REGIONAL PROGRAMME FOR THE ERADICATON

OF ILLITERACY IN AFRICA

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST

ILLITERACY

IN AFRICA

Synopsis of Multidisciplinary

Mission Reports

(March-June 1983)

Regional Office for Education in Africa (BREDA)

INTRODUCTION

1 Organized by Unesco with the co-operation of theUnited Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)and the Organization of African Unity (OAU), a Regio­nal Conference of Ministers of Education and ThoseResponsible for Economic Planning in African MemberStates was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 28 June to3 July 1982. The Conference took place at a momentwhich gave to its work a particular significance. Conve­ned at the end of the long-term period laid down in theOutline of a Plan for African Educational Development,adopted by the Addis Ababa Conference in 1961, theHarare Conference provided an opportunity both to re­view the progress made by African States towardsachieving education for all and to take the measure ofthe problems that still remain before this goal is attai­ned, having particular regard to the goals of the ThirdUnited Nations Development Decade and the « LagosPlan of Action for the Implementation of the MonroviaDeclaration », adopted in 1980 by the Heads of Stateand Government of the OAU to promote self-sufficien­cy and strengthen the independence of the continent ofAfrica and the solidarity of its peoples.

2 - On completion of its work, the Conference unani­mously adopted the Harare Declaration in which it « so­lemnly reaffirms the commitment entered into by theAfrican Member States, ever since the Addis AbabaConference in 1961, to achieve the democratizationand renovation of education in order to enable all Afri­can children and adults of both sexes to exercise fullytheir right to education, a prerequisite for the fulfilmentof individual potential and for the progress of society»and « stresses the need for the African Member Statesto draw up and implement during the coming two deca­des educational policies geared to the objectives ofeconomic and social development and capable ofcontributing effectively to the strengthening of inde­pendence and African solidarity, and designed in parti­cular: to eliminate illiteracy through a vigorous, sustai­ned two-pronged campaign to universalize primaryschooling for children and to promote literacy amongyoung people and adults on a massive scale ».

3 - More specifically (Recommendation No 2), theHarare Conference recommended to the General Confe­rence of Unesco that it « appeal for international co-

operation and solidarity to support the efforts made byAfrican Member States to eliminate illiteracy and to en­sure that all Africans, of both sexes, can fully exercisethe right to education» ;

and to the Director-General of Unesco that he « studythe possibility of proposing, in connection with the nextdraft programme and budget, the launching of a regio­nal programme designed to promote the elimination ofilliteracy in Africa before the end of the century, by aco-ordinated effort directed towards the universal pro­vision and renovation of primary education, coupledwith literacy work among adults ».

4 - The persistence of illiteracy, especially in the Afri­can Member States, is not only a breach of the right toeducation but is also a serious obstacle to the overalldevelopment of African societies. Notwithstanding theexceptional efforts made by the African States and theprogress achieved, the African continent in 1980 stillhad the highest illiteracy rate in the world among thoseaged 15 and above: 60.6 per cent as against a worldaverage of 28.9 per cent. During the same period, mo­reover, school enrolment for the 6 to 11 age group wasas follows: for an initial group of countries having anenrolment rate of 75 per cent or more, the goal of uni­versal primary education was expected to be reachedby the end of this century; for a second with rates ofbetween 50 per cent and 75 per cent, universal primaryeducation would seem to be a probability; finally, for athird in which the enrolment rate was less than 50 percent and sometimes less than 25 per cent, the target ofuniversal primary education would seem to presentgrave difficulties if use is made solely of the resourcesand methods traditionally applied to the expansion ofeducational services.

5 - In response to the recommendation addressed tothe Director-General (see paragraph 3 above), the Se­cretariat undertook a series of preparatory activitiesfrom the end of 1982 onwards in order to identify themost appropriate means of mounting a Regional Pro­gramme for the Eradication of Illiteracy. These activi­ties were carried out at the regional level to begin withand then at the national level.

6 - At the regional level, a technical meeting forconsultation and reflection on the elimination of illitera­cy was held in Bamako, Mali, from 17 to 21 December1982. Following the Bamako meeting, a circular letterED/UCE/BREDA/83.060 was sent by the Assistant Di­rector-General for Education on 31 January 1983 to allMember States in the Region inviting them to receivemultidisciplinary missions. From March to June 1983,twenty-eight such missions visited the twenty-eight

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states which had accepted the invitation. The purposeof these missions, each of which consisted of a specia­list in all-round education, an adult literacy specialistand an educational planning specialist, was to providetechnical assistance to the states concerned in identi­fying and formulating the components of national stra­tegies for the elimination of illiteracy. Each mission,using a guide for the collection of data specially prepa­red by BREDA, and working jointly with national offi­cials, was able to prepare a report on the spot, the mainconclusions of which were submitted to the responsi­ble ministers in each of the twenty-eight countries visi­ted.

7 - Three other states (Botswana, Nigeria and theUnited Republic of Tanzania) did not request prepara­tory missions in view of the progress they had alreadyachieved in the literacy field, but clearly stated theirwish to take an active part in a Regional Programme forThe Eradication of Illiteracy, and therefore were addedto these twenty-eight countries. Consequently, the fol­lowing thirty-one Member States of the region havecurrently expressed a wish to take part in the Regional

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Programme: Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde,Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Eguatorial Gui­nea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique,Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sene­gal, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Togo, United Republic ofTanzania, Upper Volta, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

8 - The present document was drawn up on the basisof synopses of the multidisciplinary mission reports.Part 1 sets out a concise diagnosis of the literacy si­tuation, the development of primary education andadult literacy together with the linkage between thesetwo aspects of educational development. Part 2 identi­fies the elements of national strategies for the eradica­tion of illiteracy, while Part 3 offers some indications asto the prospects for participation in the Regional Pro­gramme by the countries visited.

Publication of this document constitutes the firststep in launching the Regional Programme for the Era­dication of Illiteracy, one of its operational methodsbeing the exchange of information on the situation ofthe participating countries and their national experien­ces.

DIAGNOSIS OF THE SITUATION

BASE-LINE DATA ON ILLITERACY IN AFRICA

THE 15 PLUS POPULATION

9 - Statistics and estimates on the number and pro­portion of illiterates among the 15 - plus population inthe twenty-eight countries visited are set out for theyears 1970 and 1980 in Table 1. This table also givesestimates available at the Unesco Office of Statisticsfor the Organization's other Member States in Sub­Saharan Africa so as to provide an over-all view of theRegion covered by the Regional Office for Education inAfrica (BREDA).

10 - Taken as a whole, Sub-Saharan Africa had an il­literacy rate in 1970 of approximately 75 per centamong the 15 - plus age group, a rate which had fallento 60 per cent in 1980. Nevertheless, this pronounceddecline in the illiteracy rate was accompanied by an in­crease in the number of illiterates from 101.7 million in1970 to 106.2 million in 1980. Although the annualaverage increase in the number of « literates » amongthe 15 - plus age group (7.6 per cent PEtr year) was re­latively rapid, the proportion of the age group reachedwas too small to offset the high population growth rate(2.7 per cent per year for the 15 - plus group).

11 - Illiteracy is more widespread among women thanamong men in all the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa,with the exception of Lesotho, where the contrary istrue, and of Botswana where the rates are roughly thesame for men and women. The estimates establishedby the Office of Statistics even reveal a growing dispa­rity between the sexes in this connection: in Sub­Saharan Africa as a whole, the proportion of womenamong the illiterates of the 15 - plus age group rosefrom 57.7 per cent in 1970 to 59.4 per cent in 1980.

Additionally, as was pointed out in the multi-disciplina­ry mission reports, illiteracy rates are higher in the ruralthan in the urban areas, and, in many countries, varymarkedly from one country to another.

12 - All the Member States of the region, with the ex­ception of the Comoros and Equatorial Guinea (see Ta­ble 1 and Chart 1), recorded a drop in their illiteracy ra­tes between 1970 and 1980. Among those forty-onecountries where a comparison is possible, there wereeighteen in 1970 with an illiteracy rate in excess of 80per cent whereas in 1980 there were only five. At theother extreme, the number of countries having an illite­racy rate below 40 per cent rose from two in 1970 tonine in 1980.

AMONG SCHOOL - AGE CHILDREN

13 - In 1980, for the whole of the Sub-Saharan Mem­ber States the school enrolment rate among the 6 to 11age group was 61 per cent (see below, 1.2.A.a). Thismeans that 39 per cent of children in that age group,Le.21.6 million children, either had no access to schoo­ling or had dropped out. The figures give some idea ofthe extent of illiteracy among school-age children.

14 - At the same time it should be noted that the de­cline of illiteracy between 1970 and 1980 was muchmore rapid among children than it was among adults:the number of children in the 6 to 11 age group whowere not enrolled dropped from 25.7 million (Le. a rateof 63 per cent) in 1970 to 21.6 million (Le. a rate of 39per cent) in 1980, whereas in the same period thenumber of illiterates in the 15 - plus age group increa­sed in absolute terms, as shown below.

THE SITUATION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION

EXPANSION

Enrolment

15 - For the present 44 Unesco Member States inSub-Saharan Africa, primary enrolment rose from 11.6million in 1960 to 20.3 million in 1970 and 42.9 millionin 1980, giving an average annual growth rate of 5.7per cent between 1960 and 1970 and 7.8 per cent bet­ween 1970 and 1980, or 6.7 per cent for the period

1960 to 1980. In spite of the relatively high populationgrowth in Sub-Saharan Africa during this period, thecrude rate of school enrolment, which indicates thesystem's intake capacity, has dOUbled, rising from 38per cent in 1960 to 76 per cent in 1980. Furthermore,there has also been a significant advance in the rate ofschool enrolment for the 6 to 11 population in the same

group of countries:61 per cent of children aged 6 to 11 were enrolled in1980 as against 28 per cent in 1960.

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16 - With respect to the twenty-eight countries visitedby the multi-disciplinary missions, the comparativedata concerning effective enrolment and admission ra­tes for the last year for which figures are available willbe found in Table 2. The extent to which primary edu­cation has been generalized varies greatly as may beseen from a comparison between countries on the ba­sis of rates of enrolment and admission rates in thefirst year. In this connection, a sharp distinction may bedrawn between two groups of countries: those thathave already achieved, or nearly so, universal primaryschool enrolment, and those that fall far short of it, withcrude school enrolment rates of between 25 and 36percent.

17 - The first group includes countries with a crudeenrolment rate of 100 per cent or above. Such a rateindicates a satisfactory intake capacity, despite thefact that a variety of problems sometimes delays ac­cess to schooling for some or hampers normal pro­gress by all children in the age group concerned: toomany repeaters and drop-outs, and overcrowded clas­ses. Eight of the countries visited are in this class:Cape Verde, Congo, Kenya, Sao Tome and Principe,Swaziland, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

18 - At the other extreme, a second group, whichstands out just as clearly, is that of countries where thecrude enrolment rate is below 40 per cent. Six of thecountries visited fall into this category: Burundi, Chad.Guinea, Mali, Niger and Upper Volta.

19 - The fourteen other countries visited form a so­mewhat heterogeneous group. In the short term, someof these countries seem to belong to the first group,while others are more akin to the second group by rea­son of the difficulty they experience in bringing about asufficiently rapid expansion of primary education.

20 - The proportion of girls in primary education forSub-Saharan Africa as a whole has undergone a satis­factory evolution: from 34.4 per cent in 1960 to 39.1per cent in 1970 and 44.3 per cent in 1980. Neverthe­less, as indicated in Table 2, there are a number ofcountries, particularly those where the enrolment rateis lowest, in which this proportion still represents onlyabout a third of those at school.

Teaching Staff

21 - The information contained in the reports of themultidisciplinary missions concerning pre-and in-servi­ce teachers (see Table 3) shows that, despite conside­rable efforts to train enough qualified teachers, difficul­ties are still encountered in many countries. The stu­dent-teacher ratio is relatively high in a number of ca­ses. For instance, in ten out of. the twenty-eight coun­tries, there are forty-nine to sixty-seven pupils on ave­rage per teacher in primary education. The proportionof qualified teachers has increased in all states; but ineleven of the twenty-four countries for which data isavailable, this proportion is still below two-thirds and inone case it is only 10 per cent.

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22 - Finally, in many cases the number of teachersgraduating is inadequate. The last column of Table 3compares the number of graduates with the number ofserving teachers. In most cases, the resulting propor­tion should be about 6 per cent just to maintain theexisting enrolment rate, allowing for a populationgrowth of about 3 per cent a year and an annual tea­cher loss rate also of about 3 per cent. Yet in ten casesout of twenty-one, the proportion is below 6 per cent.Furthermore, this observation ties in with the com­ments made in most reports concerning the shortage ofinitial teacher training structures which are necessaryin order to increase school enrolment and improve thequality of teaching.

RENOVATION

23 - Efforts to extend primary education to the entireschool-age population have always been accompaniedin the educational policies of the region's Member Sta­tes by a determination to adapt such education to thelocal economic, cultural and social environment of thepopulations concerned. A survey of the changes intro­duced into primary education in the countries visited bythe multidisciplinary missions reveals that some ofthem fall within overall reforms of the education systemwhile others constitute specific innovations aimed atmaking primary education more relevant and effectiveas a response to particular objectives. Moreover, re­forms and innovations in primary education are oftenclosely linked to broader national development objecti­ves such as promoting cultural identity, strengthenin~

national cohesion, reducing dependency, achievingself-sufficiency in food, and reducing social inequali­ties. The changes in primary education affect structu­res, content and curricula, teacher training and educa­tional research.

Structures

24 - The establishment of new primary educationstructures or the reorganization of existing structureshas in all cases been aimed at providing schooling foras many children as possible and ensuring that theymake progress in the system and complete their cour­se. Some countries have modified their educationstructures by reducing the length of primary schoolingin order to speed up the expansion of enrolment andadjust the period of compulsory schooling to financialand material resources and to the number of teachersavailable, as in Burundi (from seven to six years), CapeVerde (from six to four years), and Zambia (from eightto seven years). A different approach has been adop­ted by a larger number of countries, which have intro­duced a basic education course of nine to ten years,linking it with the world of work at various stages via« pre-vocational » and vocational structures, as in theCongo, Guinea, Mali and Rwanda. In the latter country,the two years added to the initial 6-year primary cycleare designed to prepare for admission to the Centresd'education rurale et artisanale integree (CERAI) whichare expected to enrol almost 90 per cent of those ha­ving completed primary school.

25 - Most of the twenty-eight countries visited alsoenvisage a cc terminal» type of primary education toaccomodate the majority of young people who have toenter the productive sector without any subsequenteducation. Such cc terminal» education, having closerlinks with non-formal education, would normally leadthe countries concerned to establish a minimal com­pulsory basic education structure in which curriculaand teaching methods would provide a sufficient foun­dation for the individual's lifelong education. The dura­tion of this compulsory basic education varies from onecountry to another. Some see it as being the same asthat already provided in primary education and consi­der that it should be gradually extended to the wholepopulation at a rate to be determined by resourceswhich are available or can be mobilized. Others seethis basic education as a medium - or even long-termobjective which should consist of fundamental educa­tion lasting nine or ten years and comprising two cy­cles of varying duration.

26 - It has likewise been deemed necessary to provi­de for pre-school education through the establishmentof the appropriate structures. In certain countries, suchas Ethiopia, Benin and Gambia, the number of kinder- .gartens has been increased. Pre-school education inEthiopia (4 to 7 years) is provided exclusively by theprivate sector and expanded to such an extent bet­ween 1974 and 1982 that the government was obligedto establish an official teacher training college speciali­zing in the training of teachers for this educational le­vel. In Benin, the so-called Centres d'eveil et de stimula­tion de I'enfant (CESE) are experimenting with pre­school education wholly or partly financed by localcommunities and with instruction given only in Africanlanguages. In Gambia, the age for admission to primaryschool was raised from 6 to 8 in 1976 and the resulthas been a rapid and unforeseen increase in the num­ber of nursery schools. As a consequence, the authori­ties have been impelled to revert to 6 years as the agefor enrolment in the first year.

Content and curricula

27 - New disciplines have emerged almost everywhe­re to strengthen links with the daily lives of children, in­cluding national languages, health and nutritional edu­cation, hygiene, first aid, management, elementarytechnology geared to home maintenance and moderni­zation and handicrafts. The bulk of the twenty-eightcountries visited have introduced national curriculawhich largely reflect their cultural, social and economiccharacteristics.

28 - In most of the countries visited, curriculum reformis regarded as a means of ensuring sodo-cultural rele­vance having as a secondary effect to prevent pupilsfrom leaving the education system prematurely. It pro­vides for curricula attuned to the cultural, social andeconomic characteristics of the countries concernedand more especially the use of national languages ineducation. Some countries are even contemplating adecentralization of content which would be determined

in conjunction with parents to ensure that content isbetter adapted to community needs. In most of thecountries visited, the methodology is derived from astUdy of the local environment. Such study wouldstrengthen links between school and the children's en­vironment, offer a common basis for organizing know­ledge and lead to co-ordinated action with the health,agriculture, nutrition, housing and recreation sectors,while preparing children to take action to ensure thatthe necessary changes are made in their environment.Some countries are even contemplating the institutio­nalization of this inter-sectoral approach in villageschools by integrating formal and non-formal activitiesaimed at both school-age children and young peopleand adults.

