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Education for Rural People 6 Years Later

Education for Rural People 6 Years Later. What have we learned? www/fao.org/sd/erp/ ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa: Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa

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Education for Rural People 6 Years Later

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  1. Education for Rural People6 Years Later What have we learned? www/fao.org/sd/erp/ ADEA 2008 Biennale on Education in Africa: Beyond Primary Education: Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa (Acker & Gasperini : Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, Spring 2008)

  2. Why Education for Rural People? • The majority of the world poor, food insecure, illiterate adults, and out of school children live in rural areas and suffer from inequitable access to food, schools, health care, roads, technology, institutional support and markets. • The majority of the population of Africa is rural • The majority of Africa youth is rural.

  3. What is Education for Rural People? • ERP aims at bringing about transformation of rural communities by developing the capacity of rural people to feed themselves, fight poverty and live in dignity. • ERP is a worldwide call to action for education for rural children, youth, and adults, as a key contribution to prevent and address food crisis. (Burchi and De Muro 2007)

  4. ERP Objectives (all MDGs and especially 1,2,3,7) • Eradicating extreme poverty & hunger • Overcoming the urban/rural education gap by improving: • access to quality basic education for rural people • national capacity to implement education programs to address learning needs of rural people • Promoting gender equity and empowering women • Ensuring environmental sustainability

  5. History • EFA (1990 & 2000) and WFS 1996 • launched (2002) at the World Summit for Sustainable Development, Johannesburg • Addressing the educational needs of this "neglected majority" directly contributes to achieving the MDGs Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of FAO

  6. History • Senior government representatives from MOE and MAG of 11 African countries reiterated the need to address the gross inequalities that marginalize rural people • (Addis Ababa, 2005; Rome 2007)

  7. ERP Implementation • Policy formation through informed dialogue • Participatory processes to involve stakeholders • Decentralization of educational services • Multi-sectoral approaches to rural development • Opportunities for donor support • Educational management

  8. What Will Success Look Like? • A systemic rural people needs-based approach that fosters education (including extension) by expanding access and improving quality for all rural children, youth and adults. • Rural people engaged in knowledge-based economies • Rural people prepared to learn in order to adapt to globalization, climate change, and other forces

  9. UNESCO (including IIEP, etc) Ministries of Education Ministries of Agriculture FAO Donors ADEA NGOs and civil society

  10. Effective Pro-rural Policies Challenge # 1 • Motivating major changes in policy and resource allocation to favor rural citizens is difficult to achieve due to the absence of powerful political forces that advocate for rural people.

  11. Effective Pro-rural Policies Lesson # 1 • National policies and strategies that effectively address ERP recognize the diversity of needs of rural people • agro-ecological and geographic differences • socio-economic and cultural differences( (FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2006) • The highest dividend for food security comes from investing in primary education (Burchi & De Muro 2007) as compared with other education levels

  12. Effective Pro-rural Policies Example # 1 • A strategy for Education for Rural People in Kosovo: 2004 – 2009 prepared in collaboration by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture

  13. Organizational Efficiency Challenge # 2 • No single institution can provide all educational services for rural people • ERP must be approached systemically

  14. Organizational Efficiency Lesson # 2 • Coordination among MOE and MAG, extension, schools, non-governmental organizations and the private sector is essential for optimal efficiency

  15. Organizational Efficiency Example # 2 • Rural-based teachers, if trained in the specific rural technical subjects, can contribute to ensuring relevance of the school curriculum and can support extension programs during off hours. • Rural-based agricultural extension officers can : • do presentations in their subject area at schools • conduce adult education classes • organize farmer field schools with secondary, technical vocational and primary education

  16. Flexibility & Local Autonomy Challenge # 3 • Centralized curriculum development • Rigid implementation of curriculum • Lack of community involvement leading to disenfranchisement

  17. Flexibility & Local Autonomy Lesson # 3 • Systems that combine national and local curriculum planning through community participation • Flexibility in academic calendar to accommodate weather, cropping patterns and the movement of nomadic people have proven successful.

