This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
More than 600 delegates have been meeting in Burkina Faso this week to discuss education in Africa. The aim is to find ways to support (economic growth) by improving education and job-training program. The delegates include education ministers and representatives of civil society, business, labor and youth groups.
The meeting held every (three) years is known as the triannual. Ahlin Byll Cataria is executive secretary of the association for the development of education in Africa. His group organized the (weeklong) conference. He says there is a missing link between education and employment in Africa. For example, schools need to improve technical training for students who do not continue to (secondary) education. Mr. Byll Cataria says educational program need to be reshaped to better fit the needs of employers. He says this is already happening in some countries including Tunisia where the association is based.
Byll Cataria: “For instance, where they have to train in Guinea there is a lot of discussions between, eh, the schools and the companies in order to know the demands of the company to take them into account in the curriculum and living in the management of these schools. So that is exactly why we want to promote during this training.”
In Mali, an association of artisans is working to improve the skills of (mechanics), wood workers and tradesmen. That association has also help workers and companies to win government (contracts). Several West Africa countries are working together to develop a network of trade and vocational schools. The idea is based in part on a successful example developed by Nigeria.
Mr. Byll Cataria says educators are working to connect government-run school systems with other groups that are helping educate students. These include (non-governmental) organizations, community literacy centers and face-based groups. Among these groups are Islamic schools or Madrasas that are expanding what they teach. Another subject for the conference was (peace education). The idea grew out of violence in Kenya related to elections in 2007. The idea of peace education has since spread to countries including Rwanda, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
New technology offers a way for African-living elsewhere in the world, the African Diaspora to aid development in their home countries. Tor example, a professor from Burkina Faso living in the United States could use (video conferencing) to teach a class back home.
And that’s the VOA Special English Education Report. I’m Christopher Cruise.