COUNTRY REPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE ANALYSIS OF POVERTY REDUCTION STARTEGY PAPERS AND NON FORMAL EDUCATION (NFE) POLICIES IN SIERRA LEONE

Transcription

1 COUNTRY REPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE ANALYSIS OF POVERTY REDUCTION STARTEGY PAPERS AND NON FORMAL EDUCATION (NFE) POLICIES IN SIERRA LEONE WEST AFRICA POLICY ANALYSIS PROJECT -WAPAP CONDUCTED BY COUNTRY ANALYSIS TEAM SEPTEMBER 2010

2 TABLE OF CONTENT No Content Page Table of contents 2 Acronyms Introductions context Justification for Analysis Objectives Expected Results Methodology of analysis Documentary Analysis Summary of Findings Context of Policy Documents Justification for policy documents History Policy methodology and Process Legal Framework Policy objectives in terms of youth and adult education Strategies to achieve objectives Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms Budget and Budgetary Allocations Recommendations Conclusions and Lessons Learned 28 Annex 1: List of country team members 30 2 Pa g e

3 ACRONYMS AIDS ADB BSL DHS EFA EU ESP HIV IDA INGO IPRSP MDA MDG MEST NEAP NEP NEMP NFE NCRRR NCTVA NGO M & E PASCO PRSP SL TV TVET UN UNICEF UNESCO WAEC WHO Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome African Development Bank Bank of Sierra Demographic Household Survey Education For All European Union Education Sector Plan Human Immino Virus International Development Agency International Non Governmental Organization Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Ministries, Departments and Agencies Millennium Development Goal Ministry of Education Science and Technology National Education Action Plan New Education Policy National Education Master Plan Non Formal Education National Commission for Reintegration Rehabilitation and Reconstruction National Commission for Technical Vocation and other Awards Non Governmental Organizations Monitoring and Evaluation Poverty Alleviation Strategy Coordinating Office Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Sierra Leone Television Technical Vocational Education Training United Nations United National International Children Emergency Fund United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization West African Examination Council World Health Organization 3 Pa g e

4 1.0 INTRODUCTION Sierra Leone is one of the five Anglophone countries undertaking the West Africa Policy Analysis on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) and the Non Formal Education (NFE) Policies. The other four countries are Liberia, Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana 1.1 Context The Republic of Sierra Leone is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, however many years of political instability and mismanagement constrained the economic development of the country, resulting in majority of the people being very poor(70% living below the poverty line, $1.00 a day). Hence, Sierra Leone continues to be ranked second to last on the UNDP human development index (2008) and 53 rd on the Global Peace Index. Notwithstanding,considerable progress has been made in Sierra Leone towards the development process of consolidating peace, reinstating basic social services in communities affected by the war and re-launching the economy to set the country on the path of post-war recovery which started since the civil war ended in Some of the major post-war concerns including resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons and reintegration of excombatants into communities have also been addressed. Concerted efforts on the democratic front, such as the first post-war Parliamentary and Presidential Elections held in 2002, have contributed to deepening democratic governance, promoting political dialogue and building consensus. The first Local Government Elections in 32 years were held in The second post-war national constituency based elections were carried out successfully and a new government put in place in This was followed by another set of Local Government Elections in The framework adopted to tackle the post-war and other development challenges was anchored on the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper ( ), the National Recovery Strategy ( ) and the first full Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper ( ). The implementation of these strategies resulted in improvement of macro-economic performance reflected by the attainment of 7.5 percent increase of real GDP during Despite these modest achievements, the development progress was constrained by a number of factors such as poor road networks, mass illiteracy, high cost of living with per capita gross national income of US$320 in 2008, which is lower than the average US$1,082 for sub Saharan African countries ( US$564 for low income countries ) ( WB website data.worldbank.org,5 th Sept 2010); These in turn resulted in inadequate employment opportunities, especially for young people, and widespread poverty with an estimated 70 percent of Sierra Leoneans living below the poverty line of USD$1 a day in However, by the end of 2007 (PRSP I), decreases of 9.8 percent in consumption poverty and six 4 Pa g e

