Education regional questionnaire

Sub-Saharan Africa

Overview

Context of the initiative Presentation of the regional

module Lessons learned Next steps Results

A partnership with the African Union In the framework of the 2nd Decade of Education for Africa

(2006-2015), the AU has committed to monitoring the status of education and the progress made in implementing the 8 priority areas of their plan of action.

UIS has committed to providing available data to populate the AU Observatory database, managed by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

A set of indicators covering pre-primary to tertiary education and including education finance indicators are provided 3 times a year

UIS has offered to use its expertise, infrastructure and technical platforms to collect new data that address AU indicator needs

The regional questionnaire Administered in 45 sub-

Saharan African countries

Developed using UIS questionnaires’ platform

Launched at the end of January/beginning of February 2011

Countries given 3 months to provide data

The regional questionnaireContains 6 tables with items chosen in agreement with regional partners according to well defined criteria:

Relevance to regional monitoring and policy discussion

Identified as high priorities by partners

6 items in the regional moduleQuestionnaire

tableItem designation Link to AU areas of priority

Table 10.1 Classes and pupils Quality managementTable 10.2 Availability of

manuals and textbooks (reading and mathematics)

Quality management

Table 10.3 Graduates from pre-service teacher training programmes

Teacher development

Table 10.4 Newly recruited teachers

Teacher development

Table 10.5 Availability of basic services

A key priority identified by regional organizations 

Table 10.6 School census response rates

Education Management Information Systems

Item 1 : Classes and pupilsClass size and multi-grade teaching The deployment of teachers in

classrooms is a key factor affecting learning outcomes especially where class sizes are very large or cover several grades

Indicators calculated: • Average class sizes in primary• Sizes of single- and multi-grade classes • Percentage of students in multi-grade classes• Average number of grades in multi-grade

classes

Item 2: Availability of manuals and textbooks

(reading and mathematics)• Textbooks are one of the

educational inputs that have the greatest influence on learning achievement in African countries

Indicators calculated: Average number of pupils per

textbook for reading and

mathematics for all grades or by grade.

Item 3: Graduates from pre-service teacher training programmes

The teacher is the corner stone of the quality of teaching in Africa.

This item measures the capacity of countries to produce trained teachers

It is important to assess the need of teachers to be trained to achieve UPE and to ensure quality of education

Indicator calculated :Ratio of graduates from pre-service teacher training to teachers

in service

Item 4 :Newly recruited teachers Countries need to estimate the

demand for teachers and to plan their recruitment on an annual basis

This item can be used to measure: the level of recruitment in a country teacher turnover (or attrition)

Indicators calculated : Percentage of teachers who are newly recruited Percentage of newly recruited teachers who are female Percentage of newly recruited teachers who are trained Teacher attrition rates

Item 5: Schools with basic service (toilets, potable water and electricity)

Availability of sanitation facilities improves the learning environment, improves pupils’ health, boosts attendance and achievement and promotes gender equality

Girls are more likely to attend school where single-sex toilets are available

Item 6: School census response rates

Enable the monitoring of data coverage and the efficiency of the data collection system

Early country results show that the coverage is satisfactory

Piloting and responses A pilot test was conducted in December 2010/January

2011 with 6 countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Mali and Niger)

By mid-September 2011, 30 countries (out of 45) had responded

Some countries have provided 2 or 3 years’ worth of data (Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Niger and Nigeria)

3 other countries have submitted provisional data or are about to submit

Responding countries17. Guinea Bissau

18. Madagascar 19. Malawi20. Mali21. Mauritius22. Mozambique23. Niger24. Nigeria25. Rwanda26. Sao

Tome/Principe27. Senegal28. Togo29. Uganda30. Zambia 31. Seychelles32. Côte d’Ivoire 33. Botswana

1. Angola 2. Benin3. Burkina Faso 4. Burundi5. Cameroon6. Cape Verde7. Central

African Republic

8. Chad9. Congo 10. Democratic

Republic of the Congo

11. Eq. Guinea12. Eritrea13. Ethiopia14. Gambia15. Ghana16. Guinea

Blue = Imminent or provisional submission

A satisfactory response rate just a few months after the launch, but…

Most submissions are not complete: response rates vary according to itemsAmong the countries that have responded to the regional module

» 68 % have completed the table on class size (Table 10.1)» 82 % have provided data on the availability of manuals and

textbooks (Table 10.2)» 71 % have submitted data on graduates from teacher

training programmes (Table 10.3)» 70 % have provided data on the availability of basic services

(Table 10.5)» 90% have reported school census response rates (Table

10.6)

