Lying
at the heart of development and progress,
primary education represents the most important sub-section of
the whole educational system. It has the unique characteristic
of contributing to the transformation of society through educating
the youngest. Since the Jomtien
Conference (PDF*),
held in Thailand in 1990, enrolment figures for primary schools
have increased in
absolute terms.There
are significant discrepancies in the funding of primary school
education.And
the quality of primary school education wasn't left untouched
by this improvement. However, primary school education around
the world still remains at the centre of concerns around the world
and was the main item of focus during the World
Forum on Education held in Dakar, Senegal, in April 2000.
The Dakar Plan of Action that was produced from it states in paragraph
7 (ii): "to make sure that before 2015, all children, especially
girls and children in difficulties, have access to a comprehensive,
free, compulsory and quality primary school education". The
truth is that more than 100 million children are still left outside
the school system. An important part of those who do go to school
does not reach the end of the school cycle or drop out before
learning to read and write properly. Therefore, primary school
education still remains a priority for us all.
Teacher
Training
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Since
the Jomtien
Conference (PDF*)
(1990), UNESCO has been placing a particular emphasis on improving
the quality of teaching, which depends largely on improving
that of the professional qualification of teachers. Its action
therefore aims at promoting policies of integrated training
programmes for educators in the field of basic education. |
Furthermore,
it supports, especially in Africa, the promotion of training in
the management of large numbers of pupils per class representing
several levels, thanks to the diffusion of teacher packs and other
reference material, along with the relevant training to allow teaching
staff to make the most of this material.
Guidance
and Counselling for girls
Education of young girls is of serious concern among the education experts in Africa. A regional seminar for the training of trainers in guidance and counselling for girls of schooling age in Africa, was held in Dakar in November 2000 by the Primary Teaching Unit of the Basic Education Division in close collaboration with the BREDA, with the aim of providing trainers with modern guidance and counselling notions and techniques in order to provide better support to youth in difficulties.
In
this respect, the organisation launched a special project called:
"Promotion of education for young girls and women in
Africa";This
special project aims at providing training and technical support
for the planning and implementation of more effective schooling
for young girls, as well as the introduction of new systems to provide
reading and writing classes for women and a continuous non formal
education, thus promoting empowerment and social status among young
girls and women. The
first stage of the project, introduced in more than 22 countries
(1996-1997), was dedicated to the designing of a a joint programme
of activities in concertation with the member states involved and
the multilateral funding bodies, and in co-operation with the Forum
of African Women specialised in the science of Education (FAWE)
and the African Federation of Women's Associations.
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Training
was provided for the production of multimedia teaching kits
in the literacy and media section of the project. In
order to implement this project, an International Centre for
Women's and Young Girls' Education will be created in Ouagadougou
(Burkina Faso), during this biennium. Just like the Centre
for Youth Guidance, Counselling and Growth in Africa (Malawi),
this centre will develop training activities for men and women
trainers and will design training modules. It
will also focus on the sharing and gathering of experience
data and of materials amongst the countries taking part in
this programme.
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