29 - The use of African languages in primary educa­tion is regarded by most of the countries visited as anaid in learning to read and write. In some countries,African languages are used in the first four years of pri­mary education. In Burundi, for example, primers andteachers' guides have been prepared and produced incc Kirundi » for use up to the 4th year. Primary educa­tion is likewise provided in the national languages overthe first four years in MalaWi, Sierra Leone, Swazilandand Zimbabwe. Kenya has limited use of the mothertongue to the first three years during which fifteen dif­ferent languages are employed, Kiswahili being usedfor the remaining years of the primary cycle. In othercountries, such as Gambia, Niger and the Central Afri­can Republic, African-language pilot schools havebeen instituted for the first three years. In Togo, twolanguages have been introduced on a trial basis, for thefirst year in certain classes in the north and south ofthe country. In a very few countries, national languagesare used as media of instruction troughol,lt primaryschooling. Such is the case in Kenya with Kiswahili upto the 7th year, Guinea and Rwanda. There is a (;jrowingtendency to introduce the teaching of African langua­ges in the curricula of training institutions so as toequip teachers to teach more adequately in these lan­guages.

30 - Productive work is becoming more important inthe education programmes of the countries Visited. Ingeneral, the aims are as follows: (i)to inculcate in pu­pils respect for, and a positive attitude towards, work;(ii) to prepare them for their future role as producers bygiving them practical instructoin in improved techni­ques and inculcating in them habits and standardsconducive to working efficiency; (iii) to link school tothe life of the community and use it to encourage therural population to adopt improved techniques; (iv) toenable the schools themselves to meet part of theiroperating costs. Productive work takes various formsin different countries and ranges from animal husban­dry to cultivating fields or tending vegetable gardensadjoining the school or the working of actual farms co­vering dozens or even hundreds of hectares. In Guinea,for instance, schools were converted in 1968 into cc Re­volutionary Educational Centres» (Centres d'educationrevolutionnaire - CER) in which productive agriculturalwork occupies an important place in the programme.

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The same applies to Benin where, in 1975, all schoolsbecame school production units managed by the pupilsthemselves as co-operatives.

31 - Curriculum reform has also often involved upgra­ding the teaching of some subjects or improving themethods and techniques employed. Science teaching,for example, and to a lesser extent vocational training,have been strengthened and the new educational tech­nol09ies have been introduced at the primary Jevel. InTogo, the curriculum reform is characterized by an em­phasis on mathematics while in Gabon it focuses onthe introduction of technology in the fifth year of prima­ry education and the strengthening of science teachingthroughout the entire primary level. In Granja San Feli­pe, Cape Verde has initiated an experimental reformwhereby primary education includes a significant voca­tional training component directly geared to the worldof work. The use of television in Ivory Coast is more es­pecially intended to backstop a reform of all primarycurricula and specifically the introduction of pre-tech­nological training and the modernization of mathema­tics teaching.

Teacher Training and Educational

Research

32 - The training of teachers has followed the effort tooverhaul primary education. In the twenty-eight coun­tries visited, the desire to improve the qualifications ofteachers has given rise, in general, to the decentraliza­tion of training institutions, higher recruitment stan­dards for pre-service teachers, and longer periods oftraining. The most recent example is Ethiopia whereeleven teacher-training institutions with an average re­ception capacity of 550 pre-service teachers havebeen located in various regions of the country. In Gui­nea, the seven operational teacher-training collegesare situated in the chief towns of each of the main re­gions. In addition, candidates are only recruited afterthey have had at least four years' secondary schooling.The Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gui­nea, Ivory Coast and Liberia even recruit some of theirpre-service teachers from among candidates holding asecondary certificate. Recruitment after four years ofsecondary school is frequently by means of a competi­tive examination and training occupies two years (Bu­rundi, Mali, Upper Volta), three years (Gabon, Gambia,Togo) or four years (Niger). In many cases, teacherswho have been recruited without the requisite qualifi­cations are admitted to the initial training cycle afterone year of full-time civic service. In most of thecountries visited, the purpo~e of in-service training isgradually to bring under-qualified teachers up to thesame standards as those graduating from teacher­training colleges.

33 - In order to prepare, carry out, diffuse and assessall these innovations, technical bodies have been esta-

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blished in many instances in the countries visited. Theyare responsible for ensuring better liaison between e­ducational research and education proper in order toimprove the quality of the education system. They arealso required to ensure the production and circulationof suitable teaching aids. Such, in particular, is the roleof the Curriculum Development Centres (CDC) in theEnglish-speaking countries. A centre of this kind wasestablished in Gambia in 1975 as an instrument forcontinuing curricular reform. It operates through works­hops, each of which specializes in one of the nine dis­ciplines laid down for primary education for which newprogrammes have been designed and material produ­ced up to the 6th year. In addition, material has beenprepared for the teaching of three African languages upto the third year: Mandingo, Pulaar an Wolof. The pro­grammes and material prepared by a similar centre in

Malawi concentrate primarily on science, mathematicsand technology. The Kenya Institute of Education (KIE)and Zambia's Curriculum Development Centre under­take educational research, curricula reform and prepa­re and produce school textbooks in the national lan­guages. In 1982, their achievements in this field resul­ted in the award by BREDA of the Nessim Habif prizefor the encouragement of innovations within the frame­work of the NEIDA network.

Problems Encountered

34 - All these reforms and innovations have been car­ried out resolutely despite serious shortages of human,material and financial resources. They bear witness tothe desire of the responsible authorities in the coun­tries concerned to renovate and generalize primaryeducation as soon as possible. The achievement ofthis goal, however, is confronted with a number of pro­blems.

35 - In a large number of countries, an initial difficultystems from inadequate or even non-existant planning.In many cases, operational structures and machineryto supervise, follow up, co-ordinate, adjust and correctreforms are lacking. In addition, most of the countriesvisited do not possess enough qualified personnel tocover all aspects of educational planning and adminis­tration. Systematic data gathering is not always carriedout with the result that it is difficult, and sometimes im­possible, to carry out certain critical analyses and eva­luations.

36 - The general inadequacy of staff training at all le­vels has also considerably hampered the reforms. Inmost of the countries visited, teachers in commissionsor workshops have a hand in preparing curricula. Al­though this system is theoretically better than having ahandful of specialists working full-time on the prepara­tion and revision of curricula, it too gives rise to difficul­ties in practice. Curricula are not always consistentwith the stated objectives. One example is the intro­duction of productive work, which sometimes merelytakes the form of work in a school garden or field, with

the curricula inherited from the colonial period remai­ning unchanged. Field research, which is necessary forstrengthening the relation between the school and pro­ductive work, is not always effective. Moreover, seriousdifficulties have arisen in attempting to incorporatepre-vocational and vocational training into academiccurricula.

37 - Another obstacle to reform is the traditional exa­mination system. In most of the countries visited, curri­culum reform has not been accompanied by any chan­ge in the various forms of assessment of knowledgeand skills. Lastly, in many countries the lack or shorta­ge of suitable textbooks and teaching materials de­tracts from the quality of education.

THE SITUATION OF LITERACY PROGRAMMES FORYOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

QUANTITATIVE DEVELOPMENT

38 - Table 4 gives a general idea of the quantitativeaspects of literacy programmes for young people andadult in the countries visited. It should, however, benoted that the figures shown are frequently only esti­mates, given the difficulty of data-gathering in view ofthe wide range of services and organisms involved andthe lack of co-ordination between them.

39 - A comparison between countries on the numberof participants in the most recent year for which statis­tics are available reveals a considerable disparity, thefigures ranging from a few thousand to several hun­dreds of thousands and indeed to nearly two million inthe case of Ethiopia. This situation reflects the varyingapproaches adopted in the struggle against illiteracy,some countries having opted for a mass literacy cam­paign and others for more selective programmes.

40 - Taking the ratio between the number of partici­pants for a given year and the illiterate population agedbetween 15 and 54 as an indicator of the relative ex­tent of the numbers reached by literacy programmes,marked differences between one country and anotherbecome apparent. In four of the twenty-three countrieswhere it was possible to calculate this indicator, thenumber of participants for the most recent year repre­sents more than 10 per cent of the illiterate populationbetween 15 and 54 (Ethiopia, Kenya, Sao Tome andPrincipe, and Zimbabwe) ; in six other countries, thepercentage is between 2.5 and 10 (Benin, Burundi, Mo­zambique, Rwanda, Swaziland and Togo) ; while in theremaining thirteen it is less that 2.5 (Cape Verde, Cen­tral african Republic, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Li­beria, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Up­per Volta and Zambia). It is to be feared that the num­bers reached by literacy programmes in the lattergroup of countries are too low to offset the populationgrowth and thus reduce the number of illiterates aged15 and over. It is worth noting that in six of the tencountries for which figures are available concerning thesex of participants in literacy programmes, women out­number men. The last column of Table 4 further showsthat the average number of participants per instructoris generally low, a factor conducive to successful lite­racy programmes.

STRUCTURES,PERSONNEL AND TRAINING

Structures

41 - Literacy programmes for young people andadults are the responsibility of various public and pri­vate bodies and organizations, whose structures differaccording to their institutional system, their functionsand the degree of financial and operational autonomythey enjoy. In most of the countries where the multidis­ciplinary missions were carried out, the main responsi­bility for literacy work among young people and adultsis assumed by the governments themselves and parti­cularly by the ministries or departments in charge ofeducation programmes. This reponsibility is, however,occasionally entrusted to other departments, specifi­cally those concened with social affairs or develop­ment programmes, as in the case of Kenya, Malawi,Rwanda, Togo and Zambia. Literacy work is not infre­quently associated with other forms of education andout-of-school training (adult education, communityeducation, extracurricular education, youth and sports,practical training) or sometimes (Chad, Mali) with pro­grammes designed to promote cultural activity or to en­courage the use of African languages.

42 - In some countries - Burundi, Gambia, Ivory Coastand Upper Volta - services operating within differentministries are responsible for literacy activities asso­ciated variously with socio-educational programmes orvocational training. In others, apart form the govern­ment bodies, para-statal organizations (particularlythose associated with development work as well asservice agencies of the type operating in Mali andTogo) and a variety of private organization~, as in thecase of Rwanda, play a highly important role. In suchcases, literacy activities are specifically aimed at wor­kers and members of various associations or religiousgroups. In Benin, Guinea and Mozambique, both the po­litical party in power and the responsible government,administrative and technical services, operate as es­sential catalytic agents. In Swaziland, literacy work isthe responsibility of a privately founded national insitu­te while in Sierra Leone, twenty private organizationsoperating through regional education committees areresponsible in practice for different literacy program­mes.

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43 - The organization of literacy work largely dependson the viability of the structures established, availablefinancial resources, and the liaison machinery betweenrepresentatives of the decision-marking, supervisoryand operational elements. While the situation variesfrom country to country, the conditions most frequentlyobserved are as described hereunder.

44 - Most central literacy services are located in pre­mises provided by the ministries or other bodies repon­sible for them. In some cases, especially where printingshops are involved, the services are scattered whichcomplicates instruction, liaison, and the storage andutilization of material. Similar difficulties exist at theprovincial and district levels, where however, the mainproblems relate to transport and to the distribution ofinstructional materials.

45 - Literacy classes are conducted wherever premi­ses are available (schools and training centres, buil­dings housing associations and other bodies, chur­ches, social centres, private homes) and even in theopen air. Villagers are encouraged to build literacy cen­tres which have the advantage of being useful as mul­ti-service community centres. Their contribution ismost frequently made in the form of labour (making fur­niture), but may be in kind (lodging and feeding literacyworkers frpm outside the community), or in the provi­sion of equipment or a modest salary for local literacyworkers.

46 - Co-ordination is a widespread need partly met bythe liaison and consultative mechanisms. Various lite­racy and adult education commissions or committieshave been established some of which have a purelyconsultative status, as in the case of Equatorial Gui­nea, and others - Malawi, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leoneand Zambia and particulary Benin and Ethiopia - whichhave considerably greater responsibilities. Their struc­ture and funding vary in accordance with the specificsituation of the different countries.

Personnel

47 - In most of the countries, the duties and status ofliteracy personnel vary according to category: seniorstaff (directors, chief administrators, supervisors, high­level educators and specialists); intermediate staff(middle-level administrators and operational personnel,supervisors of local activities, workshop technicians) ;local leaders and animators (primarily reponsible forthe organization and running of literacy classes).

48 - The levels of competence, working condition~

and status of literacy personnel vary, depending on re­cruitment methods and types of training. The budgetsof the ministries concerned and the nature of some lite­racy programmes exclude the possibility of placingeducators (known as literacy workers, instructors, lea­ders, animators, facilitators, etc.) on the same level asteachers. However, teachers are sometimes speciallyseconded for literacy work, particularly in urban areas

10

or in experimental schools, where in some cases theydirect, supervise and train literacy workers.

49 - A few countries are endeavouring to pay their li­teracy workers a regular salary. This is the case inSwaziland and Malawi and, especially Kenya where13,000 teachers/instructors receive full or partial sala­ries. Others rely on various forms of occasional or re­gular incentives. Senegal makes particular use of staffdrawn from private enterprise and retrained for new ca­reers and assigned to development projects which pro­vide them with a modest salary. The system whereby li­teracy workers were hired directly by development pro­jects was tried out over a long period in Mali with re­sults which varied according to the financial resourcesof the operations concerned.

50 - In other countries such as Sao Tome and Princi­pe, there is a strong commitment to voluntary work as akey adjunct to literacy campaigns especially when theyare run by the State. Some countries, however, haveindicated that this contribution declines after a certaintime; in others, mass participation on the part of allthose able to teach, obtained via a general mobiliza­tion, has been sustained and preserved thanks to thescale of the operations and to rigorous organization. InEthiopia, for example, uninterrupted literacy effortshave been possible thanks to the existence of peasantassociations with the State's responsibility being limi­ted to sending literacy personnel to remote areas asthe need arises.

51 - The responsible authorities are also moreconcerned with the situation of senior and middle-levelstaff and appropriate measures have been taken to re­cruit and retain qualified personnel. The commonestsolutions consist of providing adequate initial and in­service training and of providing those concerned witha status commensurate with their legitimate aspira­tions and the importance of their task.

Training

52 - Another problem shared by all countries involvedin literacy activities is the need to train personnel at dif­ferent levels. The solutions adopted have varied widely,but in the case of operational personnel (both profes­sional and voluntary), on-the-job in-service training (afteran initial training period of variable duration) is themost.widespread and, apparently, the most effective.

53 - Certain countries like Niger and Swaziland haveestablished training centres for middle-level personnelwhile others (Kenya and Zambia, for example) employrecent graduates from the training institutes for personnelspecializing in adult education or social development. InRwanda, the bulk of literacy staff are trained by a speciali­zed religious organization. In most cases, however, mid­dle-level staff are primary school teachers who have qua­lified at colleges of education. They frequently receive ad­ditional training, either prior to their recruitment for literacywork or while they are already engaged in it.

54 - Senior personnel receive their training in higherteachers' colleges or universities and in institutes of hi-

gher education which sometimes offer a course forcandidates wishing to specialize or to acquire an addi­tional qualification in adult education.

OBJ.CTIV••, PROGRA......AND "ETHOD.

Objectives55 - Literacy programmes for young people andadults have various purposes: the provision of reme­dial courses for adults wishing to improve their perso­nal situation, religious instruction involving the readingof sacred texts, up-grading for various groups, or edu­cation connected with vocational training for certaincategories of workers.

56 - In most of the countries, the aims of national lite­racy programmes are now incorporated in the frame­work of broader political, cultural and socio-economicobjectives. Learning, reading, writing and arithmetic isprimarily seen as a foundation which, operating inconjunction with other educational components, toge­ther make it possible to davelop communication skills.In several cases, instruction is primarily designed toprovide a segment of the population with the opportuni­ty to acquire attitudes and behaviours deemed neces­sary to the building of a new society.

57 - The commonest objectives of literacy program­mes in the countries visited may be classified as fol­lows:

1 - civic and political objectives: a more thorough un­derstanding of civic rights and duties, consciousness­raising, the national strug'gle, reconstruction, socialemancipation;

2 - socio-educational objectives: behavioural modifi­cation to support proposed social changes; the strug­gle against discrimination in education, particularly inthe case of women; improved organization of commu­nity life and community participation in its own develop­ment ; learning practical skills relating to health, com­munity life and work to improve living conditions;

3 - economic and vocational training objectives: func­tional literacy, community development and improvedproductivity through an emphasis on cultures and tradi­tional skills;

4 - extracurricular educational objectives: prepara­tion for examinations and re-entry in the formal system,often within the framework of a post-literacy program­me;

5 - cultural objectives: raising the cultural level of thepopulation, encouragement of national languages,development of traditional arts and crafts.

Programmes58 - Literacy action in some countries is seen as a.. national campaign" or as a large-scale programmedrawing upon considerable resources and aiming atthe eradication of illiteracy. National campaigns laun-

ched by these countries are based on the use of allavailable resources and on the mass mobilization ofthose forces which can make a useful contribution(educators, technicians, private business, studentsand, gradually, new literates having received intensivetraining). The primary target groups of literacy cam­paigns are those which can make an immediate directcontribution to national development and rapidly takeover the education and training of other groups: mem­bers of youth and women's, organizations, productionworkers, political militants, trade unionists, representa­tives of urban or rural areas, soldiers, etc.