5 percent in asset-based poverty levels were recorded. These were considered to be a little on the high side given the realities existing in the streets of Sierra Leone. The population of Sierra Leone was 4,976,871 with an annual growth rate of 1.8 per cent in The 2010 population is expected to reach about 5.7 million, based on the projections of 2004 census. The Northern Province is the most populous area with 35 per cent of the total population and the Western Area is the least populated area with 19 per cent. On the other hand, the distribution of the population by district indicates that the most densely populated area is the Western Urban Area (15.5 percent of total population) and Bonthe has the least (2.8 percent of total population). Sierra Leone s population continues to be predominantly rural (63 percent) with the urban constituting only 37 per cent of the total. The age structure of the population is largely youthful with 42.1 per cent under 15 years of age, 19.3 percent aged years and 17.5 percent aged years. Only about 4 percent of the population is aged 65 years and over. One of the most striking characteristics of Sierra Leone population is that nearly 55 per cent of the youth aged years are currently either not in school, unemployed or economically inactive which not only deprives the country of its most valuable human resources but if not checked, could also result in social unrest and threaten the country s peace and security (PRSP II). According to the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 2008). 55% of men and 74% of women are not literate. High infant and maternal mortality rates (89/1000 live births and 857/100,000 live births respectively). The Southern Province had the highest infant mortality and among the districts, Moyamba and Kenema had very high infant mortality rates, With respect to progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal related to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, the latest Sero-prevalence Survey conducted by National HIV/ AIDS Secretariat and its partners show that the national HIV prevalence rate is now 1.50 percent, down by 0.03 percent of the 2005 level. The results also showed that prevalence rate among males increased from 0.2 percent in 2002 to 5.0 percent in 2005 and for females, from 1.3 percent to 1.6 percent over the same period. Amongst youth 15-24, the results indicated that the HIV prevalence rate was 1.6 percent whilst in 2006 the prevalence rates amongst pregnant women was reported to be 4.1 percent. This indicates a halt in the infection rate but more and sustained efforts are required to reverse the trend of infection to below the 0.5 percent level. Increases in HIV infection rates can be attributed to low knowledge of HIV/AIDS risk factors, especially among young people, high poverty levels, increase in commercial sex work, inadequate youthfriendly reproductive health services and low condom use; since only 10.2 percent of 5 Pa g e

6 males and 6.5 percent of females reported condom use during their last sexual encounter as reported in the National Sero-Prevalence Survey In the DHS of 2008, only 10.2 percent of all women were reported as using any modern method of contraception. Gender inequality still exists at all levels of Sierra Leone s society particularly in education, and employment among others. This can be explained by unequal opportunities for boys and girls in accessing education which is exacerbated by factors such as early marriage for girls and preference for boys education. While significant progress has been made in terms of literacy and education for women, significant challenges remain to reduce disparities in enrolment and retention rates. The overall share of women in non-agricultural employment is as low as 10.8 per cent. In Sierra Leone, although women constitute the majority of the agricultural labour force, they cannot own land and whatever user rights they may acquire are lost upon the death of their husbands due to socio-cultural practices. Despite the current situation, Sierra Leone has a rich history of human resources development through Western style education in Sub-Saharan Africa: the first school for boys (CMS Grammar School) founded in 1845; the first school for girls (Annie Walsh Memorial School) founded in 1849; and the first tertiary education institution (Fourah Bay College) founded in The country played an important role in the training of the first corps of administrators, doctors and teachers in English-speaking West African in the first half of the last century. However, this education system catered for only a very small percentage of the population. Since the end of the war, in 2002, significant progress has been made in increasing access to education. Primary school enrolments have increased from about 400,000 in the late 1980s to about 660,000 at the end of the war in 2001/2002. Since then, primary school enrolments have more than doubled reaching 1.3 million in 2006/07. Enrolments in the secondary level also doubled during the same period. Despite this, many school-aged children are still out of school; according to the Demographic and Health Survey % of children aged have had no education, and there are disparities with respect to gender, rural-urban residence, region and wealth. The disparities get wider as you move further up the education system including educational performance, access to educational inputs (such as quality teachers), and public expenditure on education. Sierra Leone has adopted the PRSPs as a mechanism for promoting development since June It developed the first Poverty Reduction Strategy in the form of an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (I-PRSP) in This was complemented in 2002 by a National Recovery Strategy based on district and local recovery plans. A long- 6 Pa g e

7 term sustainable development plan entitled Sierra Leone Vision 2025 was published in 2003, and it provided a long-term framework for development planning and management. This was followed by the first full Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP I), which was developed for the period. In 2008, with the ushering in of a fresh political administration the PRSP II (Agenda for Change) was designed. Several education policy documents have been developed over the years. At the moment the government has developed another education policy document (2010). This has undergone validation at national level and is due for presentation to Parliament for ratification 1.2 Justification for analysis The analysis on the PRSP and the NFE policy documents will provide adequate information to understand the extent of the priority given to youth and adult education within the framework of these documents. Further it will serve as relevant tool for CSO advocacy to enhance support for youth and adult education. The analysed report will enable Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and NGOs provide technical and logistical input to ensure that youth and adult education meets the country s educational aspirations. It will also inform other stakeholders including educationist to understand Sierra Leone situation better on youth and adult education so as to lend support where it is needed 1.3 Objectives The Sierra Leone analysis as part of the West Africa Policy Analysis Project aims to establish formal synergy between government and civil society organizations engaged in the promotion of non Formal Education. Specific objectives include Promoting greater understanding and awareness of the purpose and content of PRSPs and NFE policy documents, thus providing a basis for effective advocacy for appropriate policies and the monitoring of and accountability for their effective implementation Highlights the extent to which priority is given to youth and adult education within the framework of the PRSP and the NFE policy documents in Sierra Leone that will enable youths and adults to contribute to sustainable development 7 Pa g e

