Education > Programs

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Included among the components of the reform was the provision of adequate pedagogical inputs (including the replacement of the old rote learning curriculum with a new competency-based one, the development of teaching materials and student textbooks, and the development of a new student assessment system) and the capacity building of teachers and teacher trainers

PROVIDING APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL TOOLS

In 1999, a new curriculum was introduced to all primary schools in Benin The old rote-learning based curriculum is replaced by a new competency based one. The new centers learning on the students. To date, this new curriculum has been implemented nationwide in all the grades of primary education in both public and private schools.

It has been implemented progressively each year, and has reached the sixth grade, the last grade of primary school, in the 2004-2005 school year.

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• New workbooks, textbooks, and teacher's guides

• New student assessment system

Also tied to the introduction of the new curriculum was the development of a new student assessment system based on competency-based teaching and learning approaches. To date, the new student assessment system is implemented in first to sixth grade classes nationwide in both public and private schools. It has been implemented progressively each year, and has reached sixth grade in 2005.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS AND TEACHER TRAINERS

Within the framework of Benin's primary education reform program, teachers are trained in the new principles and approaches to learning used in the new curriculum. The Mitchell Group provided technical assistance in both the preparation of the training guides and the organisation, coordination, and supervision of the training activities. To date, 13,500 first and second grade teachers and principals of public and private schools nationwide and 100 school inspectors/district superintendents have been trained in the new curriculum.

To further strengthen the capacity of teachers and improve the in-service teacher training system, the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) has implemented two projects in Benin: Teachers For Africa and the Primary Education Teacher Training Project (PETTP). The second phase started in October 2001. The objective of these projects is to improve the quality of primary education instruction and teacher training capabilities in Benin through in-service professional development and educational support services.

The strategy implemented consists of:

• In-Service Teacher Training:


IFESH through its advisers, works one-on-one with school district personnel that include heads of school districts and teacher supervisors to perform school and classroom visits, improve communication between teachers and supervisors, identify training needs, and ameliorate teaching and teacher training techniques.



• Technical Skills Training:


Training provided to both teachers and their supervisors in organizing and facilitating group work, implementing gender equity in the classroom, and techniques of the new pedagogical system.



• Teacher Training Skills:


Workshops, seminars, and practical on-site sessions for school district teacher trainers, particularly in producing training guides and facilitating workshops, participatory methods, and techniques for teaching the new curriculum.



• Management and leadership training


Workshops, seminars and in-service practice sessions provided to the school district superintendents, teacher advisors, and the school principals, focusing on the development of management by objectives, performance evaluation, and leadership skills.



• Special projects


They are initiated in support of teacher training and include:


• Publication of a quarterly teaching journal (Bulletin d’Echanges Pédagogiques)


One of Benin’s largest publications (a circulation of over 6000), the Bulletin is designed to improve communications among educators, circulate up-to-date teaching information, and provide a forum for teacher exchange.



• Library/Documentation Centers:



18 of these learning/resource centers are established in five of Benin's six regions. Assisted by the Amercian volunteers from Teachers for Africa, these centers provide basic courses in English, computer skills, and workshops in arts and crafts for teachers and students, as well as information resources for primary school teachers and their students.



• School Micro-projects:


They are designed to provide students with experience in cooperative group work and a practical application of education. Hundreds of schools throughout the 18 school districts of the Primary Education Teacher Training Project are implementing micro school projects producing household items such as soap, raising livestock, tending school gardens, and creating a variety of handmade crafts. These projects are no longer a major component under the current phase.



• Community Councils for Education and Development:


In each school district, a community association has been created to improve communication and cooperation between school authorities and the community, as well as to increase sustainability of program results.

The Primary Education Teacher Training Project (PETTP) trained 54 schools.

An evaluation using questionnaires, interviews, and class observation assessed results and compared school districts within and outside the project and found that in the IFESH-Benin districts:

80% of the school district superintendents plan and implement teacher training activities (compared to 18% in the other zones, that is, non-IFESH-Benin districts);

Bi-monthly teacher workshops have improved teachers’ knowledge and teaching practices 100% (29% in the other zones);

84% of teachers have well-planned lesson content (43% in in the other zones);

78% take student tests into account to readjust their lessons (0% in the other zones); 

45% of the teachers give students individual assistance (0% in in the other zones); 

41% of the teachers notice students who do not participate (0% in the other zones). 

At the student level: 

47% of students ask questions (0% in the other zones); 

63% of the students and teachers work in small groups (29% in the other zones); 

51% of students and teachers discuss lessons (7% in the other zones). 

A memorandum of understanding was signed between IFESH-Benin and INFRE, the Ministry of Education’s training institution, recognizing the skill of each institution and defining future collaboration. 

Under the second phase of the PETTP, which began on October 1, 2001, IFESH will cover 36 new school districts. IFESH will conduct - though with slight variations - activities that are similar to those above.
 

EDUCATING STUDENTS IN SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), a hands-on, school-based, international environmental science and education program, was introduced in April 1994 by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Operations began on the 25^th Earth Day, April 22, 1995 and Benin became a part of the program on April 28, 1995 by signing an agreement with the US Government acting through USAID.

OBJECTIVES  GLOBE brings together students, teachers and scientists from around the world to: Enhance environmental awareness of individuals worldwide,  Increase scientific understanding of the Earth, and  Support improved student achievement in science and mathematics

These aspects help develop students' research capacities.

The GLOBE program supports two USAID goals "Human Capacity built through education and training" and "the world’s environment protected for long-term sustainability."

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Under the guidance of GLOBE-trained teachers, students at all GLOBE schools throughout the world:

• Make environmental measurements at or near their schools utilizing GLOBE measurement procedures and appropriate, calibrated measurement equipment, 
• Report their data to the GLOBE student data archive utilizing GLOBE data reporting protocols, 
• Receive and use GLOBE environmental images created from their data and the data from other GLOBE schools around the world, and 
• Study the environment by relating their observations and the resulting images to broader environmental topics.

PROGRESS ACCOMPLISHED

1. GLOBE Benin is the most active GLOBE Country in Africa, especially in terms of:
• Number of schools involved: from 8 pilot schools in 1995, GLOBE has expanded to 106 schools today with more than 1 million students participating in the program each year with the assistance of more than 25,000 teachers;  
• Quantity and quality of data collected by Beninese students and which contribute to enriching the worldwide GLOBE database;  
• Environmental data collected by Beninese students and made accessible to international researchers.  



2. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has taken ownership of the GLOBE Program:

• By providing an office, a four-wheel-drive vehicle, computers to schools, internet connection for some schools, and an operational budget for GLOBE Coordination;  
• Purchasing instruments for schools (rain gauge, thermometer, computers, etc.)
3. Recent accomplishments
• Comparative analysis of rain data and local incidence of malaria using GLOBE data 
• Comparative analysis of current rainfall (GLOBE Data) with rainfall ten years ago (local weather statistics from ASECNA) 

STRENGTHS 

• Teachers acknowledge that GLOBE protocols are very useful in teaching math, biology, and geography because they receive materials that allow them to strengthen their teaching capacities; 
• Students are impressed to see a program that teaches practice rather than only theory.
• The program contributes to improving students' capacities in science, mathematics, biology and geography as well as their results at school.

• GLOBE instruments are only purchased in the U.S. 
• The GLOBE program has not been integrated into the official curriculum 

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