59 - A fairly large number of countries having only li­mited resources have launched less ambitious literacyprogrammes primarily aimed at certain selectedgroups: workers, farmers, workers wishing to improvetheir occupational situation through a higher level ofinstruction, young people who have had little schoolingor who are wholly illiterate, women shopkeepers andvarious groups making up urban and rural milieux. Tar­gets and the limits of the strategies chosen are deter­mined by political options, the nature of the objectivesset, financial limitations, the range of education sys­tems and relations with - development programmes.Cer­tain common options may, however, be observed: atrend towards decentralization of activities and the es­tablishment of more effective machinery for achievingjoint action and co-ordination. Participation by the po­pulation concerned is always provided for and encou­raged, primarily by means of local committees andboards created by the communities or groups involved.

60 - The qualitative aspect of the action planned ta­kes into account the specific needs and interests of thetarget groups as well as the broader development ob­jectives and, as was noted in Guinea and Rwanda, maytake precedence over the quantitative aspect. Quanti­tative objectives are, however, also indicated (see 2.2,§ 109).

61 - In those countries where the illiteracy rate is par­ticularly high, programmes are restricted by limited re­sources and existing structures. Sporadic adult literacyoperations have proved possible in certain countriesfor which preliminary surveys should be carried out todetermine realistic objectives in order to ensure a ba­lance between the extent of the planned action and theavailability of resources.

62 - The scope of literacy programmes depends ontheir content and the practical possibilities of carryingthem out. Content generally corresponds to the objec­tives. As a rule the teaching of reading, writing andarithmetic is linked to the communication of simpleideas centred on specific subjects. The themes mostfrequently selected (home, community, market, health,diet, work, co-operative, social and political life) incor­porate the problems and interests of the community.

63 - In some countries (Gambia, Guinea-Bissau,Cape Verde), literacy programmes are wholly or partlyderived directly from school programmes; in others(Congo, Sierra Leone, Togo, Upper Volta), the pro­grammes differ according to the target groups involved.

11

64 - Instruction in virtually all literacy programmes isgiven in the national language. An important feature ofsuch programmes, it was introduced in several coun­tries as a follow-up to linguistic research and experi­ments conducted by the responsible literacy services.The preparation of teaching and reading material, radiotraining programmes and educational broadcasts, therural press and other post-literacy activities are majorfactors in the promotion of national languages and cer­tain countries such as Ethiopia, Mali, Rwanda, Togoand Zambia have made considerable efforts in thesefields.

65 - Post-literacy programmes are sometimes seenas the logical continuation of initial educational actionundertaken in the conotext of lifelong education andsometimes as a form of remedial education for youngpeople who have had little or no schooling. The contentof the programmes varies according to the objectivesset: providing an opportunity for those so desiring toraise their cultural level and helping to create « literatezones» in localities where formal or non-formal educa­tion has already been made available; training leadersof socio-economic activities (particularly co-operativesand community development programmes) who cancontribute to the improvement of their milieu; providingjob holders with the opportunity to improve their situa­tion through improved technical or administrative train­ing.

66 - The organization of the programmes dependspartly on their educational content and partly on theconditions in which classes ares held. In the case ofconventional academic programmes, regular attendan­ce is essential and classes take place four or five timesper week, mostly in the evening. The other program­mes, especially in rural areas, are determined by localconditions (seasonal work, rural exodus, traditional ce­remonies) and by the availability of literacy workers.

67 - Literacy classes are mostly held in the afternoonor evening after the day's work. They take place two orthree times per week for a maximum period of twohours. The duration of the course varies in accordancewith the type of programme involved (from 4 to 5months to 2 to 3 years) but as a rule they consist oftwo successive phases of 6 to 9 months each, the first

being introductory and the second intended to consoli­date what has been learned. Post-literacy programmesare very differently organized and in some cases, invol­ve radio or correspondence classes or even self-ins­truction.

Methods68 - Literacy programmes make use of different me­thods and techniques but are frequently guided by theprinciple of active education. Traditional teaching me­thods relying on the mechanical learning of the alrha­bet and on learning by rote are increasingly less used.Global and semi-global methods relating the learning ofreading and writing with the understanding of a messa­ge (conveyed by an image or practical demonstrations

and talks followed by discussion) 'are increasingly 'wide­spread. In this way, literacy work has to some extenthelped to disseminate the use of new methods andtechniques (e.g. environmental studies, practical activi­ties, group discussions and work) which formal educa­tion has normally been slow to adopt.

69 - In many cases, the methods used are revisedand adapted to local situations, in direct relationshipwith the specific objectives of the countries and bodiesconcerned. The circumstances in which the methodsare applied, i.e. the motivation and interest of partici­pants (and hence their regular attendance) and thequality of the instruction given as regards both the levelof the instructors and the availability of educationalmaterial, are to a large extent determining factors. Inthis connection, it may be noted that the use of audiovi­sual aids is widespread in literacy programmes as faras the purely visual element is concerned (photos anddrawings related to the lessons and discussion sub­jects), while the use of radio is more limited.

70 - Intensive short programmes employ simple me­thods which are initially designed to teach reading, wri­ting and arithmetic and, at a later stage, to transmitideas and practical skills. In other circumstances, pre­vocational training is linked with literacy work so thatthe strategy selected also allows for practical activi­ties. Finally, some literacy programmes give priority tothe shaping of political awareness through appropriatelectures and discussions.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRIMARY EDUCATION ANDLITERACY PROGRAMMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

71 - All countries involved in the struggle to eradicateilliteracy recognize the need to develop educationthrough global strategies which link formal and non­formal education. This linkage of two sub-systems isevident in the structures, methods and techniques ofteacher training and in the use of national languages.

STRUCTURES, METHODS ANDTECHNIQUES72 - To a large extent, the possibility, the extension

12

and the methods of linking primary education and lite­racy work depend on the existing structures. Condi­tions are obviously more favourable when the respon­sible services come under the same administrative au­thority and especially when their action is in accordan­ce with guidelines laid down in the course of continuingconsultation arranged by liaison and co-ordinationstructures and machinery. This liaison and co-ordina­tion function is exercised, either as prescribed by lawor because it has evolved in practice, at various levels

by the literacy and education committees set up underthe responsible ministries, as is the case in Benin,Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Zambia. Thejoint action committee of users of national languages

in teaching and literacy work (Upper Volta) and the lin­guistic research committees attached to the literacy di­

vision (Togo) have proved effective in providing link­ages of a technical nature.

72 - Where possible, literacy services place their faci­lities at the disposal of other services (for example, theprinting shops in Mali and Swaziland). In most cases,however, these services have only limited resourcesand rely on the facilities of the schools (classroomsand school premises) and sometimes on the equipmentand transport facilities. Personal contacts, especially indecentralized areas, sometimes make it possible toovercome operational difficulties even where there areno specific administrative instructions defining therelations between the two educational sub-systems.

74 - In other cases, there are reciprocal exchanges of

services or even joint activities on a formal basis. Thistype of co-operation is frequent and in particular invol­ves the use of teachers in literacy classes and the poo­ling of resources, as in Kenya, Malawi, Cape Verde, Li­beria and Zambia. The participation of teachers isgreatly facilitated when literacy or post-literacy pro­grammes correspond to school curricula, as is the casein Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe.

75 - An important element in the linkage between pri­mary education and literacy programmes is the adop­tion by the former of some of the latter's methods andtechniques. This applies, for example, to environmentalstudies and productive work in schools which are oftenbased on methods used in national literacy and post­literacy programmes (elaborated during functional lite­racy operational seminars which have been held in alarge number of countries and, more especially, in theCentral African Republic, Congo, Benin, Ethiopia, UpperVolta, Mali, Togo, Zambia, etc.).

76 - Countries such as Burundi, Gambia, Sierra Leoneand zambia have had to ~vise curricula and methods inorder to introduce a cc terminal» type of primary educa­tion oriented towards life in the rural areas rather thantowards office work or the systematic pursuit of furtherstudies. In other countries, equivalences have been es­tablished between the two sub-systems, in-school andout-af-school, in respect of content and level so as tofacilitate transition from one to the other. This is thecase, for example, in Ethiopia, Cape verde and Guinea­Bissau. In the latter countries, adults enrolled at prima­ry level in 1981-1982 accounted for approximately 5per cent of the total enrolment at that level. In Ethiopia,those who have successfully completed literacy cour­ses are eligible for enrolment in the third year of prima-

ry education and to attend evening classes, most ofwhich are held in urban areas, until the end of that cy­

cle.

TEACHER TRAINING

77 - Another possible type of linkage consists of thecomplementary training of teachers in literacy workand adult education. Experiments on a more or less ex­tensive scale have been carried out in several coun­tries. Following are examples of the results obtained:

- introduction of adult education (optional) in the trai­ning courses offered in the teachers' colleges of Kenyaau Congo (like Guinea, the Congo plans to establish atraining element within the university for literacy per­sonnel) ;

- establishment of an in-service teacher training cour­se for experimental schools under the Centre for theTraining of Literacy Personnel in Niger ;

- large-scale introductory training for literacy person­nel, teachers and other educational staff in the trans­cription of national languages in Mali and Niger.

78 - Another experiment involves the teacher trainingcollege of Bunumbu in Sierra Leone which is engagedin developing curricula adapted to the activities of ruralpopulations, integrating elements of adult literacy intothe training of student and teachers and experimentingwith community schools. These schools are designedfor school-age children, for young people who have leftschool prematurely and for adults, the aim being to es­tablish a close linkage between the in-school and out­of-school sub-systems. The positive results of the ex­periment encouraged the populations concerned totransform the village of Bunumbu into an actual townwith a water supply, electric light, a bank, a consumerco-operative, etc. Other villages having community pi­lot schools are undertaking similar community tasksand thereby spreading what is know as the cc Bunumbu

spirit» throughout the country.

THE USE OF NATIONAL LANGUAGES

79 - The use of national languages in education re­flects one of the fundamental options of African go­vernments over recent years with a view to renovatingtheir education systems and adapting them to thecultural, social and economic realities of their coun­tries.

80 - Of the twenty-eight countries visited by the multi­disciplinary missions only four possess a single lan­guage: Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and Swaziland. AlltAe others are multilingual and the policies they haveadopted as regards the use of national languages mustof necessity take this fact into account. In order toavoid dispersal of efforts and resources, some of thesecountries have (at any rate for the initial stage) selec­ted a limited number of national languages - one or two

13

when the linguistic situation makes this possible, as inthe Congo, the Central African Republic and Togo, ormore where necessary, as in Guinea, Mali, Senegaland Zambia. As soon as the requisite pedagogicalmaterials are available, other countries such as EthIo­pia and Kenya will provide instruction in the maximumnumber of national languages or mother tongues ineducation. It is noteworthy that a significant trend to­wards the promotion of national languages exists evenin Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome andPrincipe where the great majority of the people usePortuguese or Spanish as the case may be. In CapeVerde, for example, a national seminar was held in1979 to consider the question of studying and usingCreole. At the beginning of the school year In Equato­rial Guinea in September 1983, the Teacher TrainingCollege of Malabo initiated a project for the teaching offour African languages.

81 - Most of the twenty-eight countries have establis­hed research centres, institutions or other machineryto initiate or strengthen the development of nationallanguages and supervise their application in the edu­cational system. Examples include the National Acade­my of linguistics in Guinea, the pedagogic institutes orcentres of applied liFlgUIStlcs In Congo, Mali, the Cen­tral African RepubliC and Senegal, the national langua­ge commissions In Upper Volta and Sierra Leone andthe departments of linguistics which exist In most ofthe universities. The literacy services in Benin, Ethio­pia, Mali, Togo and other countries likewise collaborateactively in the preparation of teaching material for chil­dren and adults and in the production of reading and in­formational material (in particular, the rural press andradio and television programmes) In national langua­ges, the material in question being designed for thosewho have attended school and for new literates.

82 - The great majority of the twenty-eight countriesvisited use national languages in radio and televIsionprogrammes. Where certain countries are concerned(e.g., Burundi and Rwanda) this applies to more than80 per cent of all broadcasts. Data available on thepress indicate that most countries have one or twonewspapers, most of which are rural papers. Too often,they are published at ,irregular intervals and only a veryfew countries, like Mall, Togo and Rwanda, have news­papers which appear on a regular basis. Most of thecountries visited have already prepared or are engagedin preparing grammar books, glossaries and linguistic

maps. Available information, however, reveals a num­ber of problems connected with the preparation andproduction of textbooks and teaching material. Literaryworks In African languages are the exception ratherthan the rule.

83 - It is everywhere noteworthy that this massivetrend towards the rehabilitation of national languagesIS productive of a great many positive effects. School­age children as well as young people and adults learnto read and write more qUickly. National cohesion isstrengthened through the enhancement of nationalcultural values and family and community life are moreclosely linked to school activities. Participation In deve­lopment operations, espeCially as regards agriculturalextension work, diet and health, achieves a higher levelof awareness

84 - At the same time, it is emphasized that the move­ment still encounters difficulties of various kinds. First,tranSCription: the transcription of African languagesand the establishment of standards In respect of gram­mar and spelling are far from being definitively settled.Even In those countries where the necessary work hasbeen done, variations still emerge which could lead to arandom evolution of the languages concerned, hencethe Importance of achieving a precise identification andharmonization of transcriptions within a given countryand between several countries using the same langua­ges Second, modernization of languages (having parti­cular regard to the difficulties which the population ex­periences In making the necessary adaptation and thenumerical and qualitative inadequacy of researchers)in view of the educational and scientifiC demands of themodern world, the body of information derived from anumber of surveys carned out in African countries isrelatively limited Third, statistiCS and publications: the­re is eVidence of a lack or Inadequacy of up-to-datestatistiCS and Information on African languages and ofappropriate text-books, the latter consideration makingit necessary In some cases to postpone the introduc­tion of African languages in education. Fourth, inter­State co-operation: there IS insufficient co-operationbetween the various institutions of a given State andat Inter-State level, a lack of co-operation between ins­titutions conducting research on a language spoken Intwo or three or more States The Regional Programmecould play an important part in encouraging and deve­loping co-operative opportunities and activities.

DATA CONCERNING THE FUNDING OF PRIMARY EDUCATION ANDLITERACY WORK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

85 - An analysis of the data contained in the reportsof the multidisciplinary missions concerning the fun­ding of educational systems in general and of the twosub-systems (primary education and literacy program­mes) reveals a number of facts worth recalling.

14

86 - By and large, the proportion of the total recurrentexpenditure in the public sector devoted to educationhas grown less rapidly over recent years than duringthe preceding period. For the twenty-seven countriesfor which data is available, the average was 18.6 per

cent for the latest year (between 1980 and 1982/83,depending on the country). There are, however, consi­derable disparities between one country and another ,ranging from 8.6 per cent for Sao Tome and Principe in1982 and 45.7 per cent for Ivory Coast in 1981. In ma­king comparisons between countries on this basis, onemust, however, allow for various factors and, in particu­lar, the ratio (which varies greatly) between the natio­nal budget as a whole and the GDP.

87 - Recurrent and capital expenditure on public edu­cation averages 4.7 per cent of the GDP for the twenty­four countries for which data is available. While lesspronounced than in the preceding case, variations arenonetheless significant: 2.3 per cent for Niger in 1982and 8 per cent for Ivory Coast in 1981. The averageproportion of 4.7 per cent remains relatively moderate,especially if allowance is made for the fact that the pro­portion of young people in African populations is muchhigher than in other regions of the world such as thedeveloped countries which, taken as a whole, devoted5.9 per cent of the GDP to education in 1979.

88 - Recurrent expenditure at the primary level avera­ged 45.7 per cent in the nineteen countries for whichthe relevant data is available, again with marked varia­tions : 20.7 per cent for Gabon in 1982 as against 64.1per cent for Kenya in 1981/82. Conversely, almost allthe countries have one feature in common - the veryhigh proportion of recurrent expenditure in primary

education accounted for by teachers' salaries. Theaverage is 90.4 per cent in the nineteen countries forwhich data is available. This fact tends to confirm theremarks made in several reports concerning the shor­tage of equipment and teaching material.

89 - The proportion of recurrent expenditure on thetraining of primary teachers is frequently difficult to cal­culate. It is estimated, however, at 3.4 per cent on theaverage for a group of fourteen countries, with varia­tions ranging from 0.02 per cent in the Central AfricanRepublic to 6.8 per cent in Mali.

90 - Finally, the data available for sixteen countriesindicate that the proportion of recurrent expenditure on

adult education programmes is very small, amountingto less than 2 per cent in eleven of those countries, theexceptions being Cape Verde (4.6 l?er cent), Ethiopia(3.9 per cent), Upper Volta (8.3 per cent), Sao Tomeand Principe (7.0 per cent) and Swaziland (2.1 percent).

91 - Although the ratios analysed remain on the wholereasonably moderate, the economic and financial diffi­culties experienced by the countries of the region im­pose s~vere limitations and several reports thereforestress the need to give priority to making better use ofexisting resources and mobilizing new types of re­sources.

