Facing Forward: Schooling for Learning in Africa

by Sajitha Bashir, Marlaine Lockheed, Elizabeth Ninan, Jee-Peng Tan

Overview

Facing Forward lays out a range of policy and implementation actions that are needed for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to meet the challenge of improving learning while expanding access and completion of basic education for all. The book underscores the importance of aligning the education system to be relentlessly focused on learning outcomes and to ensuring that all children have access to good schools, good learning materials, and good teachers. It is unique in characterizing countries according to the challenges they faced in the 1990s and the educational progress they have made over the past 25 years, allowing countries in the region to learn from each other. The authors review the global literature and add to it by their extensive new analyses of multiple datasets from more than three dozen countries in the region; they integrate findings about what affects children’s learning, their access to schooling, and progress through basic education. The book draws lessons from the region and for the region about what works and what is needed to better implement what is known to have worked. The book examines four areas to help countries better align their systems to improve learning: (1) completing the unfinished agenda of reaching universal basic education with quality, (2) ensuring effective management and support of teachers, (3) targeting spending priorities and budget processes on improving quality, and (4) closing the institutional capacity gap. It concludes with an assessment of how future educational progress may be affected by projected fertility rates and economic growth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781464812606
Publisher:	World Bank Publications
Publication date:	09/20/2018
Series:	Africa Development Forum Series
Pages:	502
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.01(d)

About the Author

The World Bank came into formal existence in 1945 following the international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements. It is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. The organization's activities are focused on education, health, agriculture and rural development, environmental protection, establishing and enforcing regulations, infrastructure development, governance and legal institutions development. The World Bank is made up of two unique development institutions owned by its 185 Member Countries. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries and the International Development Association (IDA), which focuses on the poorest countries in the world.

Table of Contents

Foreword xxv

Acknowledgments xxvii

About the Authors xxix

Executive Summary xxxi

Abbreviations xliii

1 Facing the Facts: Context and Progress 1

Knowledge Capital: The Key to Africa's Future Development 1

Study Framework: From Science to Service Delivery 3

Grouping Countries by Educational Performance 8

Grouping Countries by Economic and Social Challenges 20

Mapping Educational Performance and Challenges 35

Organization of the Book 45

Notes 46

References 47

2 A Focus on Learning 53

Introduction 53

Learning for Development 54

The Knowledge Capital of Sub-Saharan Africa in International Context 58

Equity in the Distribution of Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa 80

Determinants of Learning: Global Evidence 97

Correlates of Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa 110

Effective Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa 123

Summary: Implementing What Works in Africa 131

Notes 134

References 136

3 The Unfinished Agenda for Reaching Universal Basic Education 145

Introduction 145

Early Grades: Building the Foundations of Learning 146

Improving Access and Progression in Basic Education 171

Expanding Lower-Secondary Education with Quality and Relevance 191

Summary 219

Notes 220

References 223

4 Managing Teachers 231

Introduction 231

Africa's Challenges in Teacher Management 233

Sub-Saharan Africa's Teachers 235

Teacher Deployment and Presence in School and at Work 255

Teaching and Learning in the Classroom 268

Teachers' Workplace Conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa's Primary Schools 303

Strategic Priorities for Improving Teacher Management 317

Notes 325

References 333

5 Deploying the Budget to Improve Quality 341

Introduction 341

Overview of Education Financing and Spending in Sub-Saharan Africa 343

Getting Better Value for Money through Public Financial Management Reform 365

Use of Decentralization to Improve the Planning and Execution of Education Resources 379

Using the Budget; Priority Areas for Improving Quality and Equity 391

Notes 399

References 401

6 From Science to Service Delivery: Closing the Capacity Gap 405

Introduction 405

Generating and Using Data for Better Planning and Monitoring 407

Building Technical Capacity to Improve Education Quality 415

Coordination of Institutions to Align Resources and Inputs 418

Accountability and Incentives to Strengthen Performance and Outcomes 420

Consultation and Negotiation with Stakeholders to Build a Consensus 422

Toward an Approach to Capacity Building in Ministries of Education 425

Notes 432

References 432

7 Conclusions and Recommendations 435

Summary and Conclusions 435

Recommendations 439

Notes 441

References 442

8 Coda: Looking Ahead 443

Introduction 443

Changes in Context; Past and Current Challenges 443

Managing Expansion with Quality 448

Notes 453

References 454

Boxes

1.1 Harmonizing Variations in the Duration of Primary, Lower-Secondary, and Basic Education across Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa 11

1.2 How Can Sub-Saharan African Countries Support Out-of-School Youths? 19

1.3 Jeopardizing Progress: The Impact of Conflict on Human Capital 33

1.4 Kenya: Progress in Both Primary Coverage and Learning, Despite Many Initial Challenges 37

1.5 Togo: Sustained Progress and Expansion in the Wake of Socioeconomic and Political Crisis 39