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U N E S C O International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA)
Report (1999 - 2001) and Work Plan, 2002 - 2003
31 January 2002
Layout : Mulualem Seyoum January 2002 UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa
P.O.Box 2305 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Africa
Tele: (251) -1-557587 Fax: (251) -1-557585
Email: [email protected] Web site http://www.unesco-iicba.org
Contents Page
R E P O R T (1999-2001) Background 1 Defining What Is Capacity Building 1 Brief Overview of the Situation of Education in Africa 3 IICBA and the Dakar Consensus on Education for All 4 Formation of IICBA Nodes 4 n C B A ' s Achievements Since its Inception in 1999 5
A . Teacher Education 5 B . H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in
African educational institutions 6 C . H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa 8 D . Leadership of education in Africa 10 E . Publications — 12
H C B A W o r k Plan 2002 - 2003 IICBA's Work Plan Objectives 13 n C B A ' s Main Lines of Work 13
1. Teacher Education 13 2. H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in
African educational institutions 15 3. H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa 17 4. Leadership of Education in Africa 20 5. H C B A Funds and Fund Raising Strategy 22
Conclusion 22
Appendix 1 24 Appendix 2 25
Preface
The U N E S C O International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) has been in existence since 1999. Since its inception it has focused on building up institutional capacities in teacher education establishments in Africa. O n e approach has been by establishing a system of networking with specialist institutions in Africa as well as outside of Africa, where this is necessary and useful. B y utilizing centers of excellence within the network, I ICBA has been able to provide distance education degree programmes to upgrade and update the staff of teacher education establishments in a number of countries.
Its second priority area has been in the provision of programmes to enable African countries, particularly their teacher education colleges and faculties, to utilize information and communication technologies to enhance the quality of education in cost effective and affordable ways. This has mainly been through its Electronic Library series, aimed at providing relevant and up to date teacher education materials to colleges in Africa.
A third area of emphasis has been by providing support for Education for All to hard to reach communities such as to Multigrade schools in remote rural areas, and to the education of children in nomadic populations. In addition, as education for all is closely linked to improving the quality and relevance of education, I ICBA has been running courses on h o w to improve textbook writing. I ICBA has also initiated a programme to measure learning in science and mathematics at upper primary and lower secondary school levels, k n o w n as the Assessment of Mathematics and Science in Africa ( A M A S A ) .
Finally I ICBA has been working in the area of educational leadership. It is well k n o w n that leadership can be a key to improvement, innovation and change, and the programme seeks to support ways in which the leadership of education can be improved. O n e important aspect of the educational leadership programme is the W o m e n ' s Leadership Programme, aimed at improving the number and quality of w o m e n leaders in education.
The publication of the Report for 1999 - 2001 together with the Workplan for 2002 - 2003 aims at giving m e m b e r states, partners and donors an overall picture of the work of I ICBA. I ICBA is at the stage where it has demonstrated what type of capacity building it is able to undertake with the modest core funding it has enjoyed from the U N E S C O Regular Budget. It is hoped that member states which would like to participate in I ICBA programmes will be able to do so by utilizing bilateral and multilateral funding to buy into the IICBA programmes which they need. IICBA's present resources make it difficult to expand its programmes sufficiently to cover the whole of Africa.
Fay Chung Director U N E S C O International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) 31 January 2002
(';.• IICBA Workpla« and Report
U N E S C O International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) R E P O R T (1999 - 2001) and W O R K PLAN, 2002 - 2003
Background
The U N E S C O International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) was officially
established by the U N E S C O General Conference in October, 1999. The rationale for the establishment
of I ICBA included:
• the need to ensure that U N E S C O ' s concerns are linked to regional, national and local
educational needs through a decentralization of its functions from Paris to the different
regions of the world.
• U N E S C O ' s recognition that Africa is the region requiring the most urgent and qualitative
improvement of its institutional capacities. Thus U N E S C O has m a d e Africa one of its most
important priority areas.
• the need to enhance and strengthen the involvement of African institutions, in particular
educational institutions, in the development of the continent.
The Institute's responsibilities will include research, development, training and dissemination. Its
responsibilities, defined as "capacity building", will focus on institution building first and foremost,
and on individual training as an essential component of this. The Institute's main m o d e of work will
be in collaboration with other institutions, with a view to:
a. addressing the educational, technical and professional needs of m e m b e r states;
b . providing a forum for the sharing of both positive and negative experiences so as to enable
institutions and education systems to benefit from work done by sister bodies;
c. bringing the latest research and development in Africa and globally to institutions in Africa;
d. enhancing the capacities of regional, national and local level institutions;
e. providing the opportunity for technological improvements, such as utilization of electronic media
for networking and for educational purposes.
Defining W h a t Is Capacity Building
Although Africa has experienced several decades of initiatives aimed at capacity building, there
remains a serious lack of capacity at several operational levels. S o m e of the areas found to be so
lacking are policy and planning, management, teaching processes and methodologies, curriculum
development, and research. This apparent failure of past initiatives demands a serious review and
appraisal in order to determine h o w I ICBA can begin to m a k e a difference.
A m o n g the weaknesses identified by I I C B A is the tendency by governments and development
agencies to narrow d o w n the concept and definition of capacity building to training. This means that
the key issues of institutional development and systems strengthening are often ignored and excluded.
Highly qualified individuals operating within poorly developed institutions m a y find it difficult if not
impossible to achieve high level goals. Webster's Universal College Dictionary defines institution as "a
well-established and structured pattern of behavior of relationships that is accepted as a fundamental
part of a culture". In this context, institutions can be defined as the system of values, k n o w h o w ,
experience, personal responsibilities and institutional responsibilities as well as procedures for
decision-making that have been established for attaining goals, in this case, educational goals.1
1 The word "institution" in this paper will be confined to the Webster definition quoted. The word "establishment" will be used to denote colleges, universities and organizations. In fact the word "institutions"covers both meanings, and can be a cause of confusion.
Without the enabling environment within which individuals can utilize their expertise and experience,
achievement can be very limited although individual officers within an establishment m a y be very
highly qualified.
The other major weakness is failure of past programmes to develop a critical mass of people thus
trained in order to provide opportunities for the mutual support and reinforcement needed to instill
self-confidence and sustain motivation for the translation of theoretical frameworks into everyday
practice. Without a critical mass of professionally qualified personnel, specialists m a y lack the
collégial support, professional critique and partnerships necessary for successful implementation of
programmes.
In addition there m a y be a lack of tools to. enable institutions to achieve their goals, such as lack of
access to information and training which help to sustain capacity building.
The isolated nature of past capacity building programmes due to the non-existent or vaguely conceived
cooperation, partnership and collaboration between development agencies in Africa, is another area of
concern for I ICBA. The I ICBA response is that of targeting institutions, establishments and
individuals in order to ensure that those trained can continue to get support from within their o w n
institutions and establishments. I ICBA has therefore adopted a deliberate strategy of cooperation and
partnership with existing capacity building programmes, especially in Africa.
A m o n g its initial priority activities was to undertake a survey of such institutions and programmes.
This exercise has been invaluable in the determination of what others are doing that is of pertinence to
I ICBA, and what they are doing that can be strengthened or expanded to meet the current demands for
improving the quality of education in Africa. Thus one of the key modalities adopted by I ICBA is of
creating networks
I ICBA has carried out a survey of national institutions in a number of participating countries in order
to gauge the quality of existing capacities and decide on the type and quality of inputs needed for
professional improvement. The objective of these surveys is to enable existing institutions which are
already centres of excellence to provide professional support to other sister establishments working in
the same field. At the same time it is possible to devise programs to strengthen the institutional
capacities of all partner institutions. During the period 1999 - 2001, a survey of teacher education
institutions was effected.
