This report summarizes case studies of basic education reform programs in five African countries -- Benin, Ethiopia, Guinea, Malawi, and Uganda -- that used a top-down, rational paradigm developed by experts, implemented by ministries of education, and supported by funding agencies. Analysis of the five programs indicates that many policies and programs have been successfully implemented, but in a piecemeal manner, not as comprehensive, coordinated reforms based on technically sound plans. The process of implementing social and economic programs is not linear and systematic, as was conceived in the five country programs. In fact, in each of these countries, policy was often formulated not before but, opportunistically, during implementation, e.g., when funding agencies offered budgetary support conditional upon governments' adoption of policies and programs that funding agencies favored, whether or not they matched governments' priorities; or when major policies were reformulated when a president found it politically prudent to declare free primary education; or when a minister sensed the need to immediately give teachers a bonus instead of developing an in-service training system. The report suggests that future reform be organic and flexible, relying less on centralization and comprehensive initial design. Such a strategy might foster more choice-driven, learning-governed policies and programs and would provide more space for African creativity and innovation and for the development of relationships between those with different kinds of expertise