8 Build a concerned community of practice around PRSPs, NFE policies and youth and adult education at the national level and to forge informed links between civil society, donors and government representatives Promote national integration and collaboration between government, CSO and other NFE service providers through shared discussion and analysis of NFE policy and PRSPs, the challenges and opportunities and how to effectively respond and monitor the results 1.4 Expected Results The findings of this analysis will form the basis of recommendations for improvement both to content and process of research, development, formulation and implementation of PRSPs and NFE policies. It will contribute to the development of Anglophone West Africa policy analysis document A n analysed report on youth and adult education situation within the framework of the PRSP and NFE policies available in Sierra Leone A policy analysis core team comprising representatives of government, civil society, educationist/researchers and Pamoja established National and regional adult education networks strengthened through collaborative research, new contacts and up-to-date analysis; 2.0 METHODOLOGIES FOR ANALYSIS Upon approval of the Proposal for the West Africa analysis, National Pamoja in Sierra Leone was charged with the responsibility together with Focal point person for Literacy Initiative For Empowerment (LIFE) to put together a team of researchers with representatives from the following: Ministry of Education Youth and Sport, Non-Formal Education Council, Academia/Researcher from the University, Educationist, Civil Society and National Pamoja. The LIFE Focal Person and the National Pamoja Coordinator identified the team members (see attached appendix 1) given consideration to persons with experience around the subject of investigation (NFE and PRSP) and with research experience that could make valid inputs and are committed and ready to offer their time for the work. Upon setting the Team the LIFE focal person briefed the Minister of Education Youth and Sports about the West Africa Policy Analysis process and continue to give update. 8 Pa g e

9 The West Africa PAMOJA desk developed and shared with the teams in the region an analysis tool (Tools for the West Africa Policy Analysis Project). It consisted of 1) Analysis matrix and instructions for its use, 2) Questions about PRSPS and NFE policy documents as a whole and 3) The format for the national report. The team designed the country work schedule to include debriefing of all team members held in Freetown at the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport Conference hall for two days. The specific documents to be analysed were identified including: A) Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers 1. Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Poverty 2. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper I 3. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper II Agenda For Change B) Education Policy Documents 1. Education Sector Plan Education for all action Plan New education Policy Education Master Plan C) Other Documents 1. Youth Policy Undated 2. Youth Commission Act 3. Vision Reproductive Health Policy 5. HIV&AIDS policy for the Education Sector The analysis considered the context within which each of the document was developed, the justification, history, methodology, legal framework, objectives in the document expressed in terms of youth and adult education, strategies laid down in the documents to achieve the said objectives, provisions in the document made for monitoring and evaluating youth and adult education programmes and initiatives and the budget and budgetary allocations to NFE. The strengths, weaknesses and inadequacies were identified. Best practices were noted The team was sub divided into two (Freetown group and Bo group). Each had specific documents and was charged with the responsibility to analyse these Policy Documents for two weeks using the WAPA tool. Consultation with other 9 Pa g e

10 development partners including NGOs, colleagues was encouraged. Team members in their respective groups met several times to review work and shared their work frequently with others through . Urgent issues requiring the attention of other members were shared and discussed over telephone There was a four days forum held in Bo where all team members made contributions to the various matrixes done for each of the documents. A country report was prepared using a country report format provided to all national Pamojas in the region. The Minister and other senior officials of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport were debriefed during the preparation of the document and the final document was shared with them for contributions and comments. Similarly the document was also shared with the National Pamoja Sierra Leone for comments. 3.0 DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS Analysis matrixes for specific policy documents analysed that are attached as annexes to this report include 1. Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper IPRSP 2. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper II Agenda for change 5. Education Sector Plan Education for all action Plan New education Policy Education Master Plan 9 Youth Policy Undated 10 Youth Commission Act 11 Vision Reproductive Health Policy 13 HIV&AIDS policy for the Education Sector Also attached are answers to Questions about PRSPS and NFE policy documents as a whole 4.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 10 Pa g e