A survey was also done of regional organizations and establishments such as the Forum For African
W o m e n Educationalists ( F A W E ) , the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in
Africa ( C O D E S R I A ) , Institut Africain de Développement et de Planification (IDEP), Centre d'Etudes
Supérieurs, Administration et Gestion ( C E S A G ) , and U N E S C O B R E D A in Dakar. The utilization of
the capacities of the Organization of African Unity ( O A U ) , one of IICB A ' s closest partners, provided
the political backup for policy development on education in Africa. I ICBA provides professional
support for the O A U Decade of Education Programme of Action.
In addition the survey included institutions outside of Africa such as the U N E S C O International
Institute for Educational Planning (HEP) , the Indira Gandhi National O p e n University ( I G N O U ) in
India; a number of American institutions such as the Skylight Professional Development conglomerate
specializing in distance education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, the National Academy of
Science of the United States; the University of South Africa and Pretoria Universities in South Africa;
and the World Bank supported African Virtual University based in Kenya and at a number of other
sites all over Africa. The A D E A Steering Committee and Working Groups provide invaluable linkages
to work done in the various areas of education.
Page 2 . IICBA Workplan and Report
I ICBA is in the process of establishing Panels of Specialists on the teaching of African languages,
Mathematics, Science Education and Learning Assessment. In this way, African countries can
develop shared criteria for the development of their educational programmes, as well as facilitating
exchanges of experiences including research, development, training and programme implementation.
In many of these areas linkages will be established with international organizations, such as with the
Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in the area of the assessment of learning
in Mathematics and Science.
IICBA will promote the use of electronic media to improve educational access and quality through the
development of software that responds to African needs and priorities, including the need to make such
programmes cost effective. This will include programmes to enable educational institutions in Africa
to benefit from the use of electronic media such as videos, C D R O M s , e-mail and the internet. O n e of
the key inputs into the network will be the electronic library. I ICBA has already established a
website which can be utilized by m e m b e r establishments and individuals. It will establish e-mail
dialogue on specific challenges and problems. The website is www.unesco-iicba.org.
H C B A is convinced that capacity building must remain a long-term goal and not a one-shot
intervention. Capacity building initiatives must go beyond the training of individuals to the institution
building and strengthening and effective follow-up in the field.
Brief Overview of the Situation of Education in Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 24.5 million primary school age and 59.2 million secondary school age
children are still deprived of education. In addition, only a small percentage, 3.9%, of the African
population has attained tertiary education.2 Moreover, even those children that have access to
education do not reach their potential, while m a n y drop out due to the poor quality of such education,
among other reasons.
These rather dismal statistics reflect a situation where educational access, quality, relevance as well as
strategies remain inadequate. The O A U Decade of Education Programme of Action (1997 - 2006)
outlines a well thought out set of strategies for the improvement of education in Africa, and was whole
heartedly endorsed by African Heads of States. This enthusiastic support was reflected in the
Johannesburg Programme of Africa developed for Sub-Saharan Africa in December, 1999, and
incorporated into the Dakar Consensus. The Johannesburg Framework was worked upon by leading
educationalists and Ministers of Education from Sub-Saharan Africa, and reflect a carefully crafted set
of goals and strategies.
However whilst a consensus has been built up, implementation and achievement remain very uneven,
with the majority of countries in Africa with low enrolments at all levels. Moreover the contribution
of education to development, for example economic development, is also clearly inadequate, with some
countries making remarkable achievements in the area of education, but unable to translate this into
development in other areas. The need to link educational development to other forms of development,
such as conflict resolution, democracy, environmental improvement, health, and increased per capita
incomes, has been emphasized by the I ICBA Executive Board, and reflects a serious concern of
African decision-makers.
2 U N E S C O , World Education Report 2000: the Right to Education - Towards Education for All throughout Life.
U N E S C O , 2000, pp. 115 - 116.
Moreover it is evident that in most countries fewer girls and w o m e n complete primary, secondary and
tertiary education. At primary level 84.1% of boys as compared to 69.4% of girls in Sub-Saharan
Africa are at school, a 14.7% gender gap. At secondary level 29.1% of boys are at school as
compared to only 23.3% of girls, a 5.8% gender gap. At tertiary level 5.1% of m e n are in tertiary
level institutions as compared to only 2.8% of w o m e n , a 2.3% gender gap.3 What this means at
tertiary level, for example, is that only 2 - 3 w o m e n out of every hundred have the opportunity to attain
some form of tertiary education, a figure which is far too low to provide critical mass. W o m e n in
leadership positions in education are rare, estimated at about 5%. This low representation of w o m e n
in decision-making positions m a y be a contributory factor to the low enrolment of girls and w o m e n . It
m a y also account for some of the serious developmental problems facing Africa.
Finally the number of professionals with first and masters' degrees in Sub-Saharan Africa is very low
in comparison with other regions. Whilst in more developed regions, 61.1% of the age group enjoy
university education, in Sub-Saharan Africa it is only 3.9%.4 I ICBA has chosen to address this
situation by focusing on improving the qualifications of the professional staff in teacher education,
curriculum development, educational planning and educational management establishments. It will do
this through a combination of distance education and short face-to-face masters' level programmes
mainly from African universities, but extending to universities outside Africa w h e n necessary.
I I C B A and the Dakar Consensus on Education for All
The Dakar Framework on Education for All includes the following goals which are highly relevant to
IICBA's terms of reference:
• ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those
belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary
education of good quality;
• eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving
gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to
and achievement in basic education of good quality;
• improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that
recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy,
numeracy and essential life skills.5
Formation of I I C B A Nodes
A s I ICBA is responsible for the building and strengthening of capacities in educational institutions all
over Africa, it has created two nodes to enable it to carry out its functions more effectively. In August
2001 a node was established within the B R E D A Office in Dakar, Senegal, with specific responsibility
for coordinating programmes in West and Central Africa. The Dakar N o d e presently had two staff,
headed by Dr. Catherine Okai. A second node is being established in South Africa within the Faculty
of Education of the University of Pretoria. The Pretoria Node will be responsible for establishing and
strengthening linkages between institutions utilized by I ICBA in South Africa and Southern Africa
with the rest of Africa.
3 U N E S C O , World Education Report 2000: the Right to Education - Towards Education for All throughout Life, U N E S C O , 2000, pp. 115-116.
4 Ibid, p. 116. 5 U N E S C O , The Dakar Framework for Action, U N E S C O , Paris, 2000, p. 8.
Page 4 .IICBA Workplan and Report
IICBA's Achievements Since its Inception in 1999
Since its inception in 1999, I ICBA has concentrated on the following areas:
A . Teacher education B . H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in African educational
institutions C . H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa D . Leadership of education in Africa E . Publications
A . Teacher Education
Teacher education has been one of IICBA's main areas of focus, with emphasis on strengthening teacher education institutions such as teachers' colleges and faculties of education. I ICBA recognizes that teachers are the key to the establishment of quality education, and that there is urgent need to improve the institutions responsible for training teachers in Africa. I ICBA has approached the challenge by carrying out a needs assessment of partner teacher education institutions, establishment of a teacher education network, and the utilization of distance education programmes to improve the capacities of these institutions.