15

Chart 1 : Evolution of illiteracy Rates Among the 15-plus Population in 41 African Countries Bet­ween 1970 and 1980.

Illiteracy rates (%)

20

20

3040

401 II Mauritius~

Lesotho

fComores

50

50

60

60

Zimbabwe ••••••~Zambia

Namibia

MadagaSCalrr~lIlIlIlI~Swaziland I

Botswana

'Uganda

Zaire

70

7080

80

90

Congo

United Republic of Cameroon

I I I Gha:naUnited Republic of Tanzania •••••••••

I Gab?n

Rwanda •••••••••Cape Verde

IKenya

Malawi

Nigeria

Mozambique

Togo

BurundiiII==~._Ivory Coast II Liberia

Central African Republic I

IBenin

G~inea

Sierra Leone

Senegal

Angola. ,Gambia

IChadGuinea-Bissau

100

, ,UpperVolta

I M:ali

EthioPia ••••••

Nigerp

:;:i",;a1 90

Sources: See Table 1.Note: The illiteracy rate for 1970 is indicated by the beginning of the arrow and for 1980 by the end.

16

Table 1 : Illiteracy Rates Among the 15-plus Population in Unesco's Sub-Saharan Member States:Estimates for 1970 and 1980

1970 1980Difference

Country 15 + Popu- Illiterates illiteracy 15 + Popu- Illiterates Illiteracy 1970-1980lation 15+ (%)

lation 15+ (%) (% points)(000) (000) (000) (000)

Benin 1,445.7 1,223.8 84.7 1,901.2 1,370.7 72.1 -12.6Burundi 1,995.1 1,617.3 81.2 2,462.9 1,803.0 73.2 -8.0Cape Verde 146.6 101.4 69.2 207.3 116.5 56.2 -13.0Central Afri-can Republic 1,102.6 932.5 84.6 1,321.6 885.4 67.0 -17.6Chad 2,133.9 1,907.8 89.4 2,592.8 2,053.0 79.2 -10.2Congo 691.0 457.8 66.2 870.9 379.6 43.6 -22.6EquatorialGuinea (a) 153.3 92.00 60.0 166.8 105.1 63.0 +3.0Ethiopia (b) 14,058.7 13,170.3 93.7 17,281.0 11,232.7 65.0 - 28.7Gabon 336.0 227.4 67.7 368.0 172.7 46.9 -20.8Gambia 249.5 22.9 89.3 335.6 268.0 79.9 -9.4Guinea 2,253.1 1,930.1 85.7 2,819.6 2,138.7 75.9 -9.8Guinea-Bissau 310.0 280.4 90.4 350.9 284.6 81.1 -9.3Ivory Coast 3,047.6 2,494.4 81.8 4,449.5 2,890.0 65.0 -16.8Kenya 5,842.1 4,045.0 69.2 8,092.9 4,278.5 52.9 -16.3Liberia 733.3 607.4 82.8 1,023.8 721.8 70.5 -12.3Malawi 2,398.6 1,6995 70.9 3,224.6 2,053.6 63.7 -7.2Mali 2,961.2 2.748.8 92.8 3,792.1 3,280.6 86.5 -63Mozambique 4,685.5 3,695.8 78.9 5,894.0 3,934.8 66.8 -12.1Niger 2,149.8 2,068.6 96.2 2,839.6 2,560.4 90.2 6.0Rwanda 1,939.3 1,323.0 68.2 2,561.6 1,287.9 50.9 -17.9Sao Tome and (c)Principe - - - 51.8 22.1 42.6 -Senegal 2,390.9 2,11.9 88.5 3,140.8 2,434.7 77.5 -11.0Sierra Leone 1,532.8 1,337.5 87.3 1,949.5 1,488.9 76.4 -10.9Swaziland 237.1 123.3 52.0 304.6 118.7 39.0 -13.2Togo 1,104.3 893.4 80.9 1,428.6 967.0 67.7 -13.2Upper Volta 3,033.2 2,793.3 92.1 3,832.5 3,396.7 88.6 -3.5Zambia 2,284.0 1,112.9 48.7 3,052.0 958.7 31.4 -17.3Zimbabwe 2,838.1 1,282.0 45.2 3,900.4 1,2118.6 31.2 -140

Countries visited (28) 62,053.3 50.504.5 81.4 80,216.9 52,423.0 65.4 -16.0

Angola 3,192.'- 2,827.5 88.6 3,969.7 2,877.4 72.5 -16.1Botswana 320.1 185.6 58.0 405.6 157.7 38.9 -19.1Comoros 147.2 64.2 43.6 196.5 86.8 44.2 +0.6Ghana 4,671.9 3,157.7 67.6 6,236.6 3,245.2 52.0 -15.6Lesotho 634.2 239.9 37.8 792.1 239.3 302 -7.6Madagascar 3,888.2 1,965.1 50.5 4,935.0 1,916.5 38.8 -11.7Mauritania - - - - - - -Mauritius 462.6 149.7 32.4 623.7 131.3 21.0 -11.4Namibia 432.3 217.3 50.3 564.5 191.0 33.8 -16.5Nigeria 30,061.1 22,725.6 75.6 40,553.6 26,758.6 66.0 -9.6Seychelles - - - - - - -Somalia 1,605.4 1,554.3 96.8 2,627.9 2,468.9 93.9 - 2.9Uganda 5,453.3 3,209.3 58.9 7,235.8 3,452.5 47.7 -11.2United Repub-lic of Cameroon 4,036.3 2,719.2 67.4 4,937.3 2,541.7 51.5 -15.9United Repub- (d)lie of Tanzania 7,386.8 4,994.4 67.6 9,701.3 2,619.4 27.0 -40.6Zaire 12,059.4 7,203.4 59.7 15,675.4 7,133.4 45.5 -14.2

Other countries (14 74,350.9 51,213.2 68.9 98,455.0 53,819.7 54.7 -14.2out of 16)

Total (42 out 136,404.2 101,717.7 74.6 178,671.9 106,242.7 59.5 -15.1of 44)

Sources: Apart from those figures for countnes preceded by a letter ~hlch refers to the notes below (a, b, c, d), all the data in thistable derives fromestimates made in 1982 by the Unesco Office of Statistics

Notes:

(a) As regards Equatorial Guinea, the basIc data is drawn from the report of the multidisciplinary mission for the premaration of theRegional Programme for the Eradication of Illiteracy (6-20 May 1983), p. 16 .

(b) As regards Ethiopia, the rate of illiteracy In 1980 is based on the estimate published in " Every Ethiopian Will be Literate andWill Remain Literate - The National Literacy Campaign in Ethio'pia .. , a publication of the National Literacy Campaign Co­ordinating Committee, May 1981, p. 39.

(c) As regards Sao Tome and Pnncipe, the data is derived from the 1981 national census as reproduced In the multldlscipllnary re­port (26 April- 9 May 1983), p. 20.

(d) As regards the United Republic of Tanzania, the illiteracy rate as shown In the 1980 column is the one given for 1977 in the na­tional report submitted to the Harare Conference in 1982 : " Development of Education in Tanzania: Past Expenences, PresentTrends and Future Prospects .. , p. 12.

17

Table 2: Primary School Enrolment: Situation for the Latest Year Available and Developments Since1965 (In countries visited by the multldlsclpllnary missions).

Enrolment Av. annual

Duration Enrol-Rate First-year increase

Countries visited Latest year % (a) admission in enrol.(28) available (age-group ments Girls rate 1975-lates

concerned) (000) Crude Net (%) (b) year avail-(%) (%) able (%)

Benin 1982 6(6-11) 404.3 32.3 64 - - 6.5

Burundi 1981/82 6 (7-12) 206.4 37.7 33 22 - 8.1

Cape Verde 1981/82 4 (7-10) 48.7 48.9 153 91 121 -3.5

Congo 1982/83 6(6-11) 406.8 (c) 48.2 156 - - 4.1

Ivory Coast 1982/83 6 (6-11) 1,135.5 (c) 40.0 84 67 70 7.8

Ethiopia 1981 6(7-12) 2,374.4 35.7 47 - - 14.0

Gabon 1980/81 6 (6-11) 155.1 49.0 - - - 3.8

Gambia 1982/83 6 (8-13) 53.8 36.0 56 - - 13.2

Guinea 1981/82 6(7-12) 249.9 (c) 33.3 31 - 29 3.9

Guinea-Bissau 1981/82 4(7-10) 65.0 32.6 - - - 4.2

Equat. Guinea 1982/83 8 (6-13) 42.3 43.7 - 50 - (e) 25.6

Upper Volta 1982/83 6(7-12) 251.3 (c) 36.9 25 21 24 8.5

Kenya 1982 7 (6-12) 4,184.6 47.9 107 84 - 5.5

Liberia 1981 6 (6-11 ) 155.2 36.9 52 - - 6.9

Malawi 1981/82 8 (6-13) 883.6 41.7 74 53 - 5.8

Mali 1980/81 6(7-12) 291.2 (c) 36.3 28 - 24 2.9

Mozambique 1982 4(7-10) 1,341.8 (c) 42.5 - - - (t) 0.8

Niger 1982/83 6(7-12) 244.8 35.9 27 (d) 23 - 8.1

Cen. At. Rep. 1981/82 6(6-11) 259.5 36.6 70 - 61 2.7

Rwanda 1981/82 8 (7-14) 743.1 48.1 64 61 74 10.8

Sao Tome & Pr. 1982/83 4(7-10) 16.2 48.9 133 95 - 4.1

Senegal 1981/82 6(6-11) 452.7 39.7 48 39 - 6.4

Sierra Leone 1980/81 7(5-11) 263.7 (c) 39.9 42 - - 5.1

Swaziland 1982 7 (6-12) 125.3 49.7 111 86 - 4.9

Chad 1982/83 6(6-11) 261.3 (c) 26.7 36 - - (g) 3.6

Toga 1981/82 6(6-11) 498.6 39.4 111 (d) 74 87 5.4

Zambia 1981 7 (7-13) 1,076.4 46.1 94 - - 3.6

Zimbabwe 1983 7 (6-12) 2,042.5 (c) 48.0 132 - - 11.6

Sources

Apart from certain cases mentioned In the notes below. data for the countnes visited were taken from the multidisciplinary missionreports.

Notes

(a) The crude primary school enrolment rate, obtained by companng primary school enrolment figures for all age-groups with theage-group concerned, indicates the admission capacity of the system in relation to this group. The net rate, obtained by com­paring the primary school enrolment figures for this age-group with its total population, indicates the extent to which primaryeducation has been universalized. In both cases, the demographic data are taken either from the multidlsciplinary mission re­ports or United Nations estimates (average variant calculated in 1980)

(b) Rate obtained by comparing the first-year new enrolment figures (excluding repeaters) with the age-group of the admissionage concerned. See note (a) for the demographic data used.

(c) Percentage of girls calculated on the basis of enrolment figures for a previous school year

(d) Net rate estimated by applying the age distnbutlon of enrolments for a prevIous year to enrolments for the year concerned.

(e) Developments since 1980.

(f) Developments since 1976.

(g) Developments since 1976.

18

Table 3: Serving and Trainee Primary Teachers in the 28 Countries Visited (latest year available)

Teachers iAverage Initial Training of Teachers

Latest Of whom,",umber Graduates per year (b)

Total ~f pupils NumberCountries Year quali- per in Number As % of num-

Available fied (a) teacher Training bar of teachers

(A) %(B) (B/A %)

Benin 1982 10,381 58 39 - 940 9.1

Burundi 1981/82 5,570 80 37 1,826 - -

Cape Verde 1979/80 1,538 10 34 (c) 103 48 3.1

Central African Republic 1981/82 4,284 87 61 990 495 11.6

Chad 1982/83 4,162 85 63 392 134 3.2

Congo 1981/82 6,997 93 58 (c) 2,082 (c) 1,462 20.9

Equatorial Guinea 1982/83 1,082 33 40 - (d) 40 3.7Ethiopia 1981 37,840 (c) 45 63 6,050 6,050 16.0

Gabon 1980/81 3,441 67 45 (c) 2,867 241 7.0

Gambia 1982/83 2,347 (c) 50 23 (c) 186 50 2.1

Guinea 1981/82 7,723 98 33 (c) 1,188 256 3.3

Guinea-Bissau 1981/82 2,469 - 28 233 78 1.1Ivory Coast 1982/83 31,457 98 36 2,860 - -Kenya 1982 115,094 70 36 11,450 (c) 5,725 5.0

Liberia 1981 (e) 5,451 28 35 (c) 581 - -

Malawi 1981/82 13,120 (c) 63 67 (c) 1,754 877 6.7Mali 1980/81 7,508 - 39 - 665 8.9Mozambique 1982 20,368 30 66 - 2,060 10.1Niger 1982/83 5,755 76 43 2,355 - -Rwanda 1981/82 13,043 52 57 5,124 1,025 7.9Sao Tome and Principe 1982/83 687 - 28 - - -

Senegal 1981/82 11,326 89 40 1,807 1,270 11.2Sierra Leone 1980/81 9,472 39 28 - 500 5.3Swaziland 1982 3,769 88 33 297 141 3.7

Togo 1981/82 9,619 80 52 - - -

Upper Volta 1982/83 4,142 - 61 130 65 1.6Zambia 1980 21,318 81 49 4,485 1,500 7.0Zimbabwe 1983 45,467 52 42 (f) 6,155 - ...

Sources: All the above data IS taken from the reports of the multidisciplinary miSSions for the preparation of a Regional Programmefor the Eradication of Illiteracy.

Notes:

(a) The proportion of qualified teachers has been calculated on the baSIS of criteria set out In the reports.

(b) The number of graduates per year corresponds either to the number of certified teachers in the year available, or to theaverage number of certified teachers over several years, or to the number of students enrolled in the last year of thetraining cycle, or to the average number of student-teachers per training year. .

(c) Figures preceded by the letter (c) relate to the year before or after that Indicated in the column « latest year available ».

(d) As regards Equatorial Guinea, the number of graduates IS that of the first batch of the Bata Teacher Training College.

(e) As regards Liberia, the number of teachers comprises both primary and pre-primary teachers.

(f) As regards Zimbabwe, the number in training compnses teachers in the ZINTEC programme (Zimbabwe Integrated Natio­nal Teacher Education).

19

Table 4 : Quantitative data on literacy programmes for young people and adults.

Participants Partici- RatioLatest Number pants/ partici-

Countries visited year Number of of IlIiter- pantavail- centres instruc- Number %

ates instruc-able tors Women % (a) tor

Benin 1982 414 (b) 1,570 39,233 - 3.4 30

Burundi 1981 224 - (c) 362,903 - (d) 6.4 -

Cape Verde 1982/83 136 124 2,191 - 2.4 18

Congo 1982 366 401 16,902 64.8 - 42

Ivory Coast 1980 222 - 16,032 - 0.7 -Ethiopia 1981/82 (e) 49,098 - (e) 1,932,371 64.5 22.0 -Gabon - - - - - - -Gambia 1983 120 151 4,808 21.2 2.0 32

Guinea 1981/82 1,054 520 32,651 29.0 1.7 63

Guinea-Bissau 1980/81 - - (f) 10, 198 - - -Equat. Guinea - - - - - - -Upper Volta 1981/82 1,741 - 45,204 - 1.4 -

Kenya 1982 13,309 13,000 343,888 78.4 12.0 26

Liberia 1982 277 508 4,461 59.0 0.7 9

Malawi 1982/83 250 250 5,000 - 0.3 20

Mali 1981 3,669 - 55,556 - 1.8 -Mozambique 1983 3,000 (g) 1,653 200,017 - 7.0 17

Niger 1982 944 885 17,450 - 0.7 20

Central African Republic 1983 - - 2,325 12.8 0.1 -Rwanda 1981 476 - 53,884 - 5.8 -Sao Tome & Pr. 1982 561 918 6,246 56.0 41.4 10

Senegal 1981/82 334 365 9,977 - 0.5 25

Sierra Leone 1980 - (b) 256 7,685 27.8 0.6 30

Swaziland 1982 - 250 4,240 - 7.7 17

Chad - - - - - - -Togo 1980 1,197 1,187 33,795 - 4.3 28

Zambia 1980 318 - 5,455 - 1.0 -Zibabwe 1983 - 6,100 142,800 83.7 19.5 23

Sources: All data are taken from reports of the multidisciplinary missions.

Notes: (a) The Indicator represents the total number of participants dUring the latest year available as a percentage of the Illitera­

te population aged between 15 and 54 In 1985, as estimated by Unesco's Office of Statistics.

(b) Estimates calculated from report data.

(c) Including 256,040 children in basic education centres.

(d) Excluding the children referred to in the preceding note.

(e) Ethiopia: new centres and participants for stages VI and VII of the literacy campaign, corresponding to the period Oc­

tober 1981-September 1982.

(f) Guinea-Bissau: including 5,752 adults in elementary basic education and 4,187 adults in complementary education.

(g) Mozambique: number of Instructors in 1982.

20

ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL STRATEGIESNATIONAL POLICIES IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST ILLITERACY

92 - The campaign against illiteracy in the twenty­eight countries visited by the multidisciplinary missionsfalls within the framework of national development poli­cies. The eradication of illiteracy is recognized as ha­ving priority in the task of consolidating independenceand carrying out national reconstruction.

