A new support programme for quality management
Improving the quality of learning is one of the key priorities of comprehensive education policies. This issue is at the heart of the new 2030 agenda for education through the different targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4. On the African continent, too many children have not reached the corresponding level of knowledge by the end of their schooling.
To solve this challenge, the IIEP-Pôle de Dakar is launching a new support programme backed by the Agence française de développement: strengthening capacity for quality management in basic education. A first circle of 6 countries[1] is directly concerned with structured support including technical cooperation, training, methodological tools, production and knowledge sharing. Other countries taking part in the evaluations of the acquired learnings from the 2014 or 2019 PASEC[2] will form a second circle, in order to have a wider sharing of knowledge on the subject.
The objective of the programme is to formulate concrete proposals for measures to improve the results from education. At the methodological level, support consists of the use of data produced by education systems. Tools that have a direct impact on school management and learning will then be put in place, such as school dashboards. Actions to improve quality and its management at school level will also be developed.
The development of quality education requires the coordination of actors at all levels of the basic education system: national and decentralized public authorities, civil society, teachers and students. The programme will also aim to create a regional network for sharing experiences, collaboration and dissemination of good practices in order to improve quality in basic education. This will include regular regional seminars as well as numerous online activities on the IIEP web portal dedicated to learning - learningportal.iiep.unesco.org.
The programme launch workshop took place at the Golf Hotel in Abidjan from 13 to 15 February. It brought together some 60 experts from national delegations and development partners.
[1] Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Niger, Senegal, Togo.
[2] Programme d’analyse des systèmes éducatifs de la Confemen (Educational System Analysis Programme of the Confemen).