Overview of A.I.D. basic education programs in sub-Saharan Africa

The Bureau exceeded that goal by initiating primary education programs in Mali in 1989, in Guinea and Ghana in 1990, in Benin, Malawi, and Namibia in 1991, and in Uganda in 1992. These programs joined ongoing assistance efforts in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland. Most of these programs, especially the more recent ones, exhibit substantial policy content and careful coordination with other donors. Each aims to help African countries increase the efficiency, equity, and quality of primary education. However, the tremendous variation that exists across the continent requires different approaches to educational reform. This report illustrates both the strategic consistency running through all the Africa Bureau"s educational programs and the variations that address country-specific problems and goals. The report has two sections: (1) a brief general description of the problems facing African education and A.I.D."s response to these problems; (2) descriptions of A.I.D."s bilateral educational programs in the eleven countries mentioned above. (Author abstract, modified)