93 - The original effort aimed at extending schooleducation and initiating adult literacy work, operationswhich were conducted simultaneously or separately inseveral countries.This was followed by various experi­ments in line with new political and educational op­tions. Examples included the action undertaken to im­prove teacher training , the introduction of new educa­tional methods and techniques, the establishment ofexperimental schools, basic education and communitydevelopment programmes and experimental functionalliteracy projects, and the transcription and promotion ofnational languages within certain literacy programmes.

94 - Beginning in the 1970s, policies for the struggleagainst illiteracy took on a new dimension. Their objec­tives, especially with regard to adult literacy, were defi­ned within the context of national economic and socialobjectives. Beyond the immediate educational aims,policies for the eradication of illiteracy are directed atobjectives of a more global kind - nation building, politi­cal unity, social justice, public welfare, self-assistance,and the preservation of cultural and traditional values.In the specific field of primary education, a namber ofcurricular innovations were introduced thereby openingthe way to more far-reaching reforms of educationalsystems. The inclusion of the struggle against illiteracyin national development plans bears witness to the im­portance attached to that struggle and to the fact that itwas recognized as being directly related to national de­velopment. Depending on the governments' politicaloptions, the principal activities undertaken included:the generalization and/or renovation of primary educa­tion ; extracurricular education for young people andadults; functional literacy; literacy work linked to pro­duction and vocational training; educational action ai­med at illiterates in urban or rural communities; post­literacy work having a cultural or socio-economiccontent; the appropriate linkage between formal andnon-formal education.

95 - Different types of structures, programme content.methods and assessment criteria derive from these op­tions, together with different recruitment and trainingmethods. Whatever the structures, programmes and

methods adopted, however, the responsible authoritiesin the countries visited were unanimous in stressingthat political will and commitment constitute the essen­tial national support of the struggle against illiteracy.Because of this, the importance attached to the eradi­cation of illiteracy in such countries as Cape Verde,Ethiopia and Mozambique is primarily the concern ofthe political party in power: it implies widespread po­pular backing and hence effective mobilization of, andparticipation by, the populations involved since thesesupply the bulk of the resources and material required.

96 - In many countries, initial large-scale actionagainst illiteracy dates from the immediate post-inde­pendence period and, in some cases, was begun whilethe struggle for national liberation was still under way.This action sometimes resulted in a policy of massschooling (e.g., in Cape Verde and GUinea) while so­metimes, as in Ethiopia, efforts were primarily concen­trated on adult literacy. In Kenya, following the publica­tion of a declaration by the party in power, the govern­ment took strong steps to link literacy programmeswith the extension of schooling.

97 - In another group of countries, heads of state andgovernment leaders add the weight of their personalauthority to the struggle against illiteracy through indi­vidual statements. This has been the case, for exam­ple, in Benin, Equatorial Guinea and Niger. In suchcountries, the increased importance attached to theeradication of illiteracy is of recent occurrence and isoften accompanied by a determination to renovate theeducation system so as to ensure that the objectivesare relevant to national development.

98 - Yet another group comprises those countrieswhere the will to combat illiteracy is essentially embo­died in legislative texts while the implementation ofsuccessive development plans gives concrete shape inthe field to the type of actions foreseen: Gambia, libe­ria, Rwanda and Senegal are cases in point.

99 - The objectives of these policies for the struggleagainst illiteracy are set out in summary form in thecountry-by-country cards annexed to the present do­cument. A comparison between these objectives in thedifferent countries indicates that the eradication of illi­teracy is either a medium-term or a long-term goal, de­pending on the country concerned. While all countriesare actively engaged in the struggle against illiteracy,the time required and the difficulties to be overcomevary greatly from one context to another.

21

STRATEGIES FOR THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARYEDUCATION AND ADULT EDUCATION

100 - Most of the countries involved are well aware ofthe need to conduct the struggle against illiteracy ontwo fronts: primary education and literacy for youngpeople and adults. The countries plan to draw up globalstrategies that combine, in a rational and balancedmanner, the specific strategies applied by the two sub­systems, formal and non-formal. The aim is not to bringabout a total merging of the courses, specific objecti­ves and approaches of the two sub-systems, but ratherto ensure joint development of their efforts to achievethe final common objective, namely the eradication ofilliteracy.

101 - Allowing for the options adopted and the speci­fic situation of the individual countries, various trendsand solutions can be identified. On occasion, the stepstaken are not the result of a deliberate choice but aredictated by pratical considerations which in no way al­ter the general orientations of educational action.

102 - Certain countries have decided to conduct ope­rations simultaneously on the two fronts whereasothers prefer to concentrate their efforts on one sub­system rather than another without losing sight eitherof the two-front struggle or of the ultimate goal. None ofthe countries is anxious to detach itself from this orthat objective but the urgency of certain problems fre­quently determines the type of strategy which must bestrengthened and the action to be intensified. The pro­blems encountered in some countries, in respect ofboth primary education and adult literacy, are of suchimportance that it is impossible to stress one aspect tothe detriment of the other and it becomes necessary toforesee parallel development of formal and non-formaleducation as in Sierra Leone. Conversely, there arecountries such as Mozambique where adult literacyhas acquired an increased iportance as an immediateand necessary substitute for action on a longer termbasis offering a more distant prospect of cc impact ", al­though functional relations with primary education arestill foreseen. In Ethiopia, the design and implementa­tion of both formal and non-formal education are inte­grated in the general development programme.

103 - The action taken in a number of countries for alinkage between primary education and literacy, moreparticularly in Mali, Benin, Gambia and Upper Volta, willbe continued and developed, especially in the contextof multi-purpose training and the employment of tea­chers in literacy programmes and the more extensiveuse of national languages. Some countries plan to eli­minate the cc block., or cc cleavage., between the for­mal and non-formal education systems (Central Afri­can Republic, Gabon), others intend to pool availableeducational and literacy resources (Liberia), while stillothers give cc pride of place., to literacy and pre-schooleducation (Burundi) in the light of studies made inconnection with educational reform.

22

104 - In Togo, priority is already accorded to the jointdevelopment of renovated primary education and adulteducation in the strategy governing the struggleagainst illiteracy. This strategy provides, inter alia, forinitial training of teachers in literacy methods and"tech­niques; the joint production of pedagogic material forthe teaching of reading, writing and arithmetic in twonational languages; the re-organization of administra­tive structures; official status for national languageswith a view to joint action; the introduction of iiteracywork in the vocational education structures foreseenwithin the context of educational reform; a census­taking of young people having had only limited schoo­ling up to the second or third year with a view to incor­porating them in literacy courses.

105 - The establishment or strengthening of co-ordi­nation structures and machinery are planned or hopedfor in a number of countries as a pre-condition for ef­fective action. Some countries consider that it is es­sential to begin by examining and discussing theconvergent aspects of unified or complementary actionwith the participation of all those concerned at differentlevels, including reprensentatives of local literacy wor­kers and the populations themselves.

106 - During the visits of the multidisciplinary mis­sions, in-depth discussions and studies took place onthe problems and prospects of joint action, more espe­cially within the framework of educational services.Members of the national groups in Chad, Cape Verde,Sao Tome and Principe and Equatorial Guinea empha­sized that the missions' operations had made possibleor facilitated joint preparatory work for permanent co~

operative action.

107 - As shown in the individual country cards an­nexed to the present document, the quantitative objec­tives indicated by the twenty-eight countries visiteddiffer according to the size of the population to bemade literate or enrolled in school. They likewise differaccording to the commitment of the countries concer­ned, the means employed and the strategies chosen. Insome cases, however, even though the figures givenmay not seem to be comparable ( the numbers involvedmay amount to a few thousand new literates, or to se­veral hundred thousand, or even to millions), the inten­sity of the action undertaken and the results expectedare nonetheless similar.

108 - While several countries gave figures for the tar­get groups concerned, and others indicated percenta­ges, there were some for which doubts were expressedas to the feasibility of specifying quantitative objecti­ves, especially when global strategies were involved.The range of activities, the dispersal of some of the ef­forts being made, and the difficulty of obtaining reliableinformation in sufficient time are factors which limit thepossibility of verifying the achievement of objectives.

These difficulties may be partly overcome when opera­tionalized and costed medium-term objectives havebeen foreseen in development plans.

109 - A certain number of countries have laid downtime limits for the eradication of adult illiteracy: Benin,Ethiopia, Sao Tome and Principe and Zimbabwe antici­pate that illiteracy will be eradicated between 1986and 1988 whereas other countries aim at 1990 (Cape

Verde) or the year 2000 (Burundi, Congo, Upper Volta,Central African Republic, Togo, Zambia). In some coun­tries, it is recognized that quantitative objectives can­not be specified although the decision has been takento increase the efforts being made. Finally, there arethose countries which have indicated quantitative ob­jectives solely in connection with specific age-groupsor categories, identified in the part directly related toliteracy work on behalf of young people and adults.

WAYS AND MEANS OF DEVELOPING LITERACYPROGRAMMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

110 - The action planned (legislative and administra­tive as well as technical and material) for the develop­ment of literacy programmes in the twenty-eight coun­tries visited by the multidisciplinary missions may besummed up under the following five headings:

PRELIMINARY ACTION

111 - All the countries stressed the need for carefulpreparation of national literacy campaigns or program­mes. Several specified certain pre-conditions: a pre­cise knowledge of the situation with regard to illiteracyand the gathering of all necessary data; an inventoryand assessment of available and potential resources;identification of the tasks to be undertaken by differentpublic and private services and other bodies responsi­bles for literacy operations; a precise definition of theobjectives involved; public information and cc cons­ciousness-raising ».

LITERACY STRUCTURES AND SERVICES

112 - Several countries consider that the working ef­fectiveness of structures is a vital factor for success inthe struggle against illiteracy. Strategies vary accor­ding to the specific problems to be solved in a given si­tuation but all reflect a common anxiety to provide theliteracy services with a solid foundation and one whichis institutionally viable: official recognition of their roleand importance and a genuine possibility of taking ef­fective action.

113 - In certain cases, the task consists of setting upnew structures for the promotion and direction or co­ordination of various activities undertaken by the diffe­rent services and other bodies (e.g. Rwanda, EquatorialGuinea, Sierra Leone). In others, existing servicesneed to be adapted so that their status is more in linewith the functions exercised (Togo, Senegal) orstrengthened so that they can play a more dynamicpart (Benin, Upper Volta, Ginea-Bissau). Certain coun­tries plan to decentralize literacy structures or modifyoperational structures while others like Ethiopia, Zam­bia and Ivory Coast have decided to develop post­literacy structures. Sao Tome and Principe aims tomake better use of existing resources and to developcomplementary structures to deal with a more extensi­ve programme while Chad is attempting to equip the re­cently created literacy service to undertake the plan­ned long-term action.

114 - Virtually all the countries intend to establish orstrengthen on a national, provincial and local basis thevarious liaison and co-ordination bodies (boards, com­mittees, commissions) consisting of representatives ofthe services and organisms responsible for literacyprogrammes or having a direct or indirect concern withthe objectives of the struggle against illiteracy.

HUMAN RESOURCES

115 - The national authorities devote considerable at­tention to problems concerning literacy personnel andin particular the personnel directly engaged in educa­tional work. In order to provide a solution to these pro­blems, it is planned to adopt ways and means in linewith the authorities' options and possibilities. Tne mea­sures decided on, concern three categories of person­nel:

Voluntary Personnel

Voluntary work provides the most widespread anleast costly way of ensuring the smooth operation of li­teracy courses. Some countries have opted for the to­tal or partial mobilization of all those equiped tomake a useful contribution while others have elected torely on voluntary efforts. The preservation of a spirit ofmoral or political cc commitment» and the essential trai­ning (preferably phased session of short duration)constitute two important elements in the continuationof literacy work. In some cases, material or even finan­cial incentives are considered necessary: provision ofboard and lodging by local communities when no per­sonnel are available on the spot or a modest contribu­tion by the State; occasional bonuses; prizes and offi­cial encouragement; and, in the case of teachers, « no­tes » or other forms of recognition which could have afavourable effect on their professional careers. Somecountries are currently examining new methods of mo­bilization (conscription, periodic mobilization of tea-

,chers and stUdents, etc.).

Paid Voluntary Personnel

Some countries, such as Kenya and Swaziland havedecided to extend the system of regular salaries to per­sons engaged by other services and responsible on apart-time basis for the conduct of literacy classes. Thestandard of such personnel may be higher than that ofthe first category but the countries concerned still fa-

23

vour the improvement and intensification of both intro­ductory and in-service training with the participation ofinstitutes and various services. In countries like UpperVolta, the creation of a common core with two streams(school education and adult education) is planned forthe training of a new type of educator.

Professional PersonnelMany countries plan to take appropriate measures to

improve the conditions (and particularly the status) ofthis type of personnel which forms part of the seniorand intermediate staff of the literacy services. Their in­tention iS,either to intensify training on the spot or tocall on specialized training provided by national or fo­reign tertiary training institutes.

QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENT OFLITERACY WORK

116 - The improvement of educational programmesand methods depends initially on better training of lite­racy personnel at different levels. Many countries planto expand the action already undertaken in this regardwhile others propose to call on the skills and experien­ce of various elements in order to extend the range ofeducational action. The common or complementarytraining of teachers, educators of young people andadults and, in certain cases, development personnel, isseen as an effective method for giving literacy the de­sired broader dimension.

117 - Another qualitative aspect concerns the pro­duction of teaching material for literacy programmes,together with reading matter, material of socio-culturalinterest and audio-visual aids for post-literacy activi­ties. All the countries recognize the importance of this

Issue and the accompanying need not only for appro­priate buildings and qualified personnel (editors andauthors) but also for relevant pedagogic and culturalcontent. A wide variety of measures are proposed: in­tensification of linguistic research; competitions forauthors; appeals for the co-operation of educators, so­cial and development officials and also new literateswho, especially through the rural press, can communi­cate the views of those for whom the educational ac­tion is designed; competitions through radio brod­casts; an increase in the number of libraries and rea­ding rooms, etc. Another way of achieving a qualitativeimprovement of literacy work consists of instituting orstrengthening within the responsible services certainsections devoted to methodological and linguistic re­search, the gathering of statistical data and evaluation.

INSTALLATIONS AND BUILDINGS

118 - These aspects are frequently raised by the na­tional authorities which suggest different methods forensuring the improved conduct and development of li­teracy work. What is involved in many cases is the useand adaptation of existing buildings such as schools,vocational training institutes, social centres, premisesbelonging to companies and various enterprises, theheadquarters of non-governmental organizations, etc.In other equally numerous cases, it is intended to ap­peal to the population's sense of solidarity for the buil­ding of literacy centres or circles with readily availableand inexpensive local materials. In still other cases, itis planned that the State should erect buildings or pre­mises for the national literacy services, especially prin­ting and audio-visual workshops. In several cases, it isintended to erect buildings which, with the appropriateadaptations, can be used by both adults and children.

WAYS AND MEANS OF DEVELOPING PRIMARY EDUCATION

119 - The countries visited propose to adopt the follo­wing ways and means for the development of primaryeducation: educational planning and administration,modes of implementing reforms and innovations, andthe mobilization of resources.

EDUCATIONAL PLANNING ANDADMINISTRATION

120 - The reports of the multidisciplinary missions in­dicate that if education systems are to be developed onrational lines, national educational structures and plan­ning and administration services must be strengthe­ned.

121 - In most of the countries, the task consists ofcreating and making operational new institutions des­igned to ensure better co-ordination between, and as­sessment of, the various educational activities. This isthe case, for example, of Upper Volta and Sao Tomeand Principe, where it has been deemed necessary toset up a high-level inter-ministerial body covering thewhole of the education system and having responsibili­ty for orienting the application of national education po­licies. In Upper Volta, the responsibility for the policy

24

established will be entrusted to integrated services(agriculture, health, education) which must also be setup. In the Central African Republic, a National Educa­tion and Training Institute has been established res­ponsible for implementing the reform, its main taskbeing to design curricula, school textbooks and tea­ching methods. In Gabon, it is planned to create a ser­vice within the Ministry of Education to ensure the pe­dagogic co-ordination of all eductional activities. InEquatorial Guinea, the need to endow the educationalstatistics service with additional authority has led theauthorities to consider raising it to directorate level di­rectly responsible to the minister's office.

122 - This concern with co-ordination and especiallywith improved management calls for clarification andredefinition of the functions of the various ministerialstructures responsible for education in such countriesas Gambia, Swaziland and Upper Volta. Th~ I~tt~r

country stresses the need to establish lines of authori­ty and communication so that conflicts over questionsof competence and the absence of a chain of commanddo not bring action to a standstill by rendering a clearand stable definition of priorities impossible.

123 - The decentralization of educational administra­tion is likewise seen by most of the countries visited asa means of accelerating the expansion of primaryeducation and improving its quality. In Ivory Coast,Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Upper Volta and Chad, forexample, the establishment or strengthening of regio­nal, sub-regional and local pedagogic and administrati­ve structures represent a means of overseeing the ex­pansion of primary education and ensuring that reformsand innovations are more effectively implemented. InMozambique, all educational structures, from centrallevel to school level, and taking in province, district andlocality, are subject to a detailed programming of thetasks involved. The aim is to ensure improved supervi­sion of the execution of educational activities, to deve­lop the capacity of administrators to manage and applyinnovations and thereby to be better equipped to as­sess the quality of the work done by teaching person­nel.