Ah Teacher Education Network Established
The Teacher Education Network has been established in Senegal, Liberia, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. The networks in Senegal and Zimbabwe were built upon the networks already established by the U N E S C O programme "Learning without Frontiers" some years ago. It is planned to include about ten n e w members to the network each year. S o m e of the active countries are involved in the Indira Gandhi National Open University ( I G N O U ) distance education degree courses (viz. Liberia, Ethiopia and Madagascar). The network is mainly intra-country, but an inter-country network was established in July 2001, utilizing internet, email and the postal service as m a n y partner institutions are not yet linked up to the internet.
The Network has established a discussion forum on topics pertinent to teacher education. Participants can log into the discussion through the IICBA website at www.unesco-iicba.org.
A2. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Programme
The joint IICBA and I G N O U Programme has n o w entered its 4 th phase, with an intake of 55 students from Liberia, Ethiopia and Madagascar for the Postgraduate Diploma on Distance Education. The first
PGDDE Programme
IICBA Workplan and Report .Page 5
three intakes comprised 101 students, making a total of about 156 to date. The first group of students
from Intakes 1 and 2 took their examinations in Monrovia and Addis Ababa in June, 2001, with some
notable successes.
IICBA and I G N O U have agreed that the best students will be selected for training as tutors so that it
will no longer be necessary for lecturers to come from India to run the residential programmes in the
near future. It was also agreed that the best students from intakes 1 and 2 would be selected to do the
Masters degree programme in 2002.
The I G N O U distance education training programme will be incorporated into a national university in
Ethiopia and Liberia over the period 2002 and 2003.
A3. Distance Education Programmes
IICBA is negotiating with a number of distance education universities both in and outside Africa
regarding utilization and adaptation of their programmes to respond to capacity building and training
needs in African member states.
A4. Research
IICBA has conducted a number of research projects related to its work. For example two research proj
ects have been done on the gender issue in education.
B . H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in African
educational institutions
I ICBA has been working in close collaboration with the U N E S C O Communications and Information
Division in promoting the utilization of computer technology in education in Africa in practical and
cost-effective ways. The U N E S C O Communications and Information Division has also assisted in
funding the IICBA Electronic Library series, specifically the work in Arabic and Portuguese, utilizing
funds they have received from D A N I D A for information technology in Africa. This has been one of
the most successful aspects of IICBA work over the past 18 months, and will have a marked impact
on the improvement of C D R O M s and websites produced by partner institutions and countries.
Bl. IICBA's Electronic Library Series
O n e area of emphasis was that of creating Electronic Libraries with special emphasis on science,
mathematics and language teaching, and targeted at teacher educators and teachers, beginning at
primary school level. Nine libraries have been completed in four languages, viz. Arabic, English,
French and Portuguese. The French versions have been supported by the Swiss Developnient Agency
and are based on original French texts. Arabic and Portuguese versions have been developed. Several
other libraries are being prepared. Work has begun on the secondary school science, girls' and women 's
education, and H I V A T D s libraries. Work is also underway to provide core teacher education texts to
teachers' colleges.
B2. Creation of Interactive Educational Programmes on Science
IICBA has initiated work with U N E S C O South Africa and a private computer programme development
company in Pretoria to develop interactive educational programmes for secondary school science. The
underlying concept is that it is possible to utilize virtual reality to teach science as computers have n o w
become reasonably low cost (US$250 - US$2000) as compared to the high expense of a fully equipped
laboratory (about U S $ 4 0 000).
I ICBA established a competition for science teachers to provide lesson plans and story boards for the
Page 6 . IICBA Workplan and Report
development of interactive computer games to teach science. The idea is to identify innovative science
teachers w h o can receive training in the making of interactive computer games for educational
purposes. It is to be noted that little or no software specifically targetted for African conditions and
situations have so far been developed, and that in fact the IICBA Electronic Library Series comprise
one of the first materials available for Africa.
The top 5 winners participated in a 5 day workshop where they worked on incorporating their lesson
plans into interactive computer game form. The output will be to develop suitable C D R O M
interactive programmes for science teaching. The technology has a good potential for other subjects,
such as culture and history, but it has been decided to begin with science.
B3. Sharing of Educational Materials amongst African Countries
IICBA has begun a programme to share educational materials including educational videos amongst
member states. A large amount of educational materials have been developed in some countries, and
these can be utilized in sister countries. For example some excellent educational materials have been
developed for H I V AIDs education. Educational materials for mathematics and science are often
transferable with little need for adaptation.
B4. Joint Workshops with the UNESCO Communications and Information Division on Use of
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Education
A number of jointly organized workshops have been held in Maputo, for Lusophone countries
(November 2000), Kampala for selected Anglophone countries (March 2001), Dakar for selected
Francophone countries(June 2001) and Accra (August 2001). These workshops play a critically
important role in promoting relevant, creative and cost-effective ways to introduce ICTs into education
systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.
B5. Layout, CD ROM and Website Creation Courses
IICBA has held a series of workshops to improve the quality of the newsletters, publications, C D
R O M s and websites. Workshops were held in Khartoum, Dakar and Addis Ababa. I ICBA employed
a Canadian specialist, M r . Thomas Edwards, to run these workshops.
Layout, CD ROM and Website Training, Khartoum
The Khartoum workshop, which was organized by IICBA partner, the Sudan University of Science
and Technology, catered for university staff responsible for establishing websites in their various
universities. This was an extremely useful and successful workshop which will enable the participants
to improve their skills in establishing and maintaining websites and in developing materials on C D
R O M format. Interestingly enough the majority of participants were w o m e n university lecturers, as
Sudan appears to have an active policy for the promotion of w o m e n academics and professionals.
Layout, CD ROM and Website Training, Addis Ababa
The Dakar workshop was organized by I ICBA partner I N E A D E , and was targeted at personnel in
Dakar responsible for website creation. In addition a participant from the University of Ouagadougou
and one from the African Institute of Languages, Bamako, also attended the workshop. Despite
technical problems such as the failure of computers and internet systems during the period, the
workshop was successfully completed. In addition the consultant was able to do some evening class
es for B R E D A staff. A second workshop was held in Dakar in December 2001 due to the high demand.
The first Addis Ababa workshop held in 2000 was targetted at I ICBA and the Educational Media
Authority ( E M A ) staff. This workshop concentrated on improving layout and h o w to make a C D
R O M . The second workshop was targeted at the University of Addis Ababa, the African Virtual
University, the Civil Service College, the Entoto Vocational/Technical School and IICBA staff. In
addition two participants from Uganda working on C D R O M and website development in collabora
tion with U N E S C O Communication and Information Division also attended the course.
For I ICBA one important outcome will be that I ICBA staff will be able to mount such courses on their
o w n in the future. There is a very high demand for such skills from universities and other educational
institutions, and I ICBA will be able to provide such training on its o w n in the future.
O n e problem in both Addis Ababa and Dakar is the demand for such workshops from top directors
w h o , however, will probably never themselves be involved in the making of C D R O M s and websites.
There is apparently a need for two different types of courses, one for directors and decision-makers and
a second one for hands-on practitioners.
C . H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa
In line with the Dakar Consensus to achieve basic education for all, I ICBA has run a number of
programmes aimed at improving the prospect of achieving the Dakar objectives. These programmes
Page 8 . IICBA Workplan and Report
placed emphasis on the achievement of quality and relevance at affordable costs, as the attainment of
education for all is not possible if parents and students perceive that education to be of low quality of
low relevance. Moreover unless education is affordable to both government and parents, it cannot be
democratized.
