In Africa, millions of children wake up every morning to go to school. They spend hours in school premises apparently not learning but schooling. In Kenya, if you sample 10 school-going-age children (aged 6 and 17 years), six of them are likely to not read and comprehend a simple text. That is, only about 40% are reading at the right level. This is despite such children spending considerable time in school. Without exhibiting the key competencies required at the right grade and level, the majority of our children are just schooling and not learning.
This week marks a great moment for our children. Policymakers, academics, practitioners, and implementers from six African countries converge in Nairobi to share evidence and learn from one another on what works to accelerate foundation learning in Africa. The event dumbed, the 2023 Africa evidence forum on foundational learning is premised on delivering stronger foundational learning for all children post–COVID19. The event precedes the Education World Forum to be held in London in May 2023, which brings education ministers around the globe to discourse pertinent issues in education for sustainable development. The Africa event is in sync with the global event particularly in aligning and promoting foundation learning, especially for marginalized populations and building resilient education systems after the COVID19 disruptions.
The 2023 Africa evidence forum focuses on four key aspects that are intertwined. First is sharing evidence on foundational learning from several contexts, particularly on the status, challenges, and opportunities. This sub-theme underscores that the acquisition of foundational learning is central to thriving in school and learning. It incorporates aspects of assessments, models of enhancing the skills and related social-emotional skills that form the basis for professionally skilled children and later life
outcomes.
Secondly, is sharing evidence on functional pedagogical practices to improve foundational learning. This sub-theme recognizes that a lot is already happening in our contexts to promote the acquisition
of these skills. Consolidating and learning from these initiatives including tapping on indigenous knowledge and practices is key to achieving sustainable development goals on inclusive, equitable and quality education and lifelong learning. More important are homegrown approaches that build skills of learners starting from the level they are at irrespective of their age, schooling status and grade and how they can be implemented to benefit all learners.
Thirdly is teacher and teacher education. Teachers continue to play a pivotal role in learning. Several African countries including Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are undergoing curriculum reforms, with amovement towards competency-based education. Upskilling teachers with knowledge and pedagogies on the expectations and demands of competence-based curriculums is essential for maximising the acquisition of foundation learning of children. Despite investments in teacher professional development – including in-service teacher training – there are still gaps as to how teacher professional development can effectively equip teachers with the requisite knowledge and skills to deliver in the classrooms and promote foundation learning.
Lastly is school leadership for improved learning outcomes. Evidence shows that effective school leadership and governance positively influence learning. There are incidences where even parents demand for administrators who are known to produce results, bringing into perspective the critical role educational leadership and administration play in improving the quality of learning outcomes. However pertinent issues exist on how this can be tapped across the board as a school culture – beyond an individual and build strong and resilient school leadership, especially during emergencies among others. Further, the event will unpack dimensions of school leadership, shed light on the promotion of evidence-informed leadership, management and administration practices across Africa and discuss how these enhance foundational learning.
Maurice Mutisya
Director of Research, Zizi Afrique Foundation.