124 - Additionally, a number of countries have under­taken or plan to undertake extensive school mappingto improve the programming of quantitative develop­ment of their education systems, specifically Guinea,Equatorial Guinea and Cape Verde. Finally, the deve­lopment of primary education in the twenty-eight coun­tries visited by the missions requires a training andup-grading programme for personnel engaged in edu­cational planning and administration who should beable not only to carry out such technical studies asmay prove necessary prior to decision-making but alsoto prepare future educational development plans. Inthis connection, the following training areas have beenindentified: research aimed at a more thorough un­derstanding of educational planning and administra­tion ; the collection, processing and dissemination ofeducational statistics; costs and funding procedures ineducation; school maps; evaluation of education sys­tems; identification, preparation and management ofprojects.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING REFORMS

AND INNOVATIONS

125 - In most of the countries visited, the implementa­tion of reforms has been seriously hampered by the fai­lure to prepare educational personnel and the popula­tions concerned with adapting and managing innova­tion. The strategies of many countries are accordinglycharacterized by a circumspect and step-by-step ap­proach. In Burundi, for example, « kirundization» andthe introduction of new curricula is to take place bystages. In Congo, the revised curriculum for the firstthree years of basic education is being used in fortyexperimental schools. Cape Verde and Liberia are ex­perimenting with community schools through pilot pro­jects. Similarly, in Malawi, the new material preparedfor reading, science teaching, mathematics and tech­nology is first tested in 135 primary schools and thentried and revised before generalized distribution.Teachers in Gambia are selected for a two-week resi­dential course designed to help them work the new

curriculum and familiarize themselves with the accom­panying teaching aids. The generalization of textbooksand teaching aids only takes place after these courseshave been evaluated.

126 - Beyond the pilot experiments, the educationalauthorities' concern in the twenty-eight countries visi­ted is to provide textbooks for pupils and teachers' gui­des to teachers. Guinea, for instance, intends that cur­ricula prepared as instructional units should be accom­panied by methodological guidelines and evaluativetest items. Congo plans to prepare teaching guides andtechnical notes on the introduction of pupils to variousforms of productive work. Burundi, Kenya and SierraLeone propose to increase the rate of distribution oftel;ching material and textbooks to meet the growingrequirements of educational institutions. Most of thecountries have set up production units to produce tea­ching material and textbooks.

127 - The material produced and distributed to sup­port teachers in their work will be reinforced in certaincountries by the use of the media in education. For thispurpose, Gambia and Equatorial Guinea will developuse of the radio for teacher training. Correspondencecourses in Kenya and Malawi are designed to improveteachers' qualifications. Gabon intends to introducenew technologies in its education system.

128 - In order to strengthen the personnel of the cen­tral and regional bodies responsible for the preparationof curricula, most of the countries have developed trai­ning programmes in the following areas: curricula pre­paration techniques, pupil evaluation, preparation andpresentation of school texbooks.

MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES

129 - The twenty-eight countries visited are ready toparticipate in a regional programme for the eradicationof illiteracy and are already mobilizing additional re­sources of educational development. It is essential thatimplementation of such a programme will provide Mem­ber States with an opportunity to define their educatio­nal priorities more clearly and to allot the necessaryfunds to primary education and literacy.

130 - In Benin and Guinea where productive work hasbeen introduced into primary education as a whole! ef­forts are being made to organize self-financing for re­current costs in schools. A majority of the countries vi­sited aim at increased participation by the populationsconcerned to meet capital and recurrent costs at theprimary level, either through the payment of variousfees, even in public schools, or through the provision ofbuilding materials or labour. An example is the « umu­ganda" or community work carried out in Rwandawhich has made it possible over the last three years torestore and construct a large number of primaryschools. In certain cases, one way of making rationaluse of available resources consists of lowering schoolbuilding construction costs. National standards forschool construction are set on the basis of which mo­dular prototypes of buildings adapted to the variousphysical conditions of the country are prepared toge-

25

ther with simple technical indications for demonstrationpurposes and to help train local craftsmen. Local admi­nistrative or educational authorities are responsible foroverseeing the construction of the schools.

131 - In regard to the mobilization of human resour­ces, all the Gountries visited have made considerableefforts to increase their training capacity. As a conti­nuation of the work already done, carried out in co­operation with Unesco in several cases, most of thecountries are strengthening their networks of teachertraining establishments to adapt them to new require­ments arising from the expansion of primary education.

26

Most of the countries visited also plan to renovate thecurricula of training schools to bring them into line withthe new orientations of primary education.

132 - In all the countries visited, external aid andtechnical assistance represent an important contribu­tion to the development of education systems in suchvaried areas as the construction and equipping ofschools, the training of teachers and administrativeand technical personnel, the publication of textbooks,and advisory services. It would be desirable for futureassistance of this type to be mounted within the frame­work of international technical co-operation.

PROSPECTS OF PARTICIPATION INTHE REGIONAL PROGRAMME

INTEREST IN THE PROGRAMME

133 - The twenty-eight countries visited reassertedtheir full support for the objectives of the struggleagainst illiteracy and for the recommendations des­igned to bring about the elimination of this scourge bythe end of the century, adopted by the Conference ofMinisters of Education and Those Responsible for Eco­nomic Planning in African Member States (Harare,1982).

134 - In support of large-scale action for the completeelimination of illiteracy, national authorities and offi-

cials confirmed their governments' determination toparticipate in the regional programme recommended bythe Harare Conference and to co-operate actively In itsimplementation.

135 - All the countries emphasized the fact that,through the regional programme, it would be possibleto share and make better use of the various nationalresources available. They also saw international andregional co-operation as essential to the developmentof exchanges as a means of extending the struggleagainst illiteracy.

MACHINERY FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION136 - The reports on the twenty-eight countries pointup the need to set machinery for regional co-operationin motion. This action could take several forms. Mostcountries consider that such machinery must have adegree of flexibility to avoid undue dispersal of effortand to make quick, frequent and inexpensive contactspossible. Some countries propose setting up « consul­tative commissions» composed of specialists from dif­ferent countries or « co-ordination committees» whosemembers would represent the relevant departmentsand would be appointed by the countries participatingin the programme. Unesco, through its Regional Office(BREDA), would act as a catalyst in the preparationand implementation of programmes and activities ofcommon interest.

137 - Other countries, including Malawi, Zambia andZimbabwe, suggest the establishment of a sub-regio­nal centre or office under BREDA to help co-ordinatethe activities of educational programmes in the coun­tries of southern and East Africa. Malawi and Zimbab­we have both offered to be the host country for such anoffice, the establishment of which was also proposedat the Harare Conference (see Recommendation N°14). Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe also pro­pose the establishment of a sub-regional body for thePortuguese-speaking countries, and Gabon has sug­gested that a sub-regional literacy centre might be setup. Senegal would like to avoid the establishment of

new structures and would like BREDA to be responsi­ble for co-ordinating the regional programme in liaisonwith the NEIDA programme and with the assistance ofan advisory group of experts from various countries, si­milar to that convened in Bamako in December 1982.Togo suggests that BREDA set up a specialized struc­ture for follow-up and co-ordination of activities underthe Regional Programme for the Eradication of illitera­cy. Several countries suggest that universities, re­search institutes and non-governmental organizationsshould be encouraged to participate in the RegionalProgramme's activities. Some (Kenya, Liberia, SierraLeone and Togo) stress the importance of co-operationwith the African regional organizations for literacy workand adult education.

138 - Attention was also drawn to the need for infor­mation : Guinea-Bissau would like BREDA to set up aninformation and monitoring body to publicize educatio­nal innovations and especially experiments in connec­tion with the struggle against illiteracy. Swaziland pro­poses the regular publication of a newsletter for the ex­change of information and experimental findings aswell as the distribution of functional literacy modulesthat may be used in different countries.

139 - Exchanges of personnel were also suggestedas a possible means of co-operation.

PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE AND EXPECTED SUPPORT140 - All the countries visited stated that they wereprepared to participate in the Regional Programme inways compatible with national objectives and with the

resources available nationally. In particular, the follo­wing forms of participation were mentioned: studytours, exchanges of personnel, exchanges of equip-

27

ment, participation in sub-regional courses and colla­boration among countries using the same languages.Equatorial Guinea asked BREDA to facilitate exchan­ges of experimental findings with Latin America. Thepossibility of making joint use of printing facilities orother technical equipment was also raised.

141 - The support expected from the Regional Pro­gramme for the Eradication of Illiteracy mainly involvesthe production of teaching materials and the training ofpersonnel (teaching and literacy work proper). As re­gards personnel training, various forms of support areforeseen: assistance in organizing national trainingprogrammes, partlculary training courses and semi­nars; advisory services with a view to improving trai­ning at the national level; induvidual and group study

tours among African countries; exchanges of person­nel ; fellowships for specialized training abroad. Parti­cular assistance is sought from Unesco in order tospeed up the establishment in Niger of the RegionalCentre for the Training of Upper-level Personnel (CER­FOCA).

142 - As far as educational equipment is concerned,the countries' needs vary and affect both school andout-of-school education: supply of paper, joint use ofthe means of production so as to facilitate large-scalemanufacture of inexpensive equipment for the smallercountries, material and technical assistance for the es­tablishment and operation of post-literacy structuresand for the production of newspapers and audio-visualmaterials.

POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS BY PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

143 - All the countries visited expressed their inten­tion of doing their utmost to make direct contribution tothe Regional Programme. They particularly stressedtheir desire to host conferences, meetings and semi­nars and to provide them with the necessary materialfacilities. Liberia, Gambia and Togo have offered the

use of their equipment for the production of educationalor audio-visual material. Ivory Coast plans to makeavailable the sizeable facilities of the Television Centreat Bouake. Gabon could undertake to produce woodenfurniture and equipment as part of a regional program­me for the production of educational material. Gabon

28

also mentioned the possibility that the recently createdInternational Centre of Bantu Civilizations (CICIBA)might participate in the Regional Programme.

144 - A number of countries, such as Mali, Togo, Se­negal, the Central African Republic and Gabon, wouldbe prepared to circulate the results of their studies andexperiments, particularly as regards linguistic re­search, innovations in teaching techniques and specia­lized methods, as parts of the Regional Programme.They are also able to offer the services of their nationalspecialists for the Programme.

THE REGIONAL PROGRAMME145 - On the basis of summaries of the reports of themultidisciplinary missions and the conclusions of thetechnical meeting for consultation and reflection held inBamako, the Director-General of Unesco prepared andsubmitted to the 22nd session of the General Confe­rence (October-November 1983) a Regional Program­me for the Eradication of Illiteracy in Africa (Doc.22C/106).

Having considered the Director-General's proposals,the General Conference adopted the Resolution as fol­lows:

The General ConferenceHaving regard to the Harare Declaration solemnly adop­ted by the Conference of Ministers of Education andThose Responsible for Economic Planning in AfricanMember States, organized by Unesco in collaborationwith the Economic Commission for Africa and the Or­ganization of African Unity (Harare, 28 June - 3 July1982), whereby they reaffirmed the commitment ente­red into by the African Member States « to achieve thedemocratization and renovation of education in order toenable all African children and adults of both sexes toexercise fully their right to education, a prerequisi­te for the fulfilment of individual potential and for theprogress of society",

Considering that, in this Declaration, the Harare Confe­rence called upon Unesco « to examine the possibilityof implementing, in co-operation with Member States, aregional programme for the eradication of illiteracy",and that it recommended to the Director-General ofUnesco that he « study the possibility of proposing, inconnection with the next draft programme and budget,the launching of a regional programme designed to pro­mote the elimination of illiteracy in Africa before theend of the century, by a co-ordinated effort directed to­wards the universal provision and renovation of primaryeducation, coupled with literacy work among adults"(Recommendation No 2),

Considering that the Harare Conference, more specifi­cally, recommended to the General Conference ofUnesco that it cc appeal for international co-operationand solidarity to support the efforts made by AfricanMember States to eliminate illiteracy and ensure thatall Africans, of both sexes, can fully exercise the rightto education",

Having examined document 22 C/106 « Regional Pro­gramme for the Eradication of Illiteracy in Africa: Pro­posals by the Director-General",

1. Approves the proposals of the Director-General sub­mitted in document 22 C/1 06 ;

2. Authorizes the Dirctor-General :

(i) to take any steps he may deem necessary, wi­thin the framework of the Organization's Pro­gramme and Budget for 1984-1985 (more parti­cularly in connection with Major Programmes 11,IV and V), to facilitate the launching and suc­cessful execution of the Regional Programme forthe Eradication of Illiteracy in Africa as submittedin document 22 C/1 06 ;

(ii) to take, in consultation with the governmentsconcerned, any appropriate measures thatwould mobilize the resources, particularly ex­tra-budgetary resources, needed to implementthe regional programme;

3. Appeals to all Member States, intergovernmentaland non-governmental organizations, public and pri­vate foundations and institutions to lend, within theframework of the regional programme, their material,financial and technical support to African MemberStates in their efforts to eradicate illiteracy, throughco-ordinated action for the universal provision andrenovation of primary education and adult li~eracy.

29

ANNEX

TABULAR SUMMARIES OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES

FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY

Individual country tables derived fromthe reports of the twenty-eight

multidisciplinary missions

'"'"

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: BENIN

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 1,370,700 - Eradication of illiteracy by.1987

- Rate: 72.1 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : 1983-1987 :Young People and - Centres: 414 - 1,155,000 to be made IiterateAdults - Enrolled: 39,233 - 903,000 for post-literacy

- 3,780 villages to be reached- 15,120 literacy workers to be trained- 6,720 instructors to be trained

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982) :- Number: 404,300 - 698,000 pupils in 1990, Le. a - 1,214,000 pupils in the year 2000,- Crude rate: 64 % ; Net rate... crude enrolment rate of 83 % Le. a crude enrolment rate of 102 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJ.ECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Allocation of broader functions to the « New School» - Continuation of linguistic researchfor the benefit of the community as a whole

Literacy Work for - Improvement of literacy and post-literacy - Complete census illiteratesYoung People and programmes - Production of teaching materials in national languagesAdults - Evaluation of programmes - Training of cadres and literacy workers

Renovation of - Reduction of regional disparities - Construction and equipment of decentralizedPrimary Education - Lowering pupil/class and pupil/teacher ratios structures and provision of qualified staff

- Improved teacher training, especially as regards - Large-scale production of school textbooks andtraining in basic agronomy teachers' guides

- Provision of mobile units to regional direc-torates for the up-grading of teachers

- Additional school premises (lower costs)CDmzZ

(,)~

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: BURUNDI

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 1,803,000 - Eradication of illiteracy by the

- Rate: 73.2 % year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981) : - To make 513,500 adults literate - To make 1,027,000 adults literateYoung People and - Centres: 224 in 5 years (102,700 per year) in 10 years (102,700 per year)Adults - Enrolled: 362,903 (including

256,040 children)

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - Universal primary enrolment in- Number: 206,400 1987- Crude rate: 33 % ; Net rate: 22 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Continued implementation of reform, especially - Establishment of a basic education co-ordinatingin respect of young people who have never enrolled committee covering in - and out-of-schoolor dropped out education

Literacy Work for - Launching of a national adult literacy campaign - Improvement of national structures and establish-Young People and - Establishment of a new strategy based on a ment of provincial structuresAdults functional approach and appropriate planning - Organization of national and provincial seminars

to support the new strategy- Operational seminar and study tours for thetraining of administrators

Renovation of - Gradual generalization of basic education through - Morning and afternoon use of premises (samePrimary Education community schools premises and same teachers)

- Reduction of the duration of primary schooling - Improved distribution of textbooks and teachingfrom 7 to 6 years and raising of the official materialschool entrance age from 6 to 7 - Participation of parents and communities in

- Use of the national language, Kirundi school management- Curricular reform: « ruralization »

l:Dc::Dc:z!2

w()1

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: CAPE VERDE

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 116,500 - Eradication of illiteracy by

- Rate: 56.2 % 1990

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982/83) : - To make literate:Young People and - Centres: 136 - 1982/85: 20,000Adults - Enrolled: 2,191 - Subsequently: 22,600 per year

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - Universal primary enrolment - Generalization of complementary- Number: 48,700 in 1985 basic education (5th and 6th years)- Crude rate: 153 %- Net rate: 91 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Educational reform - Equivalence of levels as between the formal and- Support for community schools non-formal sub-systems and transfer linkages from

one to another

Literacy Work for - Launching a literacy project within the frame- - Consciousness-raising and mobilization campaignYoung People and work of the special project cc Support for Mass - External assistance foreseen (feasibility studies,Adults Participation in Development material, equipment, construction of buildings, evaluation)

Renovation of - Educational reform through community schools - Initiation of 4 preparatory studies for thePrimary Education - Gradual reduction of high drop-out and repeater introduction of the reform: population, school

rate zoning map, organization of curricula andteacher training, matching education and employment

- Mounting of a pilot project covering 3 community schools- Transition from full-time usage of premises

(morning, afternoon and evening) to morning andafternoon only

- Free distribution of school supplies to poorer children

~"m<m2JCm

(..)CJ)