CI. Multigrade Programme
The Multigrade Programme is aimed at providing a replicable model of high quality, relevant and
cost-effective one-teacher schools suitable for remote rural areas. At present primary schools are
located very far from the homes of children in m a n y countries. L o w enrolment is closely related to
problems of distance, the safety of adolescent girls, and the labour needs of the community for older
children.
Multigrade Programme students
The Multigrade Programme includes
teacher education, curriculum develop
ment and educational planning. The first
phase of this pilot programme in Ethiopia
was completed in December 2000 and the
Norwegian Government has agreed to
continue supporting the programme.
Other donors are sought for this highly
successful programme.
Multigrade Programme school
O n e exciting outcome of the first phase is the production of n e w sets of Grades 1 and 2 textbooks in
the two Regions in Ethiopia which participated in the programme. These textbooks are clearly of high
quality and can contribute substantially to the improvement of the quality of education in Ethiopia.
5 n e w multigrade schools have been established in Ethiopia, with training programmes for
administrators, teacher trainers and teachers. A training manual has published.
C2. African Academy of Languages
IICBA joined together with the U N E S C O Institute of Education, Hamburg, and the Government of
Mali, to launch the African Academy of Languages. The objective is to support research and
development on African language teaching. The launching workshop was held in Bamako, Mali, in
M a y 2001. It brought together some of the top linguists from all over Africa. It is expected that the
establishment of this Academy will assist in the promulgation of the increased utilization of African
languages both in schools and in commerce. Language is one of the most critically important
determinants of whether education for all is achieved in Africa. Whilst it is recognized that
international languages are important particularly in a period of rapid globalization, the utilization of
the mother tongue is essential if literacy for all is to be achieved.
C3. Assessment of Science and Mathematics Learning in Africa
IICBA, in collaboration with the U N E S C O Education Division and with the Unit for Assessment,
Research and Technology of the H u m a n Sciences Research Council of South Africa, initiated a
process for measuring learning in science and mathematics in Africa at primary and junior secondary
school levels. This will enable African member states to measure improvements in learning in these
two key subjects. It will also enable countries to discuss and agree on core themes and skills.
A n initial meeting was held with the German Foundation (DSE) in Bonn in June 2001 to enable IICBA
to utilize the ground work already done by D S E in this area over the past decade. D S E is keen to have
its valuable experience utilized and developed further by IICBA.
The initiation workshop was held in Johannesburg in November 2001, involving eleven anglophone
countries from East and Southern Africa. Initially work will be done on the mathematics and science
examinations at the end of primary schooling.
C4. Nomadic Education Programme
The joint programme between IICBA, the U N E S C O International Institute for Educational Planning
(HEP) and U N I C E F East and Southern Africa, initiated in 1999 and funded by the African
Development Bank ( A D B ) , began work in June 2001. The planning committee was established and
held its first meeting in Paris in July 2001. A detailed framework and questionnaire were developed.
The target countries are Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The work will consist of information gathering, analysis of the information, and development of rec
ommendations to the respective governments regarding h o w to deal with the challenge of educating
nomads. The research will cover statistics, government policies and strategies, present provision of
educational and other services by government and by N G O s , and recommended strategies.
D . Leadership of education in Africa
The leadership of education comprises one of the most important focus areas of IICBA. Presently
this covers three main areas: the Senior Executive Seminars for Ministers of Education; work with the
Organization of African Unity ( O A U ) ; and linking education to economic development.
Dl. Senior Executive Seminars for Ministers of Education
IICBA has embarked on a series of seminars for Ministers of Education in Africa. The first of these
was held in Geneva in September 2001. The second was held in Arusha in October 2001. Both
seminars were piggy-backing on meetings for ministers (the IBE and A D E A conferences
respectively). The basic idea is that Ministers of Education face serious challenges in their everyday
work and that valuable knowledge and experience could be shared. These seminars provide the
Page 10. IICBA Workplan and Report
opportunity for Ministers to be in touch with research and with the lessons learnt from the experiences
of their colleagues. The theme for the first workshop was "Leadership for educational change" whilst
the one for the second workshop was "Sharing of experiences on student and teacher demonstrations
and strikes". It was agreed by Ministers that these seminars serve a useful purpose and should
continue as one day seminars piggy-backing on existing Ministerial meetings. In addition study
workshops to Asia and possibly also to Latin America should be planned.
D2. Work with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on the Decade of Education
The Organization of African Unity ( O A U ) is the premier political organization in Africa, joining
together almost the whole of Africa at Ministerial and Heads of State levels. A s such it plays a key
coordination role for political, economic, social and educational policies in Africa. U N E S C O has been
highly supportive of the O A U s Decade of Education Programme, a critically important policy
initiative. I ICBA has been providing technical support to this programme.
IICBA assisted in the running of sub-regional O A U workshops on the Decade of Education in Banjul
for West Africa (January 2000), Yaounde for Central Africa (August 2000) and Nairobi for East Africa
(December 2000). These workshops had a number of successful outcomes. The Banjul workshop
established the possibility of some joint projects amongst West African countries in areas such as the
education of girls, science education, and H I V education. Probably the most important outcome was
that the workshop linked the work in West Africa with the work in the Southern African Development
Community ( S A D C ) , and this resulted in E C O W A S beginning work on establishing an education
protocol similar to that already developed by S A D C .
The Yaounde workshop provided the first opportunity for Central African countries to meet to discuss
their strategies for achieving the Decade of Education goals.
The Nairobi workshop was enthusiastically supported by the Kenyan Ministry of Education, and one
outcome is the establishment of an O A U Decade of Education office within the Ministry of Education,
to coordinate work for East Africa. The Kenyan Ministry of Education has kindly dedicated one of its
staff, Mrs. Salome Gichura, to do this work. IICBA has assisted in establishing the office with basic
equipemnt.
I ICBA is assisting the O A U in the production of the twice yearly Decade of Education Newsletter.
This has served an important way to link up African countries interested in what is happening through
the Decade programme.
D3. Linking Education to Economic Development
L o w levels of economic development have plagued Africa for several decades. The IICBA Executive
Board has recognized the importance of education in economic development, and has requested
IICBA to investigate possibilities of ensuring that education systems link up more effectively with
economic development.
IICBA has investigated what programmes linking education to economic development already exist. It
has held an expert meeting including a number of member states and international institutions in
Maputo in November 2001 to work out the outline of what can be done to increase the synergies
between education and economic planning. The outcome of this meeting is that work is underway to
ensure that the training of educational planners in Africa, carried out mainly by the U N E S C O
International Institute for Educational Planning (HEP) will incorporate aspects of economic
development. This was not included in recent courses. O n the other hand the training of economic
planners in Africa, presently coordinated by the African Economics Research Consortium ( A E R C ) and
the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning(IDEP), will investigate h o w to ensure
that human resource development and education are integrated into the training of economic planners.
Coordination has been established with the African Capacity Building Foundation ( A C B F ) which is
responsible for capacity building in economics for Africa and for the development of poverty
reduction policies and strategies. IICBA has accepted a coordinating role for this programme.
E . Publications
IICBA has established a strong publications programme as a platform for networking and
circulating information on educational developments in Africa. Publications include:
• The IICBA Newsletter published quarterly in English and French.
• Rakissouiligri Matthieu Ouedraogo, Language Planning and Language Policies in S o m e
Selected West African Countries, 2000.
• Govinda Shrestha, The Utilization of Information and Communication Technology
for Education in Africa, 2000.
• A r m o o g u m Parsuramen, Achieving Education for All: the Experience of Mauritius, 2001.
