Twenty-Five Countries from Sub-Saharan
Africa Share Promising National Experiences: Report of two Regional
Seminars held in Gabarone (June 15-19, 1999) and Cotonou (June 28-July
2, 1999)
One of the objectives of the Prospective-Stock
Taking Review of Education in Africa is to contribute to a culture
of intra-African exchange of information, experiences and worthy lessons.
Last summer, ADEA organized two regional seminars inviting all countries
participating in the Prospective Stock-Taking Review. The seminars
were an opportunity for country teams to share their national experiences,
get feedback from their colleagues and receive guidelines for the
improvement of their reports.
Twenty-five countries and six ADEA Working Groups participated in
two regional seminar/workshops focussed on the Prospective, Stock-taking
Review of Education in Africa. The first one, for countries from Eastern
and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, took place in Gaborone,
Botswana from June 15-19. The second one, for countries from Central
and West Africa, took place in Cotonou, Benin from June 28-July 2.
Each meeting was composed of a three-day seminar, followed by a two-day
workshop.
The purpose of these events was: (i) to encourage exchanges between
the country teams in order to promote professional exchanges and learning
between countries; (ii) to encourage peer review between the country
teams in a spirit of critical reflection; and (iii) to provide a final
opportunity for ADEA's Technical Team working on this exercise to
provide feedback and make requests for information and analysis. As
a result of the seminar portion of the meetings, the workshop portion
allowed the country teams to revise their case studies. Presentations
during the seminar phase were grouped thematically, according to the
issues reported in the case studies. After each presentation, critical
feedback was given to the teams and used as inputs for the improvement
of their reports.
Country and Working Group participation
Ten countries from the Eastern, Southern and Indian Ocean regions
and representatives of three ADEA Working Groups attended the first
seminar/workshop in Gaborone. The second meeting in Cotonou, Benin
assembled participants from seventeen countries (including two that
did not submit case studies) from the West and Central African regions
plus five ADEA Working Groups. At both meetings, participants included
high level policy-makers (including 4 permanent secretaries and 3
ministers/deputy ministers). Also, three members of ADEA's Steering
Committee's sub-committee for the Review attended the Cotonou meeting.
Official openings by Ministers of Education of the host countries
The Ministers of Education of the host countries officially opened
both meetings (See below for Excerpts from the speech given by Hon.
Dr. G.K.T Chiepe, Minister of Education, Botswana). In their opening
speeches, each stressed the psychological importance of dwelling on
success rather than the failures. They also indicated that one of
the most significant outcomes of this exercise is the opportunity
given to ministry officials to look back and reflect critically on
their actions.
An opportunity for country comparison and collaboration
To break the language barrier between Anglophone and Francophone
countries, interpretation services were provided. This was highly
appreciated by participants who realized that beyond the historical
differences, there are many similar educational challenges throughout
the continent. Areas of comparison and collaboration were identified
between countries sharing similar experiences; in some cases, plans
for an exchange of experiences ensued.
Each seminar/workshop included a session devoted to understanding
the participants' perceptions of the process of this Review and how
it may have affected their day-to-day professional lives. Several
participants pointed out that the initial Terms of the Reference seemed
overwhelming and unclear as to what was exactly expected of them.
However, subsequent communications and face-to-face interactions with
the Secretariat and members of the Technical Team cleared things up.
This explained why in some countries the process took off slowly but
later gained momentum.
Another problem faced by some countries was the realization that
they did not have the capacity at the ministry level to carry out
the case studies. This led to the involvement of university researchers
in the national teams which, in "normal" times rarely occurs.
For other countries, the Review coincided with other competing projects
and the problem of over-extension of the existing capacities became
an issue. This was resolved by identifying affiliated national institutes
or, in one case (South Africa), outsourcing the undertaking of the
study to a private educational institution.
Lessons learned
When asked about what they have learned from this process, the participants
identified the following positive outcomes of this exercise: (i) better
understanding of educational issues in their own countries; (ii) how
to carry out an in-depth analysis of what an achievement really is;
(iii) opportunity for critical introspection on policies and outcomes
assumed to be positive; (iv) awareness for the need for sustainability
of educational programs; and (v) importance of documenting information
in a systematic manner.
Sustaining the process
With respect to how to sustain this process, participants suggested
the institutionalization of several strategies and policies: (i) adoption
of the critical introspection mode by senior officers within the ministries;
(ii) identifying the key actors within a ministry who will keep the
process going; (iii) publicizing and disseminating the reports that
have come out of this process nationwide, particularly with the main
stakeholders (the public at large, funding agency partners, etc..);
and (iv) systematic collaboration with other countries by comparing
achievements and responses to challenges.
NOTE
1. Countries attending the seminar in Gaborone were the following:
Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa,
Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe. Working Groups attending the
seminar were: Female Participation, Higher Education and the Anglophone
section of the Teaching Profession.
2. Countries attending the seminar in Cotonou were the following:
Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire,
Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,
Senegal, Togo. Ghana and Sao Tome and Principe also attended even
though they did not submit a case studies. Ghana was represented by
the Deputy Minister of Education and a high ranking official. Working
Groups attending the seminar were: Female Participation, Sector Analysis,
Statistics, and the Anglophone and Francophone sections of the Teaching
Profession.
Excerpts from the Opening Speech delivered by Hon. Dr. G.K.T.
Chiepe, Minister of Education, Botswana: Regional Seminar/Workshop
for the Prospective Stock-Taking Review of Education in Africa (Gabarone,
Botswana, June 14, 1999)
...I would like to take this opportunity to thank ADEA for initiating
this Prospective Stock-taking Review of education which has given
us an opportunity to reflect on our operations, processes and practices
as ministries of education in Africa. It has allowed us to examine
critically the challenges facing us as African Ministries of Education.
...It is time that we as Africans take the leadership role in running
our affairs in education. In my language, ladies and gentlemen we
have a saying "semonate se ingwaelwa" which means it is
most exciting if you do something for yourself. Let us take the challenge
and work towards doing things for ourselves, initiating our own thing
and only seeking assistance in executing our programmes.
I am happy to observe that the exercise that we have been undertaking
is aimed at promoting identification and generation of solutions and
strategies that come from Africa. Strategies and solutions that come
from experimentation, experience, research, our specific needs and
conditions and above all, from our hard work.
As we venture into identifying and generating strategies and solutions
to problems in our education systems, let us not reinvent the wheel.
Let us tap on our own resources, share as countries what we have achieved
and avoid repeating what we have done wrong so that the solutions
we adopt and adapt are effective, relevant and suitable to our situations.
Remember, our resources also include the interventions that the developed
countries have assisted us to put in place.
...Let this gathering be one to remember, let it be a benchmark in
the process of empowering Africa to handle and solve its problems.
Let this be a forum for all of us gathered here today to exchange
ideas, compare notes, share experiences and if possible let this be
a creative forum. Let us create together solutions to our problems.
HON. DR. G.K.T CHIEPE,
MINISTER OF EDUCATION, BOTSWANA
Gaborone, June 14, 1999
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