By Staneala Beckley, PhD
A major transformation of secondary schooling will take place this new school year, essentially driven by concerns about the decline in students’ performance at the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
Sierra Leone could seek comfort in the knowledge that it is not alone. Falling standards are a global preoccupation. For example, there has been recent controversy surrounding the UK’s General Certificate of Secondary Examination (GCSE). Planned introduction of an English Baccalaureate (EBacc) examination is probably the most recent illustration of secondary education reform in the making, to come into force in England in 2015.
The problem with secondary education in Sierra Leone is not merely one of falling standards and poor student performance. “Learning for all” must be preceded by access to some form of post-primary education for the vast majority if not for all children.
There is a fundamental deficit in participation, with less than 20 percent of children of the eligible age group enrolled in secondary school. This is at the lower end of the 20 - 80 per cent range for sub-Saharan Africa. The deficit comes into sharp relief in the proportion of primary to secondary schools (approximately 4,000 primary schools compared with less than 277 in secondary, including private, schools).
Diminishing returns from primary schooling in the forms of repetition and drop-out affect secondary schooling. Completion of primary school and a passing grade being prerequisites for entrance into secondary school, the relevance of rethinking the link between both sub-systems is fairly obvious. Resolving the problem of access to secondary education means reviewing the situation of primary education with regard to demography - equitable access for marginalized groups of children; pedagogy – what, how and at what pace children learn and their chances of making the transition to secondary school. Meeting the cost of schooling is also a major consideration.
In the context of the government’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for Education, one of the monitoring indicators is the literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds, a category that includes the population of secondary school -aged children. But 80 per cent of them are not engaged in any form of organized learning.
Successive governments have never failed to recognize the value of education and the need to improve education quality. Efforts to respond to perceived weaknesses and increase the internal efficiency of the system are evident in a wide range of reforms introduced over the years.
The extent to which these reforms have resulted in the ultimate outcomes of an education system, i.e. – quality learning for all, civic responsibility, critical thinking and preparation for the world of work, among others, is open to question. What is immediately clear in the current situation of education, and judging by the dismal results in the WASSCE exams is that investments in this level of education have failed to yield the desired results. The solution, as
recommended by the Gbamanja Commission of Enquiry, is an extension of the secondary school year, and, by implication, a “no intake” year at universities and technical and vocational colleges.
Seven years of secondary education is not a new thing, although the new model cannot by any stretch of the imagination be compared with the former 6thform. The latter had more advanced level with more specialised and
rigorous curricular, selectve entry requirements and smaller classes. While the underlying rationale for this policy decision seems plausible, nonetheless it has given rise to debate about the implications of the decision and approach to its implementation.
In the final analysis, the litmus test would be substantive improvement in 2014 performance over the current year. For this to happen, many of the impediments noted in the Commission Report must be addressed, i.e. `teachers’ behavior, their general 'negative attitude’, `poor pedagogy’, `overdependence on teachers’ handouts’, among others.
Teacher performance is a critical issue. Teachers are central to the education process and are accountable for students’ performance. However, they are only a link in the chain, albeit a vital one. They cannot operate in isolation from the system that is designed to support them. For this reason, it is necessary to take stock of how the system itself operates. A functional review of the central ministry and its sub-national entities would provide valuable insights into ways to improve sector governance for greater accountability and more effective delivery of services. Invariably,
it will entail rationalization of structures, roles and functions and service delivery models that factor in privatization and decentralized, school-based management.
Most teachers want to do an honest job, given the right conditions. Even where conditions are not optimal, resourceful teachers take initiatives aimed at producing satisfactory results. Lessons can be learnt from many developing countries around the world that have succeeded in tackling the quality issue, even in difficult circumstances.
Teachers need basic tools to do a decent job, continuous training, the right environment for teaching and learning, adequate and timely remuneration. Surprisingly, studies have shown that salary, while a basic entitlement, is not the primary motivator except for those who take up the profession as a stepping stone to other non-teaching
opportunities.
The weaknesses in teacher performance listed in the Commission Report must be understood in the context of the bigger picture of the education system with regard to teacher preparation, on-going supervisory support and oversight, strict adherence to rules and procedures, realistic estimation of resource requirements for fundraising, transparency and equitable distribution of resources and ancillary programmes to improve teaching and learning such as School Broadcasting and Distance Learning (noted the Commission Report).
The Education system is not immune from weaknesses in the larger society. Accountability and integrity should be the watchwords in all public sectors. Beyond good grades in public examinations, education, above all else, is expected to transform lives, shape attitudes, cultivate democratic values and respect for diversity. These dimensions should form an intrinsic part of the agenda for education reform, not only through curriculum, but in the manner in which education business is conducted across the management spectrum.
The one-year moratorium on WASSCE in public schools should provide adequate opportunities to address these complementary priorities. This is a defining moment, a major milestone in the history of secondary education in Sierra Leone. Governments have often been called upon to take hard-nosed decisions and bold initiatives to bring about sustainable results. In the heat of dire educational circumstances, a Minister of Education in Nigeria once challenged his advisors to “think crazy”.
“Thinking crazy” means having the courage and tenacity to take the bull by the horns with the determination to chart unusual paths towards change. But it must be strategic, focused and monitored.
Preliminary actions to take in our context would be to identify failing schools and educationally disadvantaged communities, resource and capacity building needs, to progressively bring them at par with successful schools. Uniform strategies do not always work and can further create inequities. Other considerations are links with teacher training colleges and resource centers, incentives for teachers to support struggling schools, mass mobilization of expert retired teachers for in-service training, resuscitating professional bodies for language and science teaching, harnessing the customary goodwill of Sierra Leoneans for voluntary service to schools and communities. A clear
operational plan for the different segments of the one-year initiative, with accompanying timelines, designation of roles and responsibilities and monitoring and reporting schedules will be imperative for recording progress and measuring change.
Even though the exams are suspended till 2014, an interim evaluation of the process, and assessment on a sample of schools, teachers and students could provide insights into the viability of the initiative. Being proactive helps to anticipate and quickly respond to problems as they arise.
The future of education in this country is at stake. It’s time to “think crazy”. Ban low-grade hand-outs sold to students. Invest massively in free or low-cost quality textbooks, and scholarships for the poor. Raise teachers’ pay and impose a similar moratorium on unnecessary travels abroad by public officials. Settling for less would amount to a sub-standard system, sub-standard schools and mediocre results.
As a bystander curious about the next steps in implementing the policy decision, the urgency in consultations between decision-makers in the Ministry of Education and the West African Exams Council (WAEC) has
been palpable. Momentum is building. With well thought-out and timely execution of corrective measures, there is reason to believe that Sierra Leone is finally on the right path towards reconstructing Education to prepare children for the challenges that lie ahead.
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Dr. Staneala Beckley is a retired Sierra Leonean and a former Regional Chief of Education for UNICEF in the Middle East and North Africa and in West and Central Africa. She was recently re-engaged in Iraq where she worked with the government and international agencies to develop the Iraq Public Sector Modernization Programme (IPSM) and the National Education Strategy.
(c) Politico 2012