• Fay Chung, Iveta Silova and Catherine M a g n o , Teacher's Guide, 2000.
• Karl Jan Solstad and Alan Sigsworth, Making Small Schools W o r k , 2001.
• In addition IICBA has published manuals for use by educators, particularly teacher educators.
• Grades 1 and 2 textbooks in English, Orominya and Amhaeric in collaboration with the
Amhara and Oromiya Regions of Ethiopia.
• The Electronic Library Series which is n o w being published in Arabic, English, French and
Portuguese. These include:
• Primary school mathematics (in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic)
• Primary school science (in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic)
• English Language
• Secondary school science (in English)
• H I V AIDs Library for Use in the Classroom (in English)
Page 12. IICBA Workplan and Report
»CO International Institute for
Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA)
Work Plan, 2002 - 2003
IICBA Work Plan 2002 - 2003
IICBA's W o r k Plan Objectives
The overall goal of I ICBA is to contribute to the development of Africa's capacity for the provision of
quality education focusing on teacher education, h o w information and communciation technologies
can be utilized in African educational institutions, h o w to achieve quality basic education for all, and
leadership of education in Africa.
IICBA's specific objectives are:
• To strengthen the capacities of teacher education institutions to provide state of the art
pre-service and in-service training to primary and secondary school teachers in m e m b e r states.
• To identify the educational, technical, and professional needs of regional, national and local level
African educational programmes and systems and facilitate ways of addressing those needs.
• To provide opportunities for technological improvements and accelerate the utilization of
electronic media for networking in education.
• To contribute to the strengthening of institutional capacities for providing qualitative basic
education for all in line with the Dakar goals of primary education for all by the year 2015.
• To facilitate the development of reliable indicators for measuring the achievement of quality
education and of effective capacity building.
• To provide a forum for the sharing of information, knowledge and experiences among
and between institutions and education systems.
• To facilitate access to the latest research and development information on Africa by African
educational establishments.
IICBA's M a i n Lines of W o r k
IICBA's main lines of work over the two year period 2002 - 2003 will be as follows:
1. Teacher Education
2. H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in
African educational institutions
3. H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa
4. Leadership of education in Africa
5. Publications related to the four focus areas above.
1. Teacher Education
Teachers comprise one of the most critical and essential inputs into education. The improvement of
teachers' academic and professional skills, their teaching methodologies and their contribution to the
improvement of educational systems must therefore be seen as a first priority for the Institute.
Activities will include:
a. Unite teacher education institutions Africa wide to each other and to key institutions
internationally. Countries will be chosen through a combination of self-selection: countries
will choose to join. From the I ICBA side priority will be given to countries and institutions
whose needs are deemed to be the greatest on the one hand, and on the other hand to
institutions that have the capacity to assist in upgrading and updating sister institutions.
In addition I ICBA will ensure reasonable regional and linguistic balance.
b. Establish an electronic library to enable teacher trainers to be in touch with the latest research
and development in their disciplines. This will include a practical library of core texts and a
broader researchers' library for more detailed work. This library will be available through C D
R O M s as well as through internet, as internet usage m a y be limited by high costs and lack of
availability.
c. Update teacher education curriculum in primary, secondary and teacher education institutions.
d. Improve mathematics, science and technology among teacher educators, students, teachers
and pupils.
e. Improve language teaching among teacher educators, teachers and teacher trainees.
f. Link teacher education institutions to the latest curriculum development work nationally and
internationally.
g. Improve technology utilization in secondary schools, in particular by updating teachers in
computer technology.
h. Strengthen links between teacher education and universities. Involve universities in the
upgrading of teacher education at primary and secondary levels. Involve universities in the
monitoring and evaluation of teacher education and of school curriculum.
i. Support teacher education programmes for para-professionals and community-recruited
teachers.
j . Facilitate teachers' colleges and university education faculties to access training programmes
through a combination of distance education and short term course.
k. Network with teachers' associations with the objective of ensuring that these associations focus
on the improvement of the quality of the teaching learning processes through work with
teachers.
Programmes under Teacher Education include:
la. Distance Education Degree Programmes
During the period 2002 - 2003 the plan is to expand the distance education degree programme to
cover 500 students per year, at an average cost of U S $ 1 500 per student. This will include both
bachelors degrees and masters degrees for primary school, secondary school and teacher educa
tion lecturers and leaders6. Areas that will be covered will include:
• Distance education
• Educational leadership including school and educational management
• Curriculum development and textbook writing
• Learning assessment
• Educational planning for economic development
I ICBA will also expand its programme of short courses, including courses on multigrade teaching,
nomadic education, textbook writing, and educational leadership, with special emphasis on women ' s
leadership.
The modality used in the I ICBA distance education programmes combines distance education using
print materials, videos, and C D R O M s , with short face to face residential courses. Degree programmes
c o m e from universities which specialize in specific areas relevant to the improvement of teacher
6 Note that there are few primary school teachers and principals w h o have had the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of university education. The system in most Sub-Saharan African countries is to have a primary
education in Africa, such as courses on h o w to develop and administer distance education programmes;
courses on h o w to improve science and mathematics teaching and learning in primary and secondary
schools; and courses on h o w to improve school management and administration. Where possible
I ICBA utilizes centers of excellence in Africa to the region. In addition, I ICBA is working to
incorporate distance education programmes into national universities in Africa so that over the
medium terms of 5 - 10 years, these universities can offer such courses themselves.
I ICBA, through its partnerships with distance education universities worldwide, assists teacher
education institutions in Africa to strengthen their distance education programmes for teachers.
Table 1. Budget for Teacher Education P r o g r a m m e
Year
2002
2003
Total
U N E S C O Regular Budget Funds
42 000
36 000
78 000
UNESCO Japanese Trust
Fund
100 000
100 000
200 000
Available Extrabudgetary
Funds
455 000
288 000
743 000
Additional Funds Required
450 000
450 000
900 000
Total
1 047 000
874 000
1 921 000
Note. Available funds cover only 3 countries. A minimum of $40 000 is required for each additional country depending on the number and nature of programmes which vary in unit cost from $1500 - 9 000. The additional funds will cover between 100 - 600 additional students at post-graduate, mainly masters degree, level.
2. H o w information and communication technologies can be utilized in African
educational institutions
I ICBA is also pursuing a programme to improve the utilization of information and communication
technologies in teachers' colleges and amongst teachers. This includes training, modest equipmenta-
tion of teachers' colleges where essential, and the development of suitable educational software for use
by teachers in schools.
2a. T h e Electronic Library Series
The Electronic Library answers to the specific problems faced by teacher education institutions, in
particular teachers' colleges, in developing countries. Most of these colleges lack access to library
books due to limited funding for educational materials. A s a result both teacher trainers and students
are unable to enjoy the benefits of a good library, and this m a y impact negatively on the quality and
relevance of their training.
I ICBA is also developing electronic libraries geared at improving the teaching of mathematics, science
and languages. These subject specific libraries contain lesson plans and excerpts on the teaching of the
subject. Parallel to these libraries I ICBA is making a collection of videos of existing teaching
practice to be used as the basis of discussion on h o w to teach the subject better.
teaching corps of teachers with either only primary education themselves or with a few years of secondary education. The lack of university level education for primary education specialists has an adverse effect on primary teacher training, curriculum development and textbook writing.
IICBA Workplan and Report. Page 15
Electronic technology, in particular the C D R O M , provides a useful tool for providing each teachers'
college with a core library. Whilst the majority of teacher education institutions do not have access to
the internet due to low connectivity and high cost, they are able today to have access to a computer
and printer. Moreover the commercial use of email and computers has led to the proliferation of
telecentres and cybercafés in m a n y countries. These developments m a k e it possible for the majority of
teacher educators and also m a n y teachers to utilize libraries which are on diskettes and C D R O M s .
