15
E-mail : rocare@malinet.ml
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