Namibia basic education reform program

The program consists of a $35 million grant to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to: (1) improve the quality of Namibia"s basic education system; (2) increase the quality and supply of textbooks and materials; (3) establish an equitable financial basis for the system; and (4) improve educational management. Four activities will be undertaken to improve educational quality. The MOE will: (1) develop a model of an effective basic education system; (2) develop an improved learner-centered curriculum for grades 1-6 which is relevant to Namibian children in all parts of the country, and develop new Namibian syllabi; (3) reform teacher training, including pre-service education, inservice education, and teacher upgrading, integrating the new syllabi into all types of training; and (4) identify target educational outcomes and restructure student examinations and assessments. The GON will distribute new textbooks to replace inappropriate books that were imported from South Africa (supporting Apartheid) and to provide textbooks to children who have had little or no access to them in the past. Initially, distribution will consist of donated texts in key subjects (mathematics, science, and English as a second language), but by the end of the fourth year, a plan for publishing Namibian textbooks that support the new curriculum will be in place. To ensure the affordability and sustainability of the basic education system, the GON will: (1) establish budget targets for financing educational reform and assure that the MOE"s share of the GON"s recurrent budget is sufficient for both short- and long-term reform; and (2) establish standards for a Fundamental Quality Level primary school. To improve the management of the basic education system, the GON will abolish the Representative Authorities Act and integrate the 11 separate education authorities under a central MOE. The MOE will: (1) designate committees to direct educational reform and a committee to coordinate donor activities; (2) set up a management information system; and (3) create a National Institute for Educational Development as a permanent entity for planning and directing educational reform. Finally, the GON will develop a plan to provide training aimed at indigenizing the education research and teacher training faculties of the University of Namibia. Complementary project assistance will be provided under project 6730006.