T h e C D R O M has the capacity to include about 140 books in each C D R O M . This m a k e s the library
highly portable as well as cost effective. A whole library can be sent b y airmail at a very low cost.
Teacher trainers and teachers can also select those materials which they find most useful to print.
Objectives
Enable teachers and teacher trainers to have access to basic and core textbooks, useful materials that
they can utilize to improve their lessons, as well as the latest research and development in their
respective disciplines at a relatively low and affordable cost. This will be in the form of diskettes,
videos and C D R O M s .
Activities
T h e implementations of I I C B A ' s Core Teacher Education Electronic Library will consist of the fol
lowing major activities:
1. Rev iew of the 500 books in the C I E S bibliography to identify which texts are already
available in digital form. Selection of excerpts from the available books.
2 . Collection and organization of lesson plans and excerpts for mathematics, science and
language libraries.
3. Testing of the usefulness of selections amongst teacher educators and teachers.
4 . Seek copyright permission for incorporating excerpts into C D R O M format for
non-profit purposes.
5. Technical and artistic w o r k o n C D R O M production.
6. Manufacture of C D R O M s .
Output
• Production of diskettes, videos and C D R O M s containing excerpts from key texts on the
following topics:
a) W h a t teachers need to k n o w
b) School organization and leadership
c) The school and the community
d) Measuring the quality of education
e) Interesting and innovative teaching methodologies
f) Education and economic development
g) Mathematics library
h) Science library
i) Language libraries
j) Girls' and women's education
k) HIV Aids
These libraries will be in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic.
• National induction workshops for teacher trainers.
The average cost of development of a C D R o m is about US$25 000 whilst that of a video is about
US$11 000.
2b. Use of Virtual Reality for Science Teaching
IICBA has initiated a programme to develop interactive virtual reality software for the teaching of sci
ence. The 5 winners of the IICBA competition for science teachers participated in an introductory
training course in Pretoria, South Africa. A similar programme is planned for francophone countries.
Subsequently the best participants will receive further training. Small teams of science development
specialists will be formed initially in Kampala and Addis Ababa, but with a possibility of expansion.
The objective is to produce suitable materials for the teaching of science in Africa.
Table 2. Budget for Information and Communication Technologies Programme
Year
2002
2003
Totals
UNESCO Funds
Nil
10 000
10 000
U N E S C O Trust Fund
82 000
Nil
82 000
Available Extrabudgetary
Funds
109 000
Nil
109 000
Additional Funds Required
250 000
410 000
660 000
Total
441 000
420 000
861 000
Note 1 : This is a joint programme with the U N E S C O Communications and Information Division which is receiving funds from D A N I D A . Note 2. US$82 000 have been provided from the U N E S C O Cross-Cutting Themes on ICT Development entitled "The contribution of information and communication technologies to the development of e ducation, science and culture and the construction of the knowledge society". Note 3. The proposed budget covers the cost of workshops on the utilization of information and communication technologies, including how to make C D R O M s and websites, as well as the cost of developing electronic libraries and other forms of educational software. The cost of an in-country workshop on how to make a C D R O M and a website is about
US$10 000 - 15 000 for 16 participants for a period of two weeks.
3. H o w to achieve quality basic education for all in Africa
IICBA can play a key role in achieving the Dakar goals of primary education for all, with special
emphasis on presently disadvantaged groups such as girls, children in difficult circumstances and those
belonging to ethnic minorities. Its contribution rests in its emphasis on improving the institutions
which provide the resources to basic education, i.e. in terms of the human resources as well as the skills
for policy development, strategic planning, management, curriculum development and textbook
writing.
IICBA has already initiated two pilot programmes to assist in the achievement of education for all, viz,
the Multigrade Programmes to establish small schools close to homes in rural areas, and the Nomadic
Education Programmes to provide education to nomadic populations who would otherwise not have
easy access to schooling.
A third area is that of promoting leadership in education, with special emphasis on women's leadership.
It is well known that leadership can play a pivotal role in bringing about improvement and change, and
that leadership development is an area of critical importance. This programme began in 2001, and will
expand during the plan period.
3 a. Multigrade Education P r o g r a m m e
In m a n y parts of Africa, children in rural areas, in particular remote rural areas, are forced to travel long
distances, as m u c h as 10 - 1 5 kilometres in some cases, in order to reach a primary school. A s a result
of these long distances, children tend to start school late, usually at the age of 10 as young children
cannot walk such long distances on their o w n . However, late enrolment leads to early dropouts as both
boys and girls have to join the labour force as soon as they are able to, usually at the beginning of
puberty. For the girls there is the additional problem that parents fear exposing their adolescent
daughters to sexual harassment and abduction, with the result that girls often only enjoy 2 - 3 years of
schooling if they are fortunate. The majority of girls in such circumstance m a y not even be allowed to
have any schooling at all.
The major objectives of this programme are:
• Establish a policy dialogue with Ministries of Education in Sub-Saharan Africa in favour of
multigrade primary schools through joint planning and support for the implementation of the
programme
• Develop basic teacher education strategies for multigrade classes
• Develop and adapt school materials for multigrade classes
• Develop suitable management skills for multigrade schools
• Develop ways of involving parents in the implementation of the programme
• Carry out an advocacy programme in favour of multigrade teaching
I ICBA has already carried out a successful pilot scheme (1999 - 2000) in Ethiopia* with favourable
results. These include the development of interactive textbooks, teacher education, the orientation of
school administrators, and the construction of low-cost schools utilizing locally available materials.
Community participation has been a fundamental requirement.
This programme offers a high potential for providing qualitative education to children living in remote
rural areas, with special emphasis on providing education for girls. The cost of the pilot project in
Ethiopia was about U S $ 1 2 0 000. The programme has the potential for expanding to a m u c h larger
scale in a short period of time. In addition the number of countries which can benefit from such a
programme can be increased. Present plans include 8 Sub-Saharan African countries.
3b. Nomadic Education
A small but significant percentage of Africa's people are nomads. Their traditional w a y of life m a y
present challenges to educational provision. A pilot programme funded by the African Development
Bank and involving IICBA, the U N E S C O International Institute for Educational Planning (HEP), and
U N I C E F East and Southern Africa ( U N I C E F E S A R O ) has begun covering 6 East African countries:
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
This programme will be able to provide models for education for nomadic populations in terms of
systems, funding, administration, curriculum, language use, textbooks and teacher education.
Clearly this is a m u c h neglected area, as well as one where well-meaning but ill-conceived plans have
in the past exacerbated rather than improved the situation. The pilot project is for just under US$400
000. Continuation and expansion of the programme to cover 10 African countries with nomadic
populations is being planned.
Page 18 . IICBA Workplan and Report
3c. Textbook Writing P r o g r a m m e
Educational quality is a key concern. T h e quality of the textbooks used in schools is highly
correlated with educational quality as the textbook is the m a i n tool used b y teachers. I I C B A has
developed a course for the training of textbook writers. T h e course objectives are to:
a) W o r k out principles of h o w children learn as applied to the classroom. This wou ld involve
studying the basic educational psychology and methodology principles underlying
textbook writing.
b) W o r k out h o w the different teaching methodologies can be incorporated into the textbook.
c) Analyze existing textbooks.
d) Develop procedures for the development of curriculum and textbooks.
e) Enable participants to apply the basic principles in a hands-on w a y b y writing s o m e
lessons for pupils, and one teacher's modu le . These modules wou ld incorporate
learning exercises.
f) Test these pupils' and teachers' modules in actual primary schools.
g) Revise the modules in the light of the classroom testing.
h) Evaluate the quality and relevance of the materials developed as a group.
