National Education Policies And Programmes And International Cooperation

Abstract

One can but rejoice at the progress made in the field of education in the course of the last fifty years. Yet many countries are still below the basic education minima and have great needs, despite concerted efforts at the international Ievel, such as the Jomtien Conference in 1990 and more recently the Dakar Forum (April 2000). Because of the rapid rise in numbers, the quality and pertinence of education have become major concerns and new demands are being felt both at the level of post-primary and secondary education and at the level of vocational and technical training. All levels of education, and more especially higher education, are undergoing great pressures because of young people’s growing demand for access and the need to renovate the curriculum to satisfy the needs of the economies that are in constant restructuring because of the challenges of modernisation and globalisation. The needs of low-income countries that are faced with great financial, human, technical and institutional resource constraints are particularly difficult to meet. The restructuring of the economy and the adjustment programmes, as well as the new role of the State are at the root of the problems to finance the education systems which remain very dependent on public financing. The restructuring of the financing modes has led to mixed results, especially with regard to the quality of teaching and equity. Whatever the country’s level of development, there is a great demand for education reform in order to be able to face political and social and cultural changes, as well as scientific and technological transformations. To this can be added the need for reconstruction created by the proliferation of armed conflicts. This often requires large-scale efforts and great resources that must be mobilised through international cooperation. The reconstruction and reform of the education systems represent human and financial challenges both for the countries concerned and for the international community. At the national level, the governments, the professionals of education and research, and the different associations and reflection groups are trying to bring adequate solutions. At the international level, the multilateral and bilateral cooperation agencies are contributing financially and/or technically to the national programmes of educational development.