11 Below is a summary of the key findings derived from the policy analysis. Although concentration was made to the PRSPS and the Education policy documents cross references within documents are ensured.. 4.1Context of policy documents: (I) IPRSP sets out the economic and sound objectives, strategies of government of reducing poverty from which is a transit and phase from war to peace. The document served as a milestone towards a formulation of a full Poverty Reduction Paper Midterm Phase ( ). The IPRSP portrays the country as one returning to peace after 10 years of civil war which led to severe poverty and massive destruction of socio economic infrastructure including schools, learning centers and thousands of displaced persons poised to return, home. The document was developed at a time when Sierra Leone continued to face large external debt estimated at about 1.2 billion dollars. Thus the primary focus of Government at the time was to address the immediate challenges of the transition from war to peace. (II) PRSPI: This document describes the situation in the country at that time with special focus on Public Sector Governance, Public Financial Management, Decentralization, Anti-Corruption Agenda and Peace and Security. With respect to public sector; Governance, the reform efforts were described as unsuccessful due to lack of a comprehensive civil service reform programme. A key challenge described as a context was that of youth employment programmes which needed to be clearly articulated and coordinated and integrated into a single strategic framework. Agriculture was identified as the number one priority of the people. The document expressed the need for Government to institute laws and community byelaws that will compel the young to engage in Agriculture. In the areas of Education, Government was urged to continue to pay attention of the girl child. The issue of teenage pregnancy was highlighted as a growing problem in rural communities. It was noted that the quality was dropping and that Government should pay more attention to teacher training. (III) PRSP2 (Agenda for Change): The poverty profile established for the first PRSP was based on the Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SCHs) conducted in Poverty was defined with respect to two poverty lines: food/extreme poverty and food poverty. The food/extreme poverty line was translated into an expenditure of Le1,003 and food poverty line of Le2,111 per day. Based on these thresholds the estimate showed that 70% of the population lived below food poverty line. 11 Pa g e

12 (IV) Education for All Action Plan: This document similarly described the effects of the war on the overall development of the country. Specifically it describes the extent to which the war destroyed the physical infrastructure of schools and other educational institutions such as learning centres in all the thirteen districts and the hardships that made parents unable to meet education costs for their children and wards. (V) The National Education Master Plan (NEMP) 1991: The NEMP also echoed the harsh socio economic challenges of the war on the educational development of the country. According to the document over 70% of the educational institutions outside the Western area were destroyed or vandalized. (VI) The Education Sector Plan (ESP) 2001: This document explains that the war dealt severe blows on the education infrastructures but since 2003, rehabilitation has been undertaken through the SABABU Education Project. In the area of Adult Literacy, the ESP quotes from the population census report of 2004 the literacy rate of approximately 39% overall: 29% for females and 49% males. Given a health context the document advocates the need to introduce school based health services to address issues. (VII) New Education Policy 1995: It provides the following data on Education: Illiteracy rate Overall 80%; Female 88.7% and male 69.3%. Registered learners in adult literacy classes: Total enrolment ,418; (Females 4,791 and Males 3,687). The Socio economic data per capital income 1992, US$170. Health; Infant Mortality (1992) 150 per 1,000 live births and Maternal Mortality (1992) 700 per 100,000 live births. (VIII) The draft National Education Policy 2010: In Education, enrolment rates in all subsectors have grown significantly. Primary and secondary enrollment rates more than doubled between 2000 and 2007; however 30% of school aged children are still out of school (UNICEF, 2008). The literacy rate amongst the youth and adult populations are low. According to the 2008 Demographic Household Survey (DHS), 55% of men and 74% of women are not literate. The policy also ensures full participation, collaboration and involvement of internal and external stakeholders including civil society organizations, community based organizations, teachers, Non-Governmental Organizations, other Governmental Ministries and Professional Organizations as well as International Partners. 12 Pa g e

13 Conclusions: - The consequences of the war are captured and factored as contexts in all PRSP & Education Policy documents analyzed. - It should be noted that there is no specific NFE policy document but the education policy documents contained the NFE policy actions. - In terms of economic performance, Sierra Leone has persistently been at the bottom of the Human Development Index in all the documents. - A clear synergy has been established between the level of poverty and the ability of the population to provide education of their children. - The post war recovery efforts are surrounded on the MDGs and EFA Goals and objectives. - Youth development has not been adequately captured in the context described in all the documents. - Inventions to address issues of poverty and high illiteracy rate as described in the context follows systematic trend from war affected country to emergency response stage to developmental programmes. 4.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE POLICY DOCUMENTS (I) IPRSP An interim poverty strategy paper was justifiable at a time when an estimated four-fifth of the population lived in absolute poverty with expenditure below one dollar a day Other justifications for the development for IPRSP are described as follows: High unemployment and under-employment rate Merely 80% of population was reported Illiterate (illiteracy among females stood at 89% and males at 69%) Educational facilities were completely destroyed (II) PRSP 1 There was an urgent need to consolidate peace with the view of implementing key Recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The fight against corruption also continued to be a key component in promoting transparency and accountability. A PRSP I was justifiable because it facilitated the judicial reform process to ensure justice for the less fortunate and vulnerable in society. The document 13 Pa g e

