By: Alice Ndidde, Ward Heneveld, Lina Rajonhson and Fulgence Swai

29th March 2006

Characteristics of Effective Characteristics of Effective Primary Schools in Sub Primary Schools in Sub

Saharan AfricaSaharan Africa

A Synthesis of studies in Madagascar, A Synthesis of studies in Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.

Problem Statement Investments in primary education have

NOT been very effective in influencing student learning outcomes

They have emphasized policy recommendations and national programs

Most do not take into account the wide variations in realities among schools

Usually local educators’ do NOT organize and reflect on their own experience and use these reflections to improve student learning outcomes

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd..

local empowerment and financing for improvement activities are beginning to take root

These can be reinforced with a structured approach that helps local educators analyze and reflect on their schools’ realities

But

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Study one region/province/smaller unit at a time

Form a research team of about 20 local Inspectors of schools, pedagogical supervisors, teacher trainers, and Heads of primary schools

Team to be assisted by an experienced qualitative researcher

Select 30 schools to study, 15 with high student results and 15 with weak results

One Structured Approach has been tried

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. ..

Develop research design: hypothesized characteristics and indicators of an effective local school

Collect data: two researchers in each school for two days

Analyze the data: summarize for findings; analyze for priority characteristics, formulate recommendations

Prepare and disseminate a written report

Carry out a four step process:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

This approach has been tested in four countries:

•Rwenzori Region in Uganda (the pilot)

•Toamasina Province in Madagascar

•Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique

•Singida Region in Tanzania

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Research Results:

Oversight of teachers is largely perfunctory

Very little observation of teachers in the classroom

When Head pays attention to teacher preparation and student evaluation, this may influence learning

Overall, the school’s administration is not as significant for learning as hypothesized

On school admin. and head teachers:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd.

Very little variation in teaching methods:– Teachers talk– Students are engaged passively– Textbooks are available but

poorly utilized No significant difference in

teaching methods between trained and untrained teachers

On teachers and their teaching methods:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Teachers who prepare lessons and evaluate students regularly have better student results

Language of instruction and related issues was not studied

Contd. On teachers and their teaching methods:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Learning materials, especially textbooks, are available in schools compared to ten years ago

However, classroom observations showed that:

When textbooks are used in class, they are used very formalistically

Contd. On Learning Materials

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. …

Overall, physical infrastructure is inadequate to house all students comfortably in classrooms.

While Mozambique and Tanzania, found classroom availability to be a significant characteristic,

Madagascar and Uganda did not support this conclusion (less-crowded schools)

Different conclusions suggest that there may be a threshold of crowdedness beyond which students’ results are influenced

On Physical Infrastructure:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. ..

Not associated with whether the students do well on school leaving examinations, despite supervision visits being as frequent as resources probably allow.

Why weak association?- Frequency of visits, breadth of purpose and topics

for them

- Lack of regular follow-up

- Uncertainty of roles between school heads and external supervisors

Retained as a priority issue and made recommendations to strengthen local supervision.

On External Monitoring and Supervision:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

On Community Involvement and

Support: Community involvement was found to

be significantly related to students results in Madagascar and Uganda.

Reflected in larger financial contributions compared to Mozambique and Tanzania

Students’ achievement could be influenced by the general community’s collective expectations for its children’s education when economic opportunities are greater.

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Principle Observations from these studies What goes on in the classroom

is key In-school professional

leadership influences teachers, particularly their preparation and evaluation of students

The resources in a school are often underutilized (textbooks, teaching materials, teacher training)

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. .. Physical infrastructure may only

influence learning negatively at high levels of crowdedness

Communities’ financial and in-kind help to schools may reflect their aspirations for their children, thus influencing learning

BUT priorities among characteristics that influence learning are probably unique to sub-national units:

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Uganda

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Madagascar

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Implications for future action:

The studies reinforce the conditions for improving learning that were recognized at the last ADEA conference:

Political commitment: emphasize the focus on the classroom

Select and Sequence priorities: Assess any action for what it will do to improve what goes on between teachers and students.

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. .. Capacity building: focus on those

closest to the schools.

Partnerships: Involve more public and private people from the sub-national and school levels

Learning from experience: Use strategies and activities that are based on evidence, both local and non-local

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd..

And they suggest one more condition:

Recognizing potential understanding and expertise embodied in local experience

Respect that experience and those who have it

Provide training and opportunities for local educators to study their schools objectively

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

Contd. .. Expect local educators to identify,

plan, and implement changes that use the evidence they have collected and analyzed

Provide funding so that local educators can use their analyses to plan and implement improvements in learning

Assess them on how much student performance improves

ADEA 2006 Biennial Meeting (Libreville, Gabon, March 27-31, 2006)

THE END