The course duration is 3 weeks, and costs vary from U S $ 1 0 000 - 20 000 per country.
3d. Learning Assessment P r o g r a m m e
O n e of the key concerns is the quality of learning in schools. For this reason I I C B A has embarked o n
a p r o g r a m m e to strengthen the assessment of science and mathematics in Africa, with a view to
enabling African countries to gauge their progress in comparison with their past performance. It will
also enable countries to collaborate and harmonize their science and mathematics p rog rammes .
Examination and curriculum development centers will be able to improve and strengthen their
capacities to measure learning effectively. Activities will include the following:
• Stocktaking of the assessment of science and mathematics in Africa.
• Inaugurating workshop . These participants will mainly be from Sub-Saharan Africa as well as
from outside institutions working in assessment, e.g. I E A , S A Q M E C , D S E . It is planned to hold
this in South Africa. T h e workshop is a imed at improving the analytical and developmental skills
of assessment specialists.
• A collaborative p r o g r a m m e of partner assessment establishments and organizations aimed at
harmonizing and strengthening the assessment of science and mathematics at primary and lower
secondary school levels. This will be along the lines of T I M S S .
T h e p r o g r a m m e should include anglophone, francophone and lusophone countries, but the intention is
to begin with anglophone countries in the first instance.
Table 3 . B u d g e t for Promot ing Quality Basic Education for All
Year
2002
2003
Totals
U N E S C O Funds
38 000
20 000
58 000
Available Extrabudgetary
Funds 266 729
-
266 729
Additional Funds Required
600 000
1 000 000
1 600 000
Total
904 729
1 020 000
1 924 729
Note. The programme places emphasis on quality achievement at affordable costs as quality and relevance determine whether there is a demand for education, and cost effectiveness ensures adequate supply.
'IlC|tÄ'"%#i^''«W''R#öit:->^e, 19'
4. Leadership of Education in Africa
It is acknowledged that leadership is a key factor in providing qualitative education for all. IICBA
seeks to promote educational leadership by focusing on ministers of education, directors, university and
college lecturers, primary and secondary school principals and deputy principals, and other leaders in
education. This will be through a combination of problem focused short workshops (along the Harvard
University line) and longer degree programmes through a combination of distance education and short
fac¡e-to-face workshops.
The Programme is premised on the assumption that today university education is of critical importance
in the formation of high level leaders. The complexities of modern forms of development, in
particular of modern economies and technologies, make university education essential to enable
leaders to control and guide their societies effectively.
4a. W o m e n Leaders in Education P r o g r a m m e
O n e component of the Educational Leadership Programme will be W o m e n Leaders in Education
Programme. W o m e n comprise a significant proportion of the teaching force in almost every African
country. Overall figures show that w o m e n comprise 39.4% of primary and 32.8% of secondary school
teachers in sub-Saharan Africa.7 However w o m e n usually play a minor role in the leadership of the
education system. In m a n y countries, w o m e n fill less than 5% of the leadership positions in primary,
secondary and tertiary institutions, as well as in Ministries of Education. The reasons for this state of
affairs are complex including in-built prejudice and systemic filters.
O n e major problem m a y be the lack of opportunities for w o m e n to improve their academic and
professional capacities. Only 2.8% of w o m e n in Africa have the opportunity to have tertiary
education.8 The paucity of w o m e n in leadership positions in education in Africa m a y have adverse
effects on development programmes.
W o m e n are also burdened with family responsibilities which m a y make it difficult for them to make
use of opportunities to improve their professional qualifications and experience. One of the aims of
this programme is to explore ways and means to enable w o m e n to enjoy more opportunities for further
professional and academic training. IICBA's combination of distance education and short face to face
workshops is more suited to the situation of w o m e n with family responsibilities than courses which
require long absence from homes.
Little research has been done into the reasons for the low percentage of w o m e n leaders in education.
O n e of the activities of the programme will be research into the reasons for this situation.
W o m e n presently form an insignificant percentage of leaders in Africa in all areas, including in the area
of education. Yet w o m e n play a critical role in development, whether this is measured in terms of
lower infant mortality rates, lower population growth, higher economic productivity, and higher forms
of democracy.
The Programme on W o m e n Leaders in Education will work closely with the Forum of African W o m e n
Educationalists ( F A W E ) which has established a network of w o m e n leaders in éducation in more than
25 countries in Africa.
7 U N E S C O , World Education Report 2000: the Right to Education - Towards Education for All throughout Life. U N E S C O , 2000, pp. 117. 8 Ibid, p. 116.
A multi-faceted approach will be taken including research into the situation of w o m e n and leadership
in education. This has already been initiated by F A W E into the situation of w o m e n leaders at
universities. Such research could be simple, for example a simple statistical survey of the representa
tion of w o m e n at different levels, or in-depth, looking into the reasons for imbalances, and seeking long
term solutions. Research and development work to increase the participation of w o m e n students at
tertiary level, with recommendations regarding interventions that could increase the participation of
w o m e n students in existing universities and colleges.
IICBA's role would be to provide the organizational, professional and technical backing for such
programmes, of negotiating with accrediting institutions, providing fellowships, organizing face to face
parts of course, etc. F A W E National Chapters would play a key role in terms of organizing national
research and development programmes, courses, selection of candidates, and raising awareness and
support at national level.
The impact of the Educational Leadership Programme will include:
• increased effectiveness of educational leaders of primary, secondary and tertiary educational
establishments, with special emphasis on w o m e n leaders
• an increase in the number of educational leaders holding degree level qualifications
• strengthening of the capacities of tertiary educational institutions in Africa to cater for the
educational and professional needs of w o m e n .
4b. Educational Policy, Planning and M a n a g e m e n t
The I ICBA Interim Executive Board, in its October, 1999 meeting, emphasized the need to ensure that
I ICBA plays a key role in linking education to economic development in Africa. This has led to the
formulation of an ambitious programme which includes the following acitivities:
a. Working closely with institutions responsible for the training of economic planners for Africa to
ensure that their training programmes include linkages with educational planning and
development, so that educational planners can take into account the intricacies of educational
planning and development w h e n they are engaged in economic planning. Institutions which
have been identified include the African Capacity Building Foundation(ACBF), the African
Economics Research Consortium ( A E R C ) , I D E P and C O D E S R I A .
b. Working closely with educational planning and development institutions to ensure that their
training programmes include programmes that will enhance their understanding of economics
and of economic development.
c. Organizing short term orientation and training programmes for key decision-makers such as
cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, permanent secretaries and directors on the linkages between
education and economic development.
d. Devising programmes of public education utilizing the mass media to ensure that the public is
educated into the linkages between education and economic development.
e. Participating in poverty reduction planning for Sub-Saharan Africa as coordinated by the African
Foundation for Capacity Building ( A F C B ) .
Table 4. Budget for Leadership of Education Programme
Year
2002
2003
Totals
U N E S C O Funds
98 000
20 000
118 000
UNESCO Japanese Trust
Funds 50 000
-
50 000
Available Extrabudgetary
Funds -
-
-
Additional Funds Required
300 000
400 000
700 000
Total
448 000
420 000
868 000
Note. U N E S C O funds for 2002 includes a special grant of $50 000 from the U N E S C O Director General.
