Guidebook to Education in the Commonwealth

Guidebook to Education in the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Secretariat

Commonwealth Secretariat

Guidebook to Education in the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom

? Commonwealth Secretariat 2012

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Views and opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the author and should in no way be attributed to the institutions to which he is affiliated or to the Commonwealth Secretariat.

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Text: Geoff Lacey Cover photo credit: Jonathan Penson

Copies of this publication may be obtained from

Publications Section Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6534 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081 Email: publications@commonwealth.int Web: publications

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library.

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-84929-084-5 ISBN (e-book): 978-1-84859-140-0

iii

Foreword

One of the strengths and de ning characteristics of the Commonwealth is the sharing of experiences based on common values. All Commonwealth countries have committed to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and to providing Education for All (EFA). Despite the commonality underlying these global goals, there is great diversity ? and innovation ? in the initiatives designed to help meet them.

Even as Commonwealth countries increase their focus on achieving those goals, the difference in the rate of progress between countries is signi cant. It is recognised that, although a `one size ts all' model is not the best approach, there are many excellent practices taking place that may readily apply to other countries ? if the innovations are known and shared.

Accordingly, there is a need to identify the most successful initiatives, and share them with other Commonwealth countries. This will allow all countries to bene t from more innovation, particularly in improving quality, and in making education more relevant, participatory and inclusive.

This guidebook is intended, therefore, to provide Commonwealth governments and their partners with a platform to share their particular expertise, and as resource for other countries to use when considering introducing a particular education initiative.

Speci cally, the guidebook:

? Reports on a range of good initiatives which have improved teaching and learning in education in a cross-section of Commonwealth countries;

? Provides a practical resource to inform and advocate for greater attention to education quality and inclusion across all countries; and

? Showcases excellent education projects, programmes and activities across the Commonwealth.

Although designed primarily as a government-to-government resource, the document also contains information about solutions to educational challenges found by the nongovernment sector.

Two immediate outcomes of this sharing of successful initiatives will be to offer policymakers a wider range of contextualised examples of solutions to particular educational challenges and to provide a contact point for decision-makers from other countries when seeking to gain more detailed information.

It is hoped that the longer-term impact of this resource will be the continued sharing of best practices and experiences within and across regions.

I commend this guidebook to you and trust that you will use it to contribute to a better alignment of education practice and policy goals, through evidence-based educational strategies, and greater innovation across those strategies.

Ransford Smith Deputy Secretary-General Commonwealth Secretariat

Contents

Foreword

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Part I COUNTRY PROFILES

1. Introduction 1.1 Structure of guidebook 1.2 Locations of initiatives 1.3 Background to country education systems

2. Country Profiles 2.1 Australia 2.2 The Bahamas 2.3 Bangladesh 2.4 Barbados 2.5 Cameroon 2.6 Canada 2.7 Cook Islands 2.8 Dominica 2.9 The Gambia 2.10 Grenada 2.11 Guyana 2.12 Jamaica 2.13 Kenya 2.14 Malawi 2.15 Malaysia 2.16 Malta 2.17 Mauritius 2.18 Mozambique 2.19 Namibia 2.20 Papua New Guinea 2.21 Seychelles 2.22 Singapore 2.23 Solomon Islands 2.24 South Africa 2.25 Sri Lanka 2.26 St Kitts and Nevis 2.27 St Lucia 2.28 St Vincent and the Grenadines 2.29 Uganda 2.30 United Kingdom 2.31 United Republic of Tanzania

Part II COUNTRY INITIATIVES

3. Introduction 3.1 Commonwealth country initiatives by focus area 3.2 Definitions of focus areas 3.3 Methodology

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1 1 1 2

3 3 5 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 37 39

41

41 41 41 42

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Guidebook to Education in the Commonwealth