Lessons learned Pilot test allowed us

To detect and correct any potential issues (PDF version) To identify in advance countries’ difficulties in

understanding the questionnaire To provide better guidance

Field staff intervention and regional workshops have helped to ensure good response rates

A handful of countries do not collect or centralise the requested information (Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland)

Need for clearer instructions and definitions Manuals (which languages?), toilets (include latrines?) Improved instruction guidelines and minor questionnaire

amendments proposed for 2012

Conclusion

Satisfactory response rate (67%) and good country collaboration given the novelty of the regional module

Next steps: » Agree with our partners on the inclusion of results in

their publications and other releases» Ensure the continuing contribution of the UIS to meet

regional needs» Promotion and dissemination of the results and analysis

within UIS and UNESCO channels (website, publications, …)

RESULTSRESULTS

Key findings Key findings Class typesClass types : multigrade classes are more : multigrade classes are more

common in early grades where the learning common in early grades where the learning outcomes are the most importantoutcomes are the most important

TextbooksTextbooks: availability of textbooks ranges : availability of textbooks ranges from 0.4 pupils per textbook in Rwanda to from 0.4 pupils per textbook in Rwanda to 13 pupils per textbook in Cameroon. 13 pupils per textbook in Cameroon.

Graduates from teacher training Graduates from teacher training programmesprogrammes: new graduates represent on : new graduates represent on average less than 10% of total teachers in average less than 10% of total teachers in serviceservice

Key findingsKey findings Newly recruited teachersNewly recruited teachers: In more than half of the : In more than half of the

countries with available data countries with available data allall the newly recruited the newly recruited teachers are trainedteachers are trained

Teacher attrition : Teacher attrition : thethe percentage of teachers percentage of teachers leaving primary public education ranges from 1% in leaving primary public education ranges from 1% in Zambia to 10% in EritreaZambia to 10% in Eritrea

Schools with basic servicesSchools with basic services : There is a long way : There is a long way to go to ensure widespread availability of basic to go to ensure widespread availability of basic servicesservices

School census response ratesSchool census response rates: High (100% for : High (100% for most countries with available data)most countries with available data)

• The average class size ranges from 32 pupils per class in Mauritius to 67 in The average class size ranges from 32 pupils per class in Mauritius to 67 in Chad.Chad.

• 1 country in 3 has more than 50 pupils per class.1 country in 3 has more than 50 pupils per class.• In Mali multigrade classes have more than 70 pupils. In Mali multigrade classes have more than 70 pupils.

Class size: how crowded are classes in sub-Saharan Class size: how crowded are classes in sub-Saharan Africa? Africa?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Cha

d

Con

go

Mal

i

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Bur

undi

Moz

ambi

que

Mad

agas

car

Rw

anda

Ben

in

Togo

Sao

Tom

e/P

rinci

pe

Erit

rea

Gui

nea

Nig

er

Gha

na

Mau

ritiu

s

Sen

egal

Note : Burundi, Malawi, Mauritius and Rwanda have no multigrade classes.

Pupi

ls p

er c

lass

Class size(single andmultigrade)

Class size(single grade)

Class size(multigrade)

What is the share of pupils enrolled in multigrade What is the share of pupils enrolled in multigrade classes?classes?

In most countries, less than 20% of pupils are enrolled in multigrade In most countries, less than 20% of pupils are enrolled in multigrade classes.classes.

In the C. African Rep. and Chad, more than 2 out of 5 pupils are in In the C. African Rep. and Chad, more than 2 out of 5 pupils are in multigrade classes. In the C. African Rep. half of all the grade 1 pupils are in multigrade classes. In the C. African Rep. half of all the grade 1 pupils are in multigrade classes.multigrade classes.

Percentage of enrolment in multigrade classes

0

10

20

30

40

50

Sao

Tom

e/P

rinci

pe

Gui

nea

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Sen

egal

Togo

Nig

er

Mal

i

Mad

agas

car

C. A

frica

n R

ep.

Cha

d

%

All grades

Grade 1

Last grade

How many grades per multigrade classes?How many grades per multigrade classes?

In more than half of the countries, there are some multigrade In more than half of the countries, there are some multigrade classes covering 3 or more grades. classes covering 3 or more grades.

1.80

1.85

1.90

1.95

2.00

2.05

2.10

2.15

2.20

2.25

2.30

2.35

Beni

n

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Erit

rea

Sao

Tom

e/P

rinci

pe

Togo

Gui

nea

Cha

d

Nig

er

Con

go

Mad

agas

car

Mal

i

Num

ber o

f gra

des

Textbooks are an effective and rather inexpensive Textbooks are an effective and rather inexpensive mean to improve cognitive development and mean to improve cognitive development and educational achievementeducational achievement

Availability of textbooks varies a lot across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Cameroon 13 Availability of textbooks varies a lot across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Cameroon 13 pupils have to share the same mathematic textbook while each Rwandese pupils pupils have to share the same mathematic textbook while each Rwandese pupils have on average more than 1 textbook.have on average more than 1 textbook.