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 885,400 - Eradication of illiteracy by the

- Rate: 67.0 % year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1983) : - To make 100,000 adults literateYoung People and - Centres: ". between 1982 and 1985Adults - Enrolled: 585

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - From 1982 to 1985 : annual intake - Universal schooling by- Number: 259,500 of between 7,000 and 8,000 new the year 2000- Crude rate: 70 % people- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Implementation of the educational reform (applica- - Establishment of the Applied Linguistics Institutetion of the draft Basic Text concerning functional - Establishment of structures to ensure co-ordina-relations between formal and non-formal education) tion and joint action as between primary education

and adult literacy

Literacy Work for - Establishment of literacy programmes In development - Reorganization and decentralization of non-formalYoung People and projects within enterprises education structuresAdults - Revision of programmes - Preliminary study with a view to the incorporation

of a literacy component in each development project

Renovation of - Creation of a 9-year basic cycle preceded by 2 years - Morning and afternoon premises in urbanPrimary Education of pre-school education centres (same premises and teachers or same

- Extension of the use of the national language, « San- , premises and different teachers)g6 » - Construction of 2 teacher training colleges with

boarding accommodations- Increase in the number of school buildings

(reduced costs)

omz-t::D~r-~"Tl::De=;~Z::Dm."c:D:lr-e=;

UJ""-l

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: CHAD

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,053,000 - Eradication of illiteracy

- Rate: 79.2 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme: - To make between 15,000 andYoung People and - Centres: ... 20,000 people literate eachAdults - Enrolled: ... year

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Controlled expansion of primary- Number: 261,300 education (5 % annual growth rate)- Crude rate: 36 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Reinforcement of all structures of the education - Strengthening the work of the National Institutesystem and survey of the possibilities for joint of Educational Sciences (INSE)development of the two sub-systems - Organization of a National Consultation Seminar charged

- Preparation of the educational reform with developing a programme to combat illiteracy

Literacy Work for - Reinforcement of literacy structures and prepara- - Strengthening the departmental structuresYoung People and tion of a phased literacy programme for young - Inventory of available resourcesAdults people and women - Establishment of machinery for information ex-

- Preliminary phase covering study, testing and change and co-ordination between departments andevaluation various bodies concerned with literacy

- Preparation and revision of teaching material - Training of personnel

Renovation of - Redefinition of the objectives, structure and - Emergency assistance: school supplies and textbooksPrimary Education methods of managing the education system for pupils; small-scale equipment for practical

work; building of desks and benches; restorationof schools; teaching aids

- Training of INSE cadres in techniques of curriculardevelopment

- Training of educational planners and administrators- Upgrading of teachers

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w00

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: CONGO

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 379,600 - Eradication of illiteracy by the

- Rate: 43.6 % year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - As from 1983 : selective - As from 1995 : general literacyYoung People and - Centres: 366 literacy campaign campaignAdults - Enrolled: 16,902

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Generalization of 1O-year basic- Number: 406,800 education- Crude rate: 156 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Maintenance and upgrading of skills acquired by - Establishment of lifelong education structuresnew literates and young people having attended - Establishment of a permanent body of polyvalentschool instructors

Literacy Work for - Ministries to assume responsibility for literacy - Programming of selective literacy campaign (1983) :Young People and activity in co-operatives, private enterprises and • preparing and carrying out national diagnostic surveyAdults party organizations • preparing curricula and teaching material

- Raising the level of literacy workers and upward - Programming of general literacy campaign (1995) :re-adjustment of their status • integration of literacy work into activities

carried out by enterprises and within co-operatives- Intensification of rural radio broadcasts- Permanent training of intermediate-level cadres- Participation of tertiary-level instructors

Renovation of - Generalization of the reform - Applied research on the teaching of national languagesPrimary Education - Establishment of a compulsory 1O-year basic cycle - Expanded testing of new curricula centred on

- Normalization of enrolment age in 1st year of basic education productive work and environmental studies- Rules governing repeaters - Establishment of premises adapted to new- Lowering of student/teacher ratio curricula, syllabuses and objectives- Utilization of 2 national languages -Increased school construction and decreased costs- Introduction of specific programmes covering pre- - Increase in resources allocated to primary education

paration for productive work into the syllabusesof teacher training colleges

oozG')o

wCD

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: EQUATORIAL GUINEA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) : - Reduce the illiteracy rate to - Reduce the illiteracy rate:(15-plus age group) - Number: 105,100 55 % by 1990 • to 42 % in 1995

- Rate: 63 % • to 27 % in the year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme: - 80,000 (especially in the 14 to 40Young People and - Centres: ... age group) to be made literate byAdults - Enrolled: '" the year 2000

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Universal primary enrolment by the- Number: 42,300 year 2000, calling for an annual- Crude rate: ... increase in enrolment of 6 %- Net rate: 50 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Progressive application of the educational - Establishment of an interministerial committeeorientation law (agriculture, labour, improved status of women,

adult education and literacy and primary education)- Establishment of regional, provincial and district libraries- Establishment of a plan to renovate all schools so

as to adapt them to adult education- Training of personnel adapted to the two sub-systems

Literacy Work for - Preparation of the national literacy campaign and - Establishment of the Directorate of Adult Educa-Young People and creation of the necessary structures tion and LiteracyAdults - Evaluation of the experimental programme in progress - Production of educational material

- Preparation of post-literacy action

Renovation of - Reform of syllabuses: proposed introduction of - Statistical and planning section to be raised toPrimary Education French or English as from the 5th year directorate level

- Use of national languages - Further decentralization of educational administration- Introduction of crafts and agricultural work - Testing and systematic co-ordination of innova-

tions through the establishment of a Study andResearch Bureau

- Expansion of school building (reduction of costs)- Training of educational planners and administrators- Preparation of teaching material adapted to requirements

moc:~o:Di>r-e:>5:z~

~o

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: ETHIOPIA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 11,232,700 - Eradication of illiteracy by

- Rate: 65.0 % 1987

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981/82) : - Literacy (1983-86) : •Young People and - Centres: 49,098 8,440,000 new participantsAdults - Enrolled: 1,932,371 - Post-literacy: goals for 1987 :

• 29,000 reading rooms• 588 Community Skills Training Centres• Correspondence courses on prac-

tical and vocational subjects

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981) : - Generalization of 1st year - Generalization of 1O-year basic- Number: 2,374,400 studies in 1982 education:- Crude rate: 47 % • generalization of 6th year in 1992- Net rate: .. , • generalization of 8th year in 2000

• generalization of 10th year in 2006

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Possibility for young new Iiterates to continue - Equivalence of level between the in-school andtheir studies out-ot-school sub-systems

- Integration of formal and non-formal education in - New measures for the co-ordination of activitiesthe general development programme through lifelong at all levels, the utilization of availableeducation, especially at community level resources and the conduct of cultural and lifelong

education activities under the responsibility of school teachers

Literacy Work for - Strengthening of the national literacy campaign - Permanent revision of the programming, organiza-Young People and - Improvement of programmes on the basis of results tion and strengthening of structuresAdults obtained through preliminary action - Community consciousness-raising to increase the

contribution to the construction of buildings andthe provision of room and board for literacy workers

Renovation of - Extension of pre-school education (4-7 years) - Decentralization of teacher trainingPrimary Education - Extension of multi-stream production-oriented - Strengthening of central and regional planning services

« polytechnic » schools - Construction of 508,400 classrooms (1982-84)- Recruitment of 159,600 teachers (1982-1994)

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.j:>.......

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: GABON

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 172,700

- Rate: 46.9 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Progr~mme :Young People and - Centres: ...Mults - Enrolled: ...

Primary Education School Enrolment (1980/81) :- Number: 155,100- Crude rate: ...- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Development of an educational reform project - Establishment of an education co-ordinationdepartment in the Ministry of Education

- Continuation of linguistic research

Literacy Work for - National Mass Education Campaign (under consi- - Establishment of the National Agency for MassYoung People and deration) Education and of the National Council for MassAdults - Improved level of literacy and post-literacy Education to support the campaign and collect

workers information- Introduction of a mass education component in - Establishment of a Mass Education Institute for

vocational training and basic health programmes the training of mass education workers- Organization of training seminars- Establishment of monitoring and evaluation system

Renovation of - Reform of primary curricula and teacher training - Training of educational research and supervisoryPrimary Education based on productive work and environmental studies personnel in the preparation of behavioural

objectives, curricula design techniques andevaluation methodology

- Preparation of audio-visual documents on productive work- Introduction of new technologies for educational purposes

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: GAMBIA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :("i5-plus age group) - Number: 268,000 - Significant reduction of illiteracy

- Rate: 79.9 % by the year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1983) : - 1981/82 - 1985/86 : 8,000 adultsYoung People and - Centres: 120 to be made literate (results inAdults - Enrolled: 4,808 1981/82 - 1982/83 better than

expected: 5000 made literate)

Primary Education School Enrolement (1982/83) : - Crude rate of enrolment 83 % in 1992- Number: 53,800 - Universal schooling in the year- Crude rate: 56 % 2000- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Establishment of a strategy for the eradication of - Collaboration between the two sub-systems andilliteracy through a dual approach (complementarity joint utilization of human and material resourcesof formal and non-formal education) - Training of polyvalent teachers

- Reorganization of existing structures

Literacy Work for - Programme development - Strengthening of the Non-formal Education UnitYoung People and - Production of educational material in the main languagesAdults - Authors' competitions

- Staff training

Renovation of - Special attention to education for girls - Establishment of a Division of Teacher SupervisorsPrimary Education - Eradication of disparities between rural and in the Ministry of Education for more effective

urban areas supervision- Curricular reform with emphasis on mathematics, - Stimulation of local education committees to

science, environmental studies, home economics, increase participation in primary schoolnutrition activities

- Expanded utilization of national languages- Qualitative improvement of teachers through higher

entrance standards and improved instruction

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: GUINEA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) : - Intensification of the struggle(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,138,700 against illiteracy subject to

- Rate: 75.9 % the availability of resources

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981/82) : - 1983/84: 1st level target group: 20,675Young People and - Centres: 1,054 - 1984/85: 1st and 2nd levelAdults - Enrolled: 32,651 target group: 39,283

- 1985/86: 2nd and 3rd leveltarget group: 36,286

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981 /82) : - Significant increase in enrolment- Number: 249,900 rate- Crude rate: 31 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development

Literacy Work for - Improvement of programmes with methodological in-· - Establishment of a printing shop (externallyYoung People and I dications and evaluation instruments. funded)Adults

Renovation of - Reeducation of the period of compulsory schooling - Allocation of 30 % of special development funds forPrimary Education from 6 to 12 years the equipment of primary schools

- Strengthening of linkage between education and - Development of methodological indications for teachersproductive work - Training of educational planners and admini-

- Eradication of regional disparities strators- Special attention to schooling for girls - Training of cadres in techniques for the prepara-- Policy on the handling of drop-outs and repeaters tion of curricula and evaluation

- Improvement of the infrastructure and of schoolequipment (school maps, use of local building materials)

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: GUINEA-BISSAU

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(1 S-plus age group) - Number: 284,600 - Reduce the illiteracy rate to 40 %

- Rate: 81.1 % by the year 2000

Literacy Work for - Adults in basic education (1981/82) : - To enrol 8,000 adults in elementaryYoung People and • elementary: 3,177 basic education and 5,000Adults • complementary: 5,874 in complementary basic education

- « Non-formal» literacy (1983) : by 1983/84 and thereafter to increase• Centres: 14 ; the number by 5 % per year• Enrolled: 139 - To enrol 660 participants

in non-formal literacy courses by1986

Primary Education School enrolment (1981/82) : - Increased school enrolment- Number: 65,000- Crude rate: ...- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - To place the training for adults in basic education - Continued research on Creole and establishment of(formal) and literacy (non-formal) under the re- an interdisciplinary commission for linguisticsponsibility of the Department of Adult Education studies

Literacy work for - To improve programmes in line with the approved - Revision of methods I

Young People and selective approachAdults - To develop post-literacy work

Renovation of - To extend the duration of compulsory education - Decentralization of teacher trainingPrimary Education from 4 to 6 years - Partial self-financing through productive work in

- Curricular reform: more especially the intro- schoolsduction of productive agricultural work

- Efforts to counter drop-out tendencies

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: IVORY COAST

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,890,000

- Rate: 65.0 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1980) : - To make literate:Young People and - Centres: 222 • members of the 15-35 age groupAdults - Enrolled: 16,032 at an annual rate of 10,000 in 1990

• members of 5 co-operativesper year (1984-90)

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Rate of 1st year enrolment: - Generalization of 9-year basic- Number: 1,135,500 90 to 99 % in 1990 education- Crude rate: 84 %- Net rate: 67 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Incorporation of baSIC concepts of agriculture, - Regroupment of young people having had no schooling pro-health, nutrition and village economy in duction groups in villages and use of television for trainingcurriculum - Continued linguistic research

- Creation of a National Office of Community Education

Literacy Work for - Revision of adult education objectives and in- - Surveys and inventory of needs in respect ofYoung People and creased emphasis on literacy work literacy and post-literacy workAdults - New orientations towards the functional literacy - Definition of objectives and identification of the

approach responsibilities of the various services and other bodies- Launching of post-literacy activity - Revised trainers' skill profiles and responsibilities

- Strengthening of the NationallnterministerialLiteracy Committee associated with the NationalOffice of Community Education and Lifelong Education

- Establishment of supervisory and follow-up structures

Renovation of - Establishment of 9-year basic education preceded - Redefinition of the functions of school in-Primary Education by 1 year of pre-school education spectors and supervisors and extension of their

- Eradication of regional disparities and special responsibilitiesattention to schooling for girls - Establishment of correspondence courses for

- Reduction of repeater and drop-out rates upgrading of in-service teachers- Raising of recruitment standards of candidates for

preliminary teacher training- Utilization of national languages

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: KENYA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 4,278,500 - Eradication of illiteracy

- Rate: 52.9 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - To make 4,000,000 adultsYoung People and - Centres: 13,309 literate in 5 yearsAdults - Enrolled: 343,888

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982) : - Universal primary education- Number: 4,184,600- Crude rate: 107 %- Net rate: 84 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Improved linkage between the services responsible - Joint utilization of available resourcesfor the two sub-systems

Literacy Work for - Expansion and intensification of the adult literacy - Utilization of primary schools as literacy centresYoung People and campaign at the lowest possible cost with head teachers responsible for literacy programmesAdults. - Intensification of post-literacy programmes - Use of more paid part-time teachers as literacy

monitors so as to reduce operating costs

Renovation of - Extension of the duration of primary education - Increase in the number of inspectorsPrimary Education from 7 to 8 years - Upgrading of teachers

- Revision of syllabuses to emphasize their practicaland vocational aspects

- Use of teaching methods based on activepupil participation

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: LIBERIA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Terhl

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 721,800

- Rate: 70.5 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - To reach between 20,000 andYoung People and - Centres: 277 30,000 by the year 2000Adults - Enrolled: 4,461

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981): - In 1990 : crude enrolment rate- Number: 155,200 of70%- Crude rate: 52 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Extension of community schools to meet the need for - Creation of a co-ordination committeejoint development of primary and adult education - Definition of a policy for the use of national

languages and establishment of a « LiberianLanguage Programme»

- Intensification of training of polyvalent teachers(component of adult education)

- Distance teaching through the creation of a multi-media division

Literacy Work for - Adoption of the functional approach - Establishment of a national adult education policyYoung People and - Improved quality of literacy personnel and creation of a National Adult Education CommissionAdults - Development of post-literacy - Mobilization of human, financial and material re-

sources and construction of buildings- Improved evaluation and supervision- Production of teaching material in national languages

Renovation of - More extensive use of national languages in education - Use of mediaPrimary Education - Curriculum reform and preparation of suitable - Production of appropriate material for teachers

material to prepare students for productive work as and pupilswell as for languages, mathematics, physical - Definition of minimal qualitative standardstraining and health education

- Raising teacher certification standards

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: MALAWI

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,053,600

- Rate: 63.7 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982/83) : - 1983-85: to make 50,000 adultsYoung People and - Centres: 250 literateAdults - Enrolled: 5,000

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - Enrolment rate in first year:- Number: 883,600 100 % in 1984- Crude rate: 74 %- Net rate: 53 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Improved linkage between primary education and - Study of the impact of innovations in primaryadult literacy curricula and literacy teaching on the struggle

against illiteracy- Joint use of available resources- Establishment of a central evaluation and super-

visory unit for renovated literacy and primary programmes- Introduction of literacy and adult education in

teacher training

Literacy Work for - Linkage between literacy work and national - Building on experience acquired through theYoung People and development programmes Functional Literacy Project and the cc Malawi cor-Adults - Improvement of programmes respondence Centre»

- Study on the establishment of a national strategy- Establishment of a teaching materials production centre

Renovation of - Continued curricular reform - Increase in the number of school buildingsPrimary Education - Construction of 3 new teacher training

establ ishments

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: MALI

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 3,280.600

- Rate: 86.5 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1980/81 ) : - To achieve an enrolment ofYoung People and - Centres: 3,669 98,350 in 1981-85Adults - Enrolled: 55,556