14 facilitated donor support to the implementation of post-war recovery programmes. The aspects dealing with food security and job creation centred on increase in domestic food production of rice and other food crops and cash crops like coffee, cocoa and livestock such as cattle, goats etc. The plan was supportive of investment in the area of infrastructure such as electricity supply e.g the Bumbuna Hydro Electric Project, support to road net works, improved tele communication industry leading to the establishment of mobile communication companies. (III) PRSP 2 (Agenda for change) This document provides four strategic priorities namely: Energy Transport Agriculture Human development The document lays out strategies in Key Sectors aimed at enabling and driving growth which includes good governance, macro-economic stability, private sector development, financial sector plan and natural resource management. It presents the financial requirements, implementation modalities and the monitoring and evaluations strategies for the Agenda for Change. (IV) National education Master Plan (NEMP) 1997 The following justifications support the development of NEMP Sierra Leone was ranked the least on educational development indicators Adult Literacy rate was estimated at 21% (male 31%, female 11%) During 1970 to 1990 the socio-economic situation deteriorated and this has an adverse effect. Over 70% of educational institutions were destroyed and vandalized. (v) Education sector plan of 2007, notes as follows for the justification of developing a sector plan for Sierra Leone: The formulation and implementation of new policies have contributed to rapid progress in the past war recovery, but the education sector is still plagued with multiple challenges which range from quality of education, 14 Pa g e

15 financial and human resources to meeting the commitments to external aspirations of EFAs, MDGs and the country-owned PRSP. These challenges largely revolve around the issues of equity, quality and access; gender related issues, HIV/AIDS, etc. (V) The New Education Policy of 2007, provides a policy framework and strategy to address the following problems and aspirations critical at the time as follows: To combat Sierra Leone s widespread poverty via relevant education (formal and non-formal) thereby removing a key obstacle to social and economic development. To adapt an educational development strategy aimed at improving the quality of basic education and substantially reducing the illiteracy rate (with special attention to reducing female illiteracy). To use the policy as basis for designing and implementation of a National Education Action Plan (NEAP) in Sierra Leone. (vii) Education for all Action Plan This document provides a framework for the achievement of Education for all by The justification for its formation and implementation are also follows: To attain 50% improvement in Adult Literacy especially for women and to provide equitable access to basic education for all. To provide literacy and numeracy skills required to build and sustain livelihood of individuals and enhance their participation in a wide range of social contexts. (viii) National Education Policy 2010 This draft document was formulated for implementation to address the following core education priorities of government as a justification: To ensure the right of all children to gain access to the opportunities and environments required to meet their basic learning needs as reflected in the national constitution of To enable government meet the objectives of education in Sierra Leone, which is to develop citizens that contribute to building a cohesive, healthy, and strong nation with a sustainable and dynamic economy; a free, just and peace loving society; a democratic and harmonious society and a moral and disciplined society. 15 Pa g e

16 To ensure access and sustained learning outcomes from non formal education; in particular, adult education and literacy, apprenticeships and skills training, and community educations. Conclusions All the policy documents for both PRSP and Education have pointed to the same issues such as high unemployment and under employment rates especially for youth. High level of illiteracy especially among women; the consequences of the war on the socio-economic infrastructure; the strategic priorities of government to address energy, transport, agriculture and human development (education) as the overall Agenda for change. 4.3 History of Policy documents (i) IPRSP The interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper was developed in 2001 to address the challenges of transition from war to peace by focusing on three key areas: Restoring national security and good governance. Re-launching the economy Providing basic services to the most vulnerable groups. The IPRSP was developed through the work of Poverty Alleviation Strategy Coordinating Office (PASCO) within well defined Institutional arrangements involving an inter-ministerial committee called Poverty Reduction Steering Committee. (ii)prsp I Historically, the PRSP I, followed the IPRSP at a time when the war in Sierra Leone was declared to be officially over in The issues addressed at the time, were mainly concerned with rehabilitation, reconstruction, Peace, Security and governance, with specific reference to the need for government to gain control over all parts of the country, especially the Eastern Region which was still under rebel control (iii) The PRSP II, which is popularly known as the Agenda for change, came into existence after successfully conducting three democratic elections and when the country moved from post war recovery to regular development programmes. The issues addressed therefore 16 Pa g e