How many students graduate from pre-How many students graduate from pre-service teacher training compared to service teacher training compared to

teachers in service?teachers in service?

In Togo new graduates from teacher training programmes represent 2% In Togo new graduates from teacher training programmes represent 2% of teachers in service while in Sao Tome this proportion reaches 21%. of teachers in service while in Sao Tome this proportion reaches 21%.

0

5

10

15

20

25

Togo

Zam

bia

Gui

nea-

Bis

sau

Mal

i

Ang

ola

Cam

eroo

n

Cap

e V

erde

Nig

er

Moz

ambi

que

Mau

ritiu

s

Eth

iopi

a

Bur

undi

Mad

agas

car

Sao

Tom

e/P

rinci

pe

%

Percentage of teachers who are newly Percentage of teachers who are newly recruitedrecruited

The percentage of newly recruited teachers in primary education The percentage of newly recruited teachers in primary education ranges from 2% in Cape Verde to 15% in Cameroun.ranges from 2% in Cape Verde to 15% in Cameroun.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Cap

e V

erde

Togo

Mad

agas

car

Erit

rea

Mal

i

Sen

egal

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Gha

na

Bur

undi

Nig

er

Mal

awi

Cam

eroo

n

%

Percentage of newly recruited teachers Percentage of newly recruited teachers who are female (primary education) who are female (primary education)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60N

iger

Erit

rea

Mal

i

Mal

awi

Sen

egal

Bur

undi

Gha

na

Mad

agas

car

%

In Burundi, Ghana and Madagascar females represent 50% or more of In Burundi, Ghana and Madagascar females represent 50% or more of newly recruited teachers. This proportion is below 40% in the other newly recruited teachers. This proportion is below 40% in the other

countries. countries.

Percentage of newly recruited teachers Percentage of newly recruited teachers that are trainedthat are trained

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Malawi Togo Ghana Niger Mali CapeVerde

BurkinaFaso

Senegal Burundi Eritrea

%

In primary education, most newly recruited teachers are trained In primary education, most newly recruited teachers are trained

Teachers’ attrition rates (primary Teachers’ attrition rates (primary education)education)

In all countries with available data, less than 5% of teachers are leaving In all countries with available data, less than 5% of teachers are leaving the public sector, except for Burkina (6%), Cameroon (8%) and Eritrea the public sector, except for Burkina (6%), Cameroon (8%) and Eritrea

(10%). (10%).

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Zambia Mali Burundi CapeVerde

Senegal Niger BurkinaFaso

Cameroon Eritrea

%

In more than half of the countries with available dataIn more than half of the countries with available data 40% of schools have no 40% of schools have no toilets. toilets. Nearly 80 % of schools have no toilets in Niger whereas single sex toilets Nearly 80 % of schools have no toilets in Niger whereas single sex toilets are available in 100% of schools in Rwanda and Mauritius. are available in 100% of schools in Rwanda and Mauritius.

Are schools equipped with toilets?Are schools equipped with toilets?0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Rwanda

Mauritius

Cape Verde

Ethiopia

Burundi

DR Congo

Guinea

Eritrea

C. African Rep.

Cameroon

Ghana

Senegal

Burkina Faso

Benin

Mali

Togo

Chad

Madagascar

Niger

Percentage of schools

Without toilets

Mixed-sextoilets

Single sextoilets

With toilets, butwithoutinformation ontypes

Unknown

Availability of potable water and Availability of potable water and electricityelectricity

Schools are far better equiped with potable water than with electricity. Schools are far better equiped with potable water than with electricity. Less than 20% of schools are equiped with electricity in most of the Less than 20% of schools are equiped with electricity in most of the countries. countries.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100N

iger

Gui

nea

Mal

i

C. A

frica

n R

ep.

Togo

Equ

ator

ial G

uine

a

Bur

undi

DR

Con

go

Sen

egal

Eth

iopi

a

Cam

eroo

n

Mad

agas

car

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Cap

e V

erde

Erit

rea

Nig

eria

Gam

bia

Cha

d

Mal

awi

Gha

na

Ben

in

Mau

ritiu

s

Perc

enta

ge o

f sch

ools

withpotablewater

withelectricity

School census response School census response ratesrates

About half of the countries are reporting a response rate of 100%About half of the countries are reporting a response rate of 100%

More data on the regional module will More data on the regional module will soon be available on our website: soon be available on our website:

www.uis.unesco.orgwww.uis.unesco.org