Enhancing Post-Primary Education in Africa: Challenges and Approaches

1. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa Session 6A: Curriculum for Post-Primary Education • Processes of curriculum change and competency-based approaches • in basic education within an interregional perspective Presenter: Renato Opertti Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education

2. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa Problem statement • Competency-based approaches to curricula change – advances made and challenges to address • Objective: to contribute to the understanding and sharing of concepts and tools on an inter-regional basis aimed at providing examples for the expansion, enlargement and democratization of post-primary education in Africa. • Areas of debate: i. how to envisage the education systems and learners’ diversities and ii. the controversial and polysemic nature of the concept of competencies. Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education

3. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa Share practices inter-regionally • Common challenge: how competency-based approaches could be core tools of education reforms • Canada: close gaps between programmesof study and real life classroom experiences • China: cultivate competencies through practical situations • Guatemala: integrative learning situations as a tool to implement a macro curricular structure competency-based (from vision to practice) • Uruguay: competency approaches as the main focus of curriculum design and implementation Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education

4. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa Diverse processes and results • Canada: bank of situations based on the actions of students feed the study programmes (competent action in situation) • China: cross-disciplinary studies and elective courses to help break a subject-centered curricula • Guatemala: pedagogy of integration- teachers fell at ease using classroom situations and students enjoy them • Uruguay: the competency approach as a cross-cutting dimension of a comprehensive curricular vision Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education

5. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa Challenges ahead • Need of a more open, frank and evidence-based discussion around competencies • Competency-based approaches should be incorporated into the curricula structure, the design of study programmes, the school and the classrooms • Learning situations as the origin and criterion of competencies • Competencies can help the visualization of students as learning actors and not as learning targets • The reforms of basic and teachers’ education should be articulated Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education

6. ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa An opportunity towards EFA • Latin American experience: competency-based approaches can contribute to expand years of schooling and to democratize learning opportunities. Not conclusive evidence on students´ outcomes. • Competency approaches could be seen as a main entrance to design a curricular framework for basic education (objectives, structures and contents). • A competency-based curriculum can better visualize learners’ diversities leading to an inclusive curriculum. One renovated way of addressing EFA goals? Beyond Primary Education: Challenges of and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in AfricaAssociation for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)Biennale 2008 on Post-Primary Education