17 revolve around the key pillars of the MDGs and the goal and objectives of the EFA. (iv) National Education Master Plan 1997 This document was promulgated by an Act of Parliament in 1964 and it became the hall mark of educational development in Sierra Leone. Some guidelines were established between 1964 and 1970 by government and a government white paper was published in 1970 and articulated with the 1964 Education Act. It made some issues on education such as the inclusion of adult and non-formal Education. The Education Act of 1990 brought a lot of changes in education as found in the following documents; the 1996 Education review, The Education Sector Reviewed by government and IDA (All our future) (v) Education for All (EFA) Action Plan The plan was developed based on the recommendations made during a conference on EFA in Dakar 2000 and the New Policy Developed by the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MEST) in The EFA Action plan was developed in 2004 by the Government, Ministry of Education, line Ministries and other sectors in society. The document was developed to address the EFA initiatives and shortcomings in education that emanated as a result of the 11 years war in the country. In the post conflict era, policy issues for non-formal education should focus on a number of challenges identified by government in the New Education Policy (NEP-1995) and the Education Master plan (1997) (vi) The New Education Policy document published in 1995 articulated clearly educational priorities, programme objectives and implementation strategies. (vii) Education Sector Plan. This formulation of ESP took into account previous policy documents such as: Education Act of 1964 White paper of 1970 Education Review 1976 Report of the Task Force of 1989 New Education Plan, 1995 Education Act Pa g e

18 Conclusion Historical development indicates that whilst the PRSP documents date as recently as after the 11 years civil war in Sierra Leone, the education policies derived their origin as far back as the British Colonial Era, which left behind a type of Education that have undergone numerous policy reforms that are aimed to address the aspirations and realities of the population at various stages of development. The entire documents share issues of the war and changing priority needs from war to peace time. 4.4 Methodology The process and methodologies used to create the documents: (i) (ii) IPRSP The document was developed through a consultative process by articulating the national vision to initiate consultations: The process started with an ad-hoc steering committee with representatives from key ministries including Finance and Bank of Sierra Leone which was also part of the strategic planning and action process and technical consultations. Through consultative meetings the modalities of the process and formulation of a working document that defined the framework for the preparation of the PRSPS. Governance frameworks agreed on comprised various committees from sectoral ministries. Orientation sessions were held with various stakeholders involving representatives from civil Society organization to introduce the concepts of PRSP and the institutional arrangements made for its preparation. A participatory process (bottom up) involving extensive use of Conclusions reached at in earlier consultations; results of thematic studies; discussion of draft reports circulated to key partners and a national consultative meeting in Freetown. PRSP II The process started with two independent firms contracted to validate the progress report of the implementation of PRSP I and to set priorities for the development of the second PRSP 2. In 2008 the government articulated the Agenda for change which clearly identified the promises of the government for the next 3 5 years. The institutional mechanism for the development included central and local government civil society groups, development partners, parliamentarians and national consultants. Ownership and leadership of the process was provided by government. 18 Pa g e

19 A core committee was appointed comprising the office of the President as chair, Bank of Sierra Leone and DACO serving as technical secretariat. (III) National Education Master Plan 1997 The Ministry of Education set up the NEMP secretariat supported by the World Bank and UNESCO and employed international specialist in Education. A technical working group was set up including Heads of sector divisions, units and major stakeholders to prepare the document. The Education Policy Acts and other education documents were consulted. (IV) Education for All Action Plan An EFA secretariat was established to supervise and coordinate the process. A team of core writers identified and assigned to prepare plans revolving around the six goals of EFA. A UNESCO Technical expert was fielded to provide technical backstopping and direction to the process. Consultations held in the regions bring together education stakeholders. Writing groups met at several plenary sessions to share projects. A key strategy was a review of existing documents on education including Education Master Plan, Education Policy 1995, and EFA Policy documents especially from other African countries. Stakeholder s validation of the draft report of the EFA Action Plan in all four regions. (V) New Education Policy 1995 The national education Action Plan Secretariat supported by World Bank and UNESCO provided relevant professional and technical direction to the process of policy formulation. The policy document came from a consensus reached after series of seminars, committee meetings and workshops involving participants drawn from all levels of education sector and private individuals. (VI) Education Section Plan 2007 This plan was created as a result of series of consultations involving thousands of individuals from every district and representatives from line ministries, parliament, civil society groups, teacher organizations, Paramount Chiefs, Non- 19 Pa g e

20 Governmental Organizations, UN Agencies, Bi-Lateral and Multi-Lateral donors, World Bank, ADB, students, Sierra Leoneans from the Diaspora and members of the country status report writing team resident in Sierra Leone. Conclusion From the above, key findings regarding methodology in creating both the Poverty Reduction Strategy papers and the Education sector Policies were found to be participatory, involving country level consultations, technical working committees, coordinating mechanisms that ensured the participation of key stakeholders in the process. The role played by Bi-lateral and Multi-Lateral donor Agencies and specialized UN system in Education as a key strategic approach in supporting the process financially and technically. 4.5 Legal Frame Work This expresses the Ministries, local authorities that were responsible for the document and the relationship between them (I) IPRSP An inter-ministerial committee involving representatives from all 14 ministers including Education, Youth and Sports and the Commissioner of National Commission of Resettlement Reconstruction, and Reintegration (NCRRR) approved by cabinet to oversee the process of the preparation and monitoring the implementation of the process. A poverty reduction committee comprising the technical and professional heads of key ministries, departments and agencies including Director General of Education, Youth and Sport to provide direction guidance and technical inputs to the process and sensitize cabinet and parliament on the process. Poverty reduction working committee serving as sectoral/thematic focal points to provide support to the various sectoral/thematic sections of PRSP. (II) PRSP (Agenda for change) A Core committee was approved by the President comprising the office of the President (Chair). The Bank of SL, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Statistics Sierra Leone and DACO serving as the technical secretariat. 20 Pa g e