5. I I C B A Funds and Fund Raising Strategy
IICBA enjoys guaranteed core funding of US$1 200 000 for the 2002 - 2003 biennium ($600 000 per
annum) from the U N E S C O regular programme. In addition it is able to bid for additional funds from
within U N E S C O . Presently it enjoys from U N E S C O a grant of US$82 000 from the Cross-Cutting
Themes on the Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies for Education, US$50 000
for the programme linking educational planning to economic development and US$200 000 for teacher
education from the Japanese Trust Funds. Thus its biennium budget from U N E S C O is US$1 450 000.
In the 2000 - 2001 biennium IICBA enjoyed funds from the D A N I D A Information and
Communication Technology for Education in Africa programme and from the Swiss Development
Agency for its work in francophone countries. In the 2002 - 2003 biennium IICBA will receive
funding from U S A I D specifically to improve teacher education in Ethiopia.
IICBA is seriously underfunded. It is already able to provide training and development programmes
far beyond its present funding limitations. Fund raising therefore comprises an important part of its
functions if it is to expand its work to other African countries. The IICBA Executive Board will play
a key role in helping to raise additional funding.
IICBA's fund raising strategy includes the following:
a. Requests to donors for overall support for the Workplan.
b. Specific programme and project support in line with IICBA's objectives and lines of
work as related to bilateral donor priorities.
c. Joint programme and project requests with educational institutions within each country
wishing to work collaboratively with IICBA to donors.
d. Demand driven support from member states to carry out programmes along the lines of
IICBA's areas of specialization. M e m b e r states which wish to engage IICBA in educational
development programmes will utilize either its o w n funds or donor funds dedicated to the
country to participate in IICBA programmes.
6. Conclusion
IICBA is one of the newest of U N E S C O ' s institutes, formed as a result of a combination of demand
from within Africa itself and of the decision by the U N E S C O Executive Board, General Conference
and Secretariat to decentralize many of its functions from Paris and from Europe. Whilst
Euro-centrism was c o m m o n and acceptable at the foundation of U N E S C O half a century ago, today
there is a higher demand for regional autonomy. At the same time an international institution such as
U N E S C O has the advantage of being able to bring useful expertise and experience from across the
world to Africa. I I C B A has also been able to utilize centers of excellence within Africa to provide
training, development and experience to other sister institutions.
I ICBA has specialized in areas which are not covered by other U N E S C O institutes, viz, teacher
education with specific focus on utilizing distance education to strengthen institutions capacities in
teacher education institutions in Africa; the use of information and communication technologies in cost
effective and practical ways as suited to African conditions; pilot basic education programmes geared
to responding to the hardest-to-reach groups in Africa; and the leadership of education in Africa.
Appendix 1
Staffing
Table 5. Existing Personnel Structure of I ICBA
Post
1. Director (Fay Chung)
2. Deputy Director (Vacant)
3. Head of Dakar Node (Catherine Okai)
4. Administration Officer (Atlaw Kifle)
5. Assistant Administration Officer (Dega Gurmesse)
6. Teacher Education Coordinator (Marew Zewdie)
7. Coordinator for ICT Use for Science Education (Vacant)
8. Distance Education Coordinator (Almaz Eshete)
9. Associate Expert on Educational Planning (Atsushi Matachi)
10. Computer specialist (Jouseph Aboul Faki)
11. Research Assistant (Raki Bal, transferred to Dakar Node)
12. Librarian/documentalist (Henok Workye)
13. Director's Secretary (Neguede Menasse)
14. Layout Artist (Mulualem Seyoum)
15. 2 drivers (Daniel Ergetachew and Dawit Almaheyu)
16. 3 photocopy assistants/copy typists/ messengers/guards/cleaners (Selamawit Nega, A d a m a Alemayeuh and Alemayehu Mekonnen)
International or National
International
International
International
National
SSA National
National
SSA International
SSA SSA SSA SSA SSA SSA SSA
Level
D2 P5 P4 NOA NOA NOC NOC NOD P2 P3 NOA G7 G3 G3 Gl Local
In post
Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Total: 19 staff, 3 vacant posts
Note 1. 3 posts have been created in August 2001, viz, Deputy Director (P5), Teacher Education Coordinator ( N O C ) and Coordinator for ICT Use in Science Education ( N O C ) . Note 2. A request has been made for 3 additional associate expert posts. Associate expert posts are paid for by their governments. Note 3. S S A staff have so far been on 6 month contracts, but the establishment of the Special Account will allow IICBA to give 2 year contracts.
Page 24 . IICBA Workplan and Report
Appendix 2 Budget
Table 6. Annual Budget 2002 - 2003 from Regular Programme Funds in US$s Item
Programme costs
Board meetings
Payroll coste
Staff costs
Running costs, equipment, furniture
IICBA Nodes in Dakar and Pretoria
Total
Amount 2002 172 000
30 000
214 000
31000
76 000
77 000
600 000
A m o u n t 2003 86 000
30 000
262 000
31000
76000
115 000
600 000
A m o u n t 2002-2003
258 000
60 000
476 000
62 000
152 000
192 000
120Q0QQ
Percent
2 L 5 •••
5.0 39.7
5.2 11.9
16.0
100.1
Note 1. IICBA's direct allocation from the U N E S C O Regular Budget is U S $ 6 0 0 000 per annum. Note 2 . The cost of the I ICBA Nodes in Dakar and Pretoria include administration and programme costs.
Table 7. Annual Budget 2002 - 2003 from Regular Programme, Extrabudgetary Funds and Additional Funds Required
Item
Programme 1: Teacher Education Programme costs
Programme 2: ICTs Programme costs
Programme 3: Quality E F A : Programme costs
Programme 4: Educational Leadership: Programme costs:
Board meetings
Payroll costs
Staff costs
Running costs
IICBA Nodes in Dakar and Pretoria
Totals
UNESCO Regular Budget 2002
42 000
-
38 000
92 000
30 000
214 000
31000
76 000
77 000
600 000
UNESCO Bidding Funds
100 000 Note 1.
82 000 Note 2.
-
50 000 Note 1.
-
-
-
232 000
Extrabudgetary Funds 2002
455 000
214 000 Note 3.
87 729
8 000
-
-
-
-
-
764 729
Additional Funds Required
2002
450 000
250 000
600 000
300 000
-
-
-
-
-
1 600 000
Total 2002
1 047 000
546 000
725 729
450 000
30 000
214 000
31000
76 000
77 000
3 196 729
UNESCO Regular Budget 2003
36 000
10 000
20 000
15 000
30 000
262 000
36 000
76 000
115 000
600 000
UNESCO Bidding Funds
100 000
-
-
-
-
-
-
100 000
Extrabudgetary Funds 2003
288 000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
288 000
Additional Funds Required
2003
450 000
410 000
1 000 000
400 000
-
-
-
-
-
2 260 000
Total 2003
874 000
420 000
1 020 000
415 000
30 000
262 000
36 000
76 000
115 000
2 848 000
Note 1. IICBA has received a special grant of US$50 000 for the Education Planning and Economic Development Programme and
US$200 000 for Teacher Education from the Japanese Trust Fund controlled directly by the U N E S C O Director General. Note 2. IICBA has received US$82 000 from the U N E S C O Cross-Cutting Projects on ICTs. Note 3. Funds were received from U S A I D for ICT development for the Electronic Library and for HIV AIDs for Ethiopia only.
Workplan 2002-2003, 23 May 2002
IICBA Workplan and Report. Page 25
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