Since 1994, CONFEMEN studies concerning basic education and technical and vocational training have identified two characteristics that have exacerbated the continued decline of francophone education systems:
- excessive centralization;
- lack of relevance to the outside world.
Thus, the Ministers of Education chose to directly address these two obstacles to the improvement of education during the 48th session of CONFEMEN in Liège, Belgium. They chose the theme Partnership Dynamics and Quality of Education and Training. Twenty-five CONFEMEN member countries participated along with two other francophone countries, Tunisia and Morocco. The following international organizations were represented: Agence de la francophonie (Agency for the francophone world community), Agence universitaire de la francophonie (University agency for the francophone world community), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and ADEA. Members of the CONFEMEN Scientific Committee for the Program on Analysis of Education Systems (PASE) also participated in the conference.
The discussions were guided by a working document addressing three major themes:
- The philosophy of partnership dynamics: How do the dynamics of partnership relations help overcome excessive centralization and lack of relevance to the outside world. How can partnerships help improve the quality of education systems?
- Conditions for success and implementation: What are the necessary pre-conditions for the development of a real partnership process? What concrete steps are needed to encourage such dynamic relations?
- Positive consequences: What benefits can be expected from dynamic partnerships and at which levels?
The ministerial discussions drew upon ongoing experience in member countries. This led to a definition of partnership dynamics, and to elaborating on converging interests of various stakeholders in education. In-depth details concerning partnerships were shared as well as a number of warnings concerning difficulties stemming from experience.
Definition
Partnership around and at the service of the school means consensus-building achieved through structured dialogue allowing all concerned actors to pool their efforts towards the vast common goal of improving the school.
Convergence of interests
Partnership dynamics facilitate the expansion, improvement and relevance of education. Participants were in favor of the adoption of such dynamics, the mobilization of human and financial resources and a re-definition of the role of the State as guardian and facilitator of the education system as a whole. Partnership implies decentralization with both its strong and weak points. Its strength lies in more reliable needs assessment and more effective cooperation. Decentralization's weak points include potential diminished sense of national identity. Such partnerships will come about through national consultation focused on the de-compartmentalization and insertion of education systems in the community.
During this process of transformation, the State must remain present to guarantee a certain level of harmony. Partnerships must be based on the principles of liberty and democracy to ensure the transparency of the system. Precise and accurate information as well as respect for commitments made at all levels are the foundations for the construction of a dynamic partnership process. The system will be sustained by the definition of a legal framework that clarifies the roles and mission of each partner.
Clarifications and warnings
Partnerships exist at several levels: national, international, social, operational, technical and financial. They are structured and linked in a dynamic fashion.
Partnership mechanisms should integrate learning and the learner so that the latter can take responsibility and become fully autonomous. These mechanisms promoting learner autonomy should also apply to lifelong education.
The participants emphasized the complexity of a partnership dynamics policy that is articulated in different ways according to specific national contexts. Constraints associated with the conservatism of actors and the diversity of goals were mentioned. While all participants agreed on the importance of partnership dynamics, serious limitations underscored by country projects were pointed out which should not be overlooked.
Conclusion
There is a clear need to develop a socio-pedagogical contract shared by all parties that would spell out education as a priority and protect schooling from partisan considerations. At the end of the session, the participants adopted the Yamoussoukro Declaration which: i) affirms once again the priority for basic education and vocational and technical training; ii) makes partnership dynamics a key element in the implementation of policies to "re-found"2 education systems.
Martine Boulanger
Documentalist
CONFEMEN Permanent Technical Secretariat
Notes
1. Conférence des ministres de l'éducation ayant le français en partage.
2. In french: Politiques de "refondation" des systèmes éducatifs.
* Proceedings of the 48th Ministerial session, the Declaration of Yamoussoukro and the Conference Document will be available shortly on the web site of the CONFEMEN: http://www.confemen.org
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