21 The core committee met regularly throughout the development of the documents. (III) National Education Master Plan 1997 The document was prepared by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other Ministries such as Finance, Social Welfare Gender and Children s Affairs, INGOs, NGOs, UN Agencies, Teachers Colleges, University of Sierra Leone, National Council for Technical and Vocational Awards (NCTVA) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC). (iv). Education for All Action Plan The document was prepared by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Ministries of Finance, Health and Sanitation, Development and Economic Planning, Gender and Children Affairs, INGOS, NGOs, UN Agencies, Teachers colleges, University, NCTVA, WAEC, World Bank and UNESCO, Basic Education Commission, Common Wealth, EU and WHO. (v)new Education Policy The Legal Framework for management and implementation are as follows: (a) Control of Education All authority and control of education shall continue to be vested in the secretary of state for Education (Now Hon. Minister of Education Youth and Sports). Control of education may be delegated to pertinent directorates, divisions, units within the ministry of Education as may be necessary. Administrative and education service delivery shall be decentralized to regional and district education authorities. (b) Financing of Education Management and control of limited financial resources shall be reviewed and improved to eliminate wastage. Government shall continue to rely on its donor partners to provide necessary funding for education service delivery at all levels. 21 Pa g e

22 (c) Overall policy direction to NFE activities Non-formal education committee now non-formal education council shall provide over all policy direction in an advisory capacity. The NFE Directorate interprets the policy on NFE activities country wide. (VI) Education Section Plan (ESP) 2007 The implementation, management and oversight needs to be done through a directorate, divisions and units of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) as follows: The management of the implementation process will however be done through multi-level, multi-sectoral and multi-agency teams responsible for reporting on specific areas of the plan. A steering committee headed by the Director General of Education discusses and makes recommendations on issues presented by the teams to the steering committee. It also synchronizes the work of the teams. The teams follow-up, monitor and report to the technical committee on implementation of their focus areas. The leader of each focus area team is a member of the technical committee together with two other persons identified as possessing expertise. The steering committee is to be a maximum of ten members inclusive of the Minister of Education and the two Director-General of MEST. Other members include World Bank Head of Office, UNICEF Representative and DFID representative. 4.6 Objectives The analysis findings indicate the objectives the documents expressed in terms of youth and adult education (I) IPRSP Government priority is to increase school enrolment and retention rates as well as improve the quality of basic education. Government to increase access to quality basic education and raise adult literacy. (II) PRSP Improving quality education Meeting our human resource needs through higher education, skills training and literacy. 22 Pa g e

23 (III) National Education Master Plan 1997 To ensure the provision of quality adult and non-formal education through a framework established by the National Commission for Basic Education. To develop a National Plan of Action for Adult and Non-formal education built around the frame work spelt out in the country plan for Basic Education. To devise programmes and strategies for accelerating adult literacy. To obtain and provide supporting resources (personal and materials) for these programmes from the government and interested donor agencies to enable the MEYS through the Basic Education Commission, to coordinate supervise, monitor and evaluate all programme and interventions in the country, aimed at improving the literacy and providing adult education for early school leavers. (IV) Education for All Action Plan Provide infrastructure for delivering adult Literacy and continuing education programmes by 2010 and developing appropriate initial and post adult literacy materials. Increase adult literacy rate from 36% to 50% by Increase opportunities for equal access to a wide range of life-skills for youth and adults in preparation for the world of work. Improve the conditions of facilitators. Integrate occupational and life-skills into functional adult literacy and continuing education programmes. Design programmes to address issues of disparity as they affect youth women (V) New Education Policy document To ensure the provision of quality formal and Non-Formal Education through a framework established by the commission for Basic Education. To develop National Action plan for Adult and Non-Formal Education built around the Framework of the country plan for Basic Education. To devise programmes and strategies for the acceleration of literacy. To obtain and provide supporting resources (personnel and materials) for these programmes from government and interested agencies. 23 Pa g e