  18. Flexibility & Local Autonomy Example # 3 • In Thailand, for example, as much as 40% of the curriculum was permitted to be based on community and local needs (FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2002) • In Mozambique 20% of the curriculum is decentralized

  19. Access and Quality Challenge # 4 • Access: fees and other costs; distance to schools; school network and low investments in rural infrastructures • Quality of education available in rural areas lags behind urban areas FAO UNESCO , 2003

  20. Access and Quality Lesson # 4 • School attendance in rural areas has improved significantly since 1999 primarily due to: • Removal or reduction of school fees • Free access to learning materials • School construction • Several countries are promoting specific teacher training, contextualized learning and relevant training materials to allow rural students to address real rural life problems and to acquire life skills (ex: Colombia)

  21. Example # 4 Access and Quality • Double shift classes and after-hours adult education • Strategies targeting specific rural groups • Satellite schools for the youngest children from remote rural areas • ICT • Farmers participation in curriculum planning and in managing education and training events

  22. Parent & Community Involvement Challenge # 5 • Schools are often viewed as impenetrable institutions belonging to the central government

  23. Parent & Community Involvement Lesson # 5 • Participatory and community-based approaches have helped to increase educational access and quality and to increase rural community ownership of schools (FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2006). • Rural families want to see that the education of their children is relevant to rural livelihoods.

  24. Parent–teacher organizations have significant impact on Resources available to the school Improved monitoring of quality and relevance School lunch programs Parent & Community Involvement Example # 5

  25. Life skills Food production skills Self-employment skills Skills Training for Rural PeopleSkills are needed by rural people to succeed in global, knowledge economies Challenge # 6

  26. Skills Training for Rural People Lesson # 6 • Appropriate non-formal skills training for adults and school drop-outs can permit rural people to diversify their skills for a more secure livelihood and greater resiliency during times of stress FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2006

  27. Skills Training for Rural People Example # 6 • Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools in Mozambique that deal with agricultural as well as life skills development among young rural citizens FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2006

  28. Redefining Agricultural Education Challenge # 7 • Agricultural education: sharply focused on the preparation of people for on-farm employment and public sector positions

  29. Redefining Agricultural Education Example # 7 • EARTH University in Costa Rica • Four pillars: • Social Commitment • Environmental Awareness • Entrepreneurial Mentality • Development of Human Values

  30. Redefining Agricultural Education Lesson # 7 • Agricultural education must reflect changes taking place in rural areas: • technology changes • global supply chains • health challenges • on- and off-farm employment • global environmental changes • entrepreneurship and small enterprise development

  31. Teachers and Extension Staff Challenge # 8 • Recruitment and retention of rural teachers and extension staff present significant challenges

  32. Teachers and Extension Staff Lesson # 8 • Recruitment practices • by attracting teachers and extension workers who are originally from rural areas • More attractive deployment policies: • bonuses and higher salaries • provision of subsidized housing • posting newly qualified staff in pairs • establishment of career progression options

  33. Teachers and Extension Staff Example # 8 • Malaysia: a package of incentives including a piece of land and training in agriculture was used to encourage teachers to stay in rural areas. • Lao PDR: profit sharing in school-based income-generating activities is allowed • both students and teachers benefit financially FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2002

  34. Accommodations must be made to attract and retain school-aged girls and adult women, and teachers Gender Responsive Environments Challenge # 9

  35. Gender Responsive Environments Lesson # 9 • Flexible timetables to accommodate peak labor demand for girls and adult women • Well-supervised boarding facilities safeguard female children • School meals for all children • Take-home rations for female children to compensate for the labor lost when they attend school FAO/UNESCO/IIEP, 2006

  36. Gender Responsive Environments Example # 9 • Half-day long farmer training short courses geared toward women that have responsibilities at home.

  37. We need National people-centered, rights-based and justice-oriented strategies and sustainable rural livelihoods approaches Strong multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation Actionat the National Level

  38. Action at the International Level We need • ERP to become a commitment of all UN agencies and plans, bilateral donors, NGOs, private sector and others. • ERP to complements food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable natural resources management programmes to increases their efficiency.

  39. Action: Role of Donors Action: The Role of Donors We need • More investments in ERP, including agriculture and rural development education • Improved donor coordination at the national and international level in promoting ERP and monitoring progress • Support and technical assistance from regional and international organizations for those countries committed to fostering the education of their rural citizens.

  40. Thank you ! www/fao.org/sd/erp/

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