4. Country Initiatives

43

4.1 Access to education, through partnerships with the private sector, Cameroon

43

4.2 Apprenticeship scheme, Mauritius

45

4.3 Assessment and recognition of foreign credentials for the teaching profession, Canada

48

4.4 Australian Early Development Index (AEDI), Australia

49

4.5 Better Communication Research Programme, United Kingdom

53

4.6 Bridging the Gap programme, Mauritius

55

4.7 Certificate of Primary Education repeaters project, Mauritius

57

4.8 Child-friendly approach in primary education, Sri Lanka

59

4.9 Closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage, Australia

62

4.10 Developing a national curriculum, Australia

66

4.11 Direct support to schools programme, Mozambique

69

4.12 Early Grade Reading Assessment, The Gambia

72

4.13 Early literacy programme, Mauritius

74

4.14 Eco-schools environmental education programme, Seychelles

76

4.15 EdTech Leadership Cohort, Canada

79

4.16 Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme, Namibia

81

4.17 Education Sector Enhancement Programme, Barbados

84

4.18 Education sector planning for quality outcomes, Bangladesh

87

4.19 Educators' forum on Aboriginal education, Canada

89

4.20 Enhancement programme for primary students, Mauritius

91

4.21 Establishing a national curriculum framework, Dominica

93

4.22 Financial literacy scheme, Jamaica

95

4.23 Free education at all levels, in all areas, St Kitts and Nevis

97

4.24 Green Skills Agreement, Australia

98

4.25 Human Resource, Knowledge and Arts Development Fund, Mauritius

100

4.26 ICT professional development strategy for teachers, Guyana

102

4.27 Improved access to secondary and tertiary education for all learners, Grenada

104

4.28 Improvement of education through the use of ICT, St Vincent and the Grenadines

106

4.29 Improving Cook Islands education ? a learning and teaching approach, Cook Islands

108

4.30 Improving numeracy, South Africa

111

4.31 Improving quality of teaching and learning, Malaysia

112

4.32 Improving Reception Year practitioners' professional competence, South Africa

113

4.33 Improving school leadership, United Republic of Tanzania

115

4.34 Increasing the number of participants in community colleges' programmes, Malaysia 116

4.35 In-service training for the grandfathering of directors and caregivers of private

daycare and pre-school centres, The Bahamas

118

4.36 Kenya Education Sector Support Programme 2005?2010, Kenya

121

4.37 My School website, Australia

124

4.38 MyUniversity website, Australia

126

4.39 National Assessment Programme, Australia

128

4.40 National Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality, Australia

131

4.41 National policy and strategy for the attainment of core competences in primary

education, Malta

134

4.42 National School Nutrition Programme, South Africa

137

4.43 New academies, free schools and university technical colleges, United Kingdom

140

4.44 Non-formal education resource centre, Sri Lanka

142

4.45 Open and distance learning at secondary education, teacher education levels, Malawi 144

4.46 Pan-Canadian Assessment Programme, Canada

147

4.47 Primary Education Review and Implementation, Singapore

149

4.48 Quality assurance of the Tertiary Education Commission, Mauritius

152

4.49 Quality education, improved access, and inclusive education initiative, Cameroon

154

4.50 Quality Enhancement Initiative, Uganda

156

4.51 Recognition of Prior Learning, Mauritius

158

4.52 Roving Caregivers Programme, St Lucia

160

4.53 School health screening programme, South Africa

164

4.54 School Improvement Grant, Malawi

166

4.55 School-based apprenticeships, Australia

168

Contents

4.56 Schools as values-based environments for learning and teaching, Seychelles 4.57 Second chance programme, Mauritius 4.58 Special Bilingual Education Programme (SBEP), Cameroon 4.59 Strengthening foundation phase teacher education, South Africa 4.60 Support for Disadvantaged Students, Australia 4.61 Technical workshop on pan-Canadian Aboriginal data, Canada 4.62 Training for untrained teachers (by distance education) in primary schools,

Solomon Islands 4.63 University strategic planning, Papua New Guinea 4.64 Zones d'education prioritaires ? ZEP (Education priority areas), Mauritius

Notes

References

Monitoring Form

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