Primary Education School Enrolment (1980/81) : - Substantial increase in enrolment- Number: 291,200 rate- Crude rate: 28 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Intensification of co-operation between experimen- - Continued linguistic researchtal schools and DNAFLA (Direction nationale de - Organization of a national seminar of reflectionl'alphaMtisation et de la linguistique appliquee) and consultation on the objectives and methods in-[National Directorate for Literacy and Applied Linguistics] volved in the struggle against illiteracy

-Continuation of courses to acquaint education per-sonnel with the transcription of languages

Literacy Work for - Improvement and extension of the literacy programme - Revision and strengthening of the technical roleYoung People and and intensification of education and literacy for of the service responsible for literacy programmesAdults women within the context of development programmes

- Renewed impetus to literacy work within the frame- - Strengthening of the linkage between the serviceswork of development operations and other bodies concerned with the preparation of

- Development of post-literacy programmes and special material to train and upgrade senior administratorsprogrammes for young new literates - Mobilization of young people for the extension of

- Development of self-evaluation literacy programmes

Renovation of - Continuation of educational reform, especially in - Development of educational methods for cc ruralization»Primary Education respect of cc ruralization» - Use of Koranic schools for pre-school children

- Expansion of decentralization (4-7 years of age)- Specific action for nomadic populations - Participation of parent-teacher associations in school management- More extensive use of national languages - Increase in the number of school canteens- Reduction of wastage - Expansion of school building and equipment (lower costs)

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: MOZAMBIQUE

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :('IS-plus age group) - Number: 3,934,800 - To reduce the illiteracy rate to a

- Rate: 66.8 % very low level by the year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1983) : - To develop intensified trainingYoung People and - Centres: 3,000 of 1,800,000 workers by 1990Adults - Enrolled: 200,017 through an increase in the num-

ber of literacy centres

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982) : - Substantial increase in the enrol-- Number: 1,341,800 ment rate- Crude rate: ...- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Development of exchanges and collaboration between - Joint utilization of available resourcesthe two sub-systems - Participation of secondary students in adult

literacy work

Literacy Work for - Intensification of literacy action in line with - Public information and mobilization of voluntaryYoung People and accepted priorities and development objectives personnelAdults - Improvement of programmes - Strengthening of administrative structures

- Revision of teaching aids- Improvement of teacher supervision system

Renovation of - Generalization of new teaching methods - Consciousness-raising of parents and communitiesPrimary Education - Linkage between education and community development as regards the need to send children to school

and production - Establishment of an inspectorate- Reduction of wastage (drop-outs and repeaters), - Support for distance teaching through the creation

especially in rural areas of a tutorial group comprising 100 pupils- Construction of 2 teacher training colleges in each province- Decentralization and detailed planning of educational activities- Development of an improved « rural» design of

school construction

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: NIGER

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,560,400

- Rate: 90.2 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - Opening of literacy centres inYoung People and - Centres: 944 all rural development projectsAdults - Enrolled: 17,450

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Substantial increase in enrolment- Number: 244,800 rate- Crude rate: 27 %- Net rate: 23 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Generalization of the use of national languages in - Establishment of a linguistic academythe two sub-systems - Creation of people's bookshops

- Determination of means of achieving improved co- - Participation of teachers in literacy work throughordination between the structures of the two subsystems a reorganization of school timetables

- Instruction in literacy methods and techniques - Creation of a back-up fund for education and literacy workwithin the framework of training programmes for - Introduction of cadres to the transcription andeducational personnel reading of national languages

Literacy Work for - Strengthening of literacy action, especially in - Firms to be required to provide literacy in-Young People and respect of workers and women structionAdults - Encouragement of local leadership at the village

level in the creation of new literacy centres

Renovation of - Generalization of use of national languages in the - Continued research and testing for the introduc-Primary Education first two years of schooling tion of national languages between the 3rd and 6th

- Introduction of vocational activities year of study- Expansion of school construction (reduced costs)- Establishment of a national teaching service corps

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: RWANDA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 1,287,900

- Rate: 50.3 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981 ) : - Literacy campaign designed toYoung People and - Centres: 476 cover the whole country byAdults - Enrolled: 53,884 1986/87

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - 1985/86: a first year intake- Number: 743,100 rate of 100 %- Crude rate: 64 %- Net rate: 61 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Survey of possibilities for co-operation betweenprimary education and adult literacy

Literacy Work for - National Literacy Campaign combining the activity - Public information campaignYoung People and of all services and other bodies already engaged in - Establishment of a National Literacy CommissionAdults literacy programmes with a Co-ordination Committee

- Establishment of local committees- In-depth analytical study of the situation and

evaluation and preparatory work- Intensification of training for local literacy workers

Renovation of - Transformation of 7th and 8th primary years into - Morning and afternoon use of premises (samePrimary Education Integrated Rural Education and Craft Centres premises, same teachers) in the first 3 years

(CERAI) - Automatic promotion- Course syllabuses at all levels - Research on the use of local building materials- Promotion of the naitonallanguage, compulsory - Expanded scholl construction (reduced costs)

language in education - Provision of modular nrototvnes::. s::.lJiten to s::.r.hool r.onstruction- Decentralization of teacher training through the

use of mobile teams- Distance teaching in teacher training

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 22,100 - Eradication of illiteracy by

- Rate: 42.6 % 1988

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - 28,000 people to be madeYoung People and - Centres: 561 literate by 1988Adults - Enrolled: 9,224

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982/83) : - Universal primary enrolment- Number: 16,200- Crude rate: 133 %- Net rate: 95 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Establishment of a global strategy for the - Establishment of a permanent commission for educational reformeradication of illiteracy - Establishment of liaison and co-ordination machinery

- Gradual implementation of educational reform - Joint utilization of installations (structural- Integration of literacy elements in teacher modifications for new buildings)

training programmes

Literacy Work for - Revision of post-literacy programmes - Supplementary structures and better use of existing structuresYoung People and - Expansion and upgrading of administrators and - Identification and recruitment of a greater numberAdults literacy workers of voluntary workers

- Improvement of the evaluation and supervisory - Intensification of training for senior administratorssystem - Encouragement of the population to build literacy centres

- Expansion and improvement of educational material - Organization of a national seminar on literacy andpost-literacy

Renovation of - Preparation of new educational content and methods - Definition of new entrance and terminal profilesPrimary Education - Transition from full-time usage of premises

(morning, afternoon, evening) to morning and afternoon only- Creation of a corps of inspectors and teacher

supervisors, and decentralization of administrators- Training of educational planners and administrators- Training of senior administrators in the tech-

niques of preparing and evaluating programmes

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: SENEGAL

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 2,434,700 - Eradication of illiteracy

- Rate: 77.5 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981/82) : - To open 1,000 literacy classesYoung People and - Centres: 334 (1982-1986)Adults - Enrolled: 9,977 - To make 1,000,000 people

literate in 10 years

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - Universal schooling by 1999- Number: 452,700 requiring an annual enrolment rate- Crude rate: 48 % of progress of 10%- Net rate: 39 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Finalization and application of education and - Integration of literacy services and activities,training strategy intermediate practical education, and rural voca-

tional training within the Ministry of Education- Establishment of an internal structure of linking

the formal and non-formal sub-systems

Literacy Work for - Launching of a national « mass literacy» campaign - Decentralization of literacy workYoung People and - Promotion of national languages for effective - Introduction to the transcription of nationalAdults literacy languages for the benefit of teachers, students

and administrative personnel- Production of material- Upgrading of personnel- Construction of a national literacy centre and

regional centres

Renovation of - Eradication of regional disparities - Application of a system of double-stream or dual-eourse classesPrimary Education - Generalization of teaching in national languages - Expansion of school buildings (lower costs)

- Integration of Arabic in education - Establishment of a national fund for the develop-- Introduction of environmental studies and adapta- ment of elementary education

tion of education to each specific milieu - Community participation in school management- Use of new techniques

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: SIERRA lEONE

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 1,488,900 - 50 % reduction in the illiteracy rate

- Rate: 76.4 % by the year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1980) :Young People and - Centres: ...Adults - Enrolled: 7,685

Primary Education School Enrolment (1980/81) : - Substantial increase in the school- Number: 263,700 enrolment rate: 73 % by the- Crude rate: 42 % Year 2000- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Generalization of community schools - Use of core curriculum in the training of- Utilization of national languages in both formal teachers, health and agricultural extension workers

and non-formal education - Production of educational material in national languages- Initial and continuing training of teachers in

national languages and in adult education- Adaptation of schools for joint utilization- Establishment of a co-ordination board

Literacy Work for - Intensification of literacy work in rural areas - Financial incentives to educators in rural areasYoung People and (functional approach) - Integration of literacy in all programmes in rural areasAdults - Programmes for urban young people having had no - Reorganization of the responsible service

schooling - Strengthening of the National Literacy Committee- General improvement of the organization and - Mobilization of personnel with community participation

quality of literacy work

Renovation of - Eradication of disparities between the rural and - Complete national school mapPrimary Education urban areas - Study of measures to retain teachers in rural areas

- Reduction of primary school from 7 to 6 years - Training of administrators in techniques for pre-- Raising of 1st year entrance age from 5 to 6 paring and evaluating programmes

- Increased school construction (communities to beprovided with prototypes of simple constructions)

- Establishment of a printing shop and provision of paper

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: SWAZILAND

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

'[literacy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 118,700 - Eradication of illiteracy

- Rate: 39.0 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1982) : - To make 8,000 adults literateYoung People and - Centres: ... each yearAdults - Enrolled: 4,240

Primary Education School Enrolment (1982): - Net enrolment rate to be raised to- Number: 125,300 100 % by the end of the century- Crude rate: 111 %- Net rate: 86 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Initiation and evaluation of the education reform - Restructuration of the ministry of Education- Training of teachers in literacy work- Effective administrative supervision of the

education system

Literacy Work for - To improve the effectiveness of literacy work in - Establishment of permanent literacy and post-Young People and urban areas literacy centres in urban areasAdults - To adapt teaching material to meet real needs - Continued involvement of rural authorities in

selection of « animateurs »

Renovation of - Curriculum reform - Construction of a new teacher training collegePrimary Education - Continued utilization of « Siswati » as the language with a capacity of 400

of teaching in the first 4 years - Establishment of an Office of School Construction- Expanded school construction- Provision of support and guidance to teachers

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SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: TOGO

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 967,000 - Eradication of illiteracy by the

- Rate: 67.7 % year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1980) : - In an initial phase: to make - In second phase: functionalYoung People and - Centres: 1,197 105,000 people literate in rural areas literacy for 21 0,000 adults in rural areasAdults - Enrolled: 33,795 - Urban literacy in enterprises for

2,200 people- Mass literacy for 250,000 people

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981/82) : - Net enrolment rate to be raised to- Number: 498,600 100 % by the year 2000- Crude rate: 111 %- Net rate: 74 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Continued application of reform - Co-ordination and utilization of teaching material- Utilization of two national languages for reading, writing and arithmetic- Introduction to literacy methods and techniques

in the training and upgrading of teachers

Literacy Work for - Continuation of functional and intensive literacy - Improvement of structures and reorganization ofYoung People and work in rural areas and introduction of the same the literacy serviceAdults type of work in the industrial sector

- Reorganization of traditional literacy work with aview to mass literacy

Renovation of - Lowering of the relative proportion of pupils aged - Establishment of reception structures for youngPrimary Education 14 and over people over 14 years of age

- Strengthening of science education - Production of textbooks, teachers' guides andaudio-visual material

- Initial and continuing training of teachers,especially in mathematics and national languages

- Construction and equipment of 2 new teachertraining colleges with a capacity of 720 d

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QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVES ,

FIELD PRESENT SITUATIONMedium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 3,396,700 - Eradication of illiteracy among the

- Rate: 88.6 % 15-plus age group by the year 2000

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1981/82) : - Launching of literacy campaign - Completion of the literacy campaignYoung People and - Centres: 1,741 to reach 3,330,000 in 10 years designed to make 3,330,000 adultsAdults - Enrolled: 45,204 - 25 % increase in the number of literate in 10 years

those attending Training Centresfor Young Farmers

Primary Education - School Enrolment (1982/83) : - 408,000 pupils in 1986/87, i.e - Substantial increase in the enrol-- Number: 251,300 a crude enrolment rate of 32 % ment rate- Crude rate: 25 %- Net rate: 21 %

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Educational reform (interaction planned between - Formulation of a draft organic law in respect ofbasic education, adult literacy services and the national educationtraining of young farmers) - Creation of a high-level body covering the whole

of the education system- Common core in the training of different educators

Literacy Work for - « Large-scale literacy» based on the field-tested - National and Departmental Commissions responsibleYoung People and intensive training method for the co-ordination of all activitiesAdults - Post-literacy programmes as an integral part of - National seminar and departmental seminars to

the campaign launch new strategic activities

Renovation of - Creation of a 6-year basic education cycle - Redefinition of the functions and strengthening ofPrimary Education - Preparation of curricula designed to make education their responsibilities of departmental director-

contribute to the solution of social problems ates and inspectorates- More extensive use of 3 national languages and - Establishment of an « Organization and Method» service

preparatory action for the introduction of other - Introduction into teacher training of courses inlanguages the use of national languages in instruction

01CD

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: ZAMBIA

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 958,700 - Eradication of illiteracy by 1998

. - Rate: 31 .4 %

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1980) : - To make 1,000,000 adults literateYoung People and - Centres: 318 within 15 years in one of the 7Adults - Enrolled: 5,455 official national languages

Primary Education School Enrolment (1981) : - Universal schooling for children in- Number: 1,076,400 a basic 9-year cycle- Crude rate: 94 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Continued application of the educational reform - Joint use by the departments responsible forliteracy and lifelong education of resourcesbelonging to two different Ministries

Literacy Work for - Transformation of the adult literacy programme - Progressive mobilization of human, financial andYoung People and into a national literacy campaign material resources to support the national campaignAdults - Improvement of the current literacy programme in - Intensified production of various forms of

7 national languages teaching aids for post-literacy work- Expansion of rural libraries and radio listening groups

Renovation of - Establishment of 9-year basic educationPrimary Education - Choice of 7 national languages for the first 4

years of schooling

~~DJi>

0>o

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY: ZIMBABWE

QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVESFIELD PRESENT SITUATION

Medium Term Long Term

Illiteracy Illiterates (1980) :(15-plus age group) - Number: 1,218,600 - Eradication of illiteracy by 1987

- Rate:31.2%

Literacy Work for Literacy Programme (1983) : - National literacy campaign (1983-87)Young People and - Centres: ... • 40,000 voluntary instructorsAdults - Enrolled: 142,800 • 2,000 instructor trainers

• 2,000,000 literacy textbooks

Primary Education School Enrolment (1983) :- Number: 2,042,500- Crude rate: 132 %- Net rate: ...

FIELD QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES WAYS AND MEANS

Joint Development - Mutual enrichment between the two sub-systems - Adoption of measures to strengthen co-ordination(formal and non-formal) and programming of activi- between primary education and adult educationties of mutual interest - Adaptation of structures, content and methods

to accommodate the use of national languages

Literacy Work for - Implementation of the national literacy campaign - Consciousness-raising and mobilization of the populationYoung People and - Improvement of literacy action - Adoption of new procedures for the recruitment andAdults training of personnel

- Planning and preparation of programmes- Preparation of a film, radio broadcasts and pamphlets

Renovation of - Curricular reform: predominance of scientific - Establishment of a « Curricular and MaterialsPrimary Education education, practical activities and liaison with Development Unit» for the systematic testing and

production evaluation of new curricula- Improved teacher qualifications - Increased reception capacity in teacher training

estabIishments

Ni:~~m

CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION , .. 3

DIAGNOSIS OF THE SITUATION . . . . . . . . . .. 5

Base-line Data on Illiteracy in Africa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5The Situation of Primary Education. . . .. 5The Situation of Literacy Programmes for Young People and Adults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9The Relationship between Primary Education and Literacy Programmes for Young People and Adults. . . . . . . . . . 12Data on the Funding of Pnmary Education and Literacy Work for Young People and Adults. . .. 14Chart 1 : Evolution of Illiteracy Rates among the 15-plus Population in 41 African Countries between 1970

and 1980. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ,. 16

Table 1 : Illiteracy Rates among the 15-plus Population in Unesco's Sub-Saharan Member States: Estimatesfor 1970 and 1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17

Table 2: Primary School Enrolment: Situation of the Latest Year Available and Development since 1965 . . . . . . 18

Table 3 : Serving and Trainee Primary Teachers in the 28 Countries Visited. . . . . . . . . . .. .. 19

Table 4 : Quantitative Data on Literacy Programmes for Young People and Adults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES..... 21

National Policies in the Struggle Against Illiteracy. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Strategies for the joint Development of Pnmary Education and Adult Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 22Ways and Means of Developing Literacy Programmes of Young People and Adults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Ways and Means of Developing Primary Education. .. . 24

PROSPECTS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE REGIONAL PROGRAMME.................................. 27

Interest in the Programme , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Machinery for Regional Co-operation 27Participation Procedure and Expected Support. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Possible Contributions by Participating Countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 28

THE REGIONAL PROGRAMME. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 29

ANNEX:

Tabular Summaries of National Strategies for the Eradication of Illiteracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

61

Offset Impnmene Saint-Paul, Dakar