allAfrica.com: Africa: Africa Shifts Attention to Post Primary Education (Page 1 of 1)

For five days, no fewer than 500 people, gathered at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre, Maputo, Mozambique for the Eight Biennial Conference of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). Bukola Olatunji was there

The African continent has not achieved universal primary education for all her children yet. Indeed, some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa may not meet the 2015 deadline set for the achievement of the Education for All (EFA). But the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and a number of its partners agree that tangible progress had been made and that it was time to focus on what becomes of the huge number of primary school graduates, many of whom may not be able to acquire more education.

With the theme: 'Beyond Primary Education, Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities', therefore, ADEA members, which include Education Ministers, Ministers of Training, as the case may be; development partners, non governmental organisations, community based organisations and civil society groups, among others, presented to the African educational community the most recent tools, knowledge and practices that are well able to bring continent-wide progress in post-primary education, which is seen as one o the greatest educational challenges facing the continent today.

ADEA's Biennial meeting is the most important meeting in Africa in the field of educational cooperation. It is however not a decision-making forum. It rather encourages dialogue and the exchange of ideas and best practices, among others. According to the organisation, the main purpose of the Biennials, which are the high point in the Association's activities, is to encourage and foster frank, open dialogue on a priority theme relating to the development of education. This policy dialogue is informed by solid analytical work and many contributions from African countries, their technical and financial partners, and research networks in Africa and other regions of the world, including the ADEA Working Groups.

The discussions within ADEA and at the Biennials are characterized by a professional and developmental approach that enables participants to learn from one another and to promote the shared understandings that form the basis for dynamic, productive partnerships.

The President of Mozambique, Armando Emilio Guebuza, who declared the conference open, appealed for continued and increased investment in human capital for the development of African countries. President Guebuza declared that, with regard to post-primary education, the theme of the Biennale, the government of his country is giving special attention to technical and vocational education. For example, he noted, an integrated program of vocational education reform has been launched to give fresh impetus to the training of human resources for the country. This programme, he explained, is based on the principle of greater flexibility and versatility and of training for life based on skills acquisition, with the aim of educating citizens who can take a more active part in the production and judicious management of wealth.

According to him, "we must absolutely keep investing in human capital formation, keep introducing significant improvements in quality and in the capacity of our compatriots, and encourage and support efforts to reach out to girls". Concerning girls, he emphasised that it was necessary not only to encourage their enrollment and survival in the school system until they have completed their education, but also to offer them higher education and technical and vocational education as attainable objectives.

He also stressed the importance of research in science and technology and of exchanges of ideas among African scientists, and between African scientists and their colleagues on other continents - a process in which, he said, ADEA can continue to play a leading role.

ADEA was established in 1988 under the name: Donors to African Education (DAE). Its initial mandate was derived from the recommendations of a 1988 World Bank study entitled. 'Education in Sub-Saharan Africa : Policies for Adjustment, Revitalization and Expansion'. Since 1991, the following themes have been explored by the Biennials: 'Textbook provision and library development in Africa', 1991, Manchester, United Kingdom; 'Improving the Implementation of Education Projects in Africa through Ownership', 1993, Angers, France; 'Formulating Educational Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa', 1995, Tours, France; 'Partnerships for Capacity Building and Quality Improvements in Education in Africa', 1997, Dakar, Senegal; 'What Works and What's New in Education: Africa Speaks, 1999, Johannesburg, South Africa; 'Reaching Out, Reaching All- Sustaining Effective Policy and Practice for Education in Africa', 2001, Arusha, Tanzania; 'The Quest for Quality: Learning from the African Experience', 2003, Grand Baie, Mauritius; and 'More and Better Education. What Makes Effective Learning in Schools and in Literacy and Early Childhood Development Programs?', 2006, Libreville , Gabon.

The Maputo meeting discussed learning opportunities available to children and young persons having completed primary schooling or equivalent (e.g. non-formal basic education); lower and upper secondary education as well as the articulation between upper secondary and higher education; including all forms of learning (e.g. non-formal), all modes of delivery (e.g. distance learning, apprenticeship), and all types of settings (e.g. community schools, work sites); Traditional 'general' secondary education, development of life skills and key competencies, and technical and vocational education and training; preparing young people for life, society, work and further occupational learning, were also examined, with theoretical and practical knowledge for personal development, citizenship and participation in community development, employability, entrepreneurship, and the ability to go on to higher education and/or lifelong learning.

Participants also saw the possibilities of relying on a multiplicity of providers (the state, civil society, NGOs, private education/training providers, employers, and all forms of partnerships among providers) and drawing upon a multiplicity of resources (physical, human and financial). Some of these would be discussed in greater details in future.

At end of the discussions, the leader of the Nigerian delegation and Minister of State for Education II, Hajiya Aishatu Jibril Dukku said she was happy to find that Nigeria was way ahead in the continent as far as strategies for achieving EFA were concerned. Take for examples, she said, the issues of abolition of school fees and extension of free basic education to nine years. "All we need to do is to go back and plan very well to ensure proper implementation", she said.

Other highlights of Biennial were the launching of the Operational Guidance Paper on the School Fee Abolition Initiative (SFAI), presentation of the 2008 Akintola Fatoyinbo Africa Education Journalism Award and celebration of the 20th anniversary of ADEA's founding.

This year also marks the transfer of the ADEA Secretariat from Paris to Tunis, launching of the first ADEA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (2008-2012), even as the 2008 Biennale also welcome, for the first time, the countries of North Africa, following the decision made last year, to extend the scope of ADEA activities to cover all of Africa.

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