24 (VI) Education Sector Plan 2007 To provide more and improved literacy and skills training in TVET institutions below the Poly Techic level with the aim of bringing about improvement in the quality of life and sustainable development. Conclusion The overall objectives of government as stated in the various PRSPs and Education sector polices have presently been focused on improving access; creation of relevant policy framework; set up structures and supporting them for effective service delivery. A key finding is that an estimated 80% of policy objectives are geared towards the formal education system. It is however, noted that both the formal and nonformal education sectors can be linked together in terms of maximum use of resources such as personnel, physical infrastructure and working space. 4.7 Strategies laid down in the document to achieve objectives (IV) (V) IPRSP Establish adult education training centers and promote research and development in the University of Sierra Leone. Improve on facilities in technical and vocational schools and institutions. PRSP Increasing access to and completion of primary school especially for girls and out of school children. (VI) National Education Master Plan 1997 Strengthening and upgrading of Adult Education unit for it to play coordinating and supervisory role for Adult and non-formal education. Develop standardized programmes and materials for literacy and skills training throughout Sierra Leone. Determine a language policy for adult and non-formal education. Training of personnel to function effectively at different levels of NFE. Developing standardized instruments for assessing achievement at different levels. Mobilizing and motivating communities to participate in different non-formal education programmes defining a structure for nonformal education. 24 Pa g e

25 Establishing fully equipped community education and animation centres in villages, districts and provincial towns throughout the Country. (VII) New Education Policy Implementation of a language policy to facilitate the use of indigenous languages in literacy. Provision of relevant curriculum for all levels of literacy and nonformal education classes. Devising and establishment of links between formal education system and non-formal/literacy system Controlling, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of all programmes of literacy and non-formal education. Research/survey to ascertain the illiteracy rate and resources available to bring out desired improvement in literacy. (VIII) Education for All Action Plan Conduct survey and identify number of adult literacy centres that require rehabilitation. Rehabilitate and re-construct damaged structures. NFE division of MEST will establish sub offices in every district for coordinating the activities of adult education agencies. Set up an adult/non-formal Education Council for the administration and organization of adult education. Conduct training programmes at local, regional and national levels for adult education personnel. Recruit and train 1050 Adult Education Personnel including facilitators and supervisors. Provide good conditions of services for facilitators and supervisors. Develop and produce the relevant teaching and learning materials for skills training. Print policy guidelines and disseminate to communities nationwide. Sensitization of communities through radio, TV and hand bills. Develop literacy materials in English and the community languages. Organize regional workshops to design occupational life skills programmes. 25 Pa g e

26 (IX) Education Sector Plan of 2007 Summary of findings in terms of strategy that are relevant to NFE are as follows: Curriculum review making it more relevant to the needs of individuals and communities. Making increased provisions for literacy and skills training. Directly tracking the problem of out of school children with targeted responses which break down barriers preventing children from going to school. Reaching disadvantaged children who came from under served rural areas or live in extreme poverty. Focus on cross-cutting issues such as HIV&AIDS, Reproductive Health, Gender equity and Policies of government as addressed in the PRSP. CONCLUSION Summary of Findings: The strategies proposed are clearly integrated in such a way that the issues of poverty and the empowerment of vulnerable groups are partly addressed through literacy training and the acquisition of livelihood skills. Curricula revisions are proposed as strategy to integrate emerging issues such as HIV&AIDS; Reproductive Health issues which are critical to the development of the youth and other vulnerable groups in a post war country. 4.8 Monitoring and Evaluation The provisions the policies make for the monitoring and evaluating youth and adult education programmes/initiatives (i) IPRSP Annual service delivery surveys using structured questionnaires, instructional reviews and interviews with key community informants to determine perception about improvement of service delivery. (ii) namely; PRSP II (Agenda for Change) PRSP will be monitored and evaluated according to five principles Development Results focus both strategic and technical Transparency 26 Pa g e

27 Efficiency and effectiveness Local relevance The working groups of the PRSP II will be responsible for ensuring that the principles are adhered to at all stages. Progress will be evaluated according to results framework, supplemented by annual performance management contracts for MDAs and up to-date. Strategic Plans for the delivery organizations. Ministries i.e. finance and Economic Development; cabinet oversight and Monitoring Unit; office of the President, Strategic and policy unit and statistics Sierra Leone will be the key M & E Agencies. (iii) National Education Master Plan The adult Non-Formal Education Unit was designated by the policy document to coordinate supervise and monitor adult and non-formal education programmes. (IV) Education for All Action Plan The Education for All secretariats was designated by the action Plan to carry out the coordination, monitoring, supervision and management of all EFA programmes nationwide. (V) New Education Policy 1995 At the policy level the 13 man committee (now designated as the Non formal education council) is charged with the responsibility of overall coordination role. AT the operational level, the NFE Directorate is designated to control, coordinate monitor and supervise literacy and non-formal education programme as a policy. (VI) Education Sector Plan 2007 to provide through (internet) The following monitoring strategies were proposed: Establishment of an education management Information system for the monitoring of schools and students; monitoring of Teacher numbers and payroll; monitoring of students performance and learning and monitoring of the curriculum. Financial monitoring or Audit The overall responsibility for financial monitoring lies with the Ministry of Finance and the Auditor General s Office 27 Pa g e