Kahara Kubai

kaharakubai@yahoo.com

LIFELONG LEARNING POLICIES FROM AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

Some Thoughts on Post-2015 Global Agenda on Adult Education
Abstract
The article makes a case for building post-2015 lifelong learning policies on achievements of EFA and
MDGs in sub-Saharan Africa. Challenges encountered thereof should also inform the current discourses.
Policies and strategies should however recognise the emerging developmental dynamics in Africa, as well
as globally. Hence, adult literacy should be promoted within a broader framework of inclusive and
extended concept of basic education that embraces early childhood, formal, non-formal and informal
learning through multiple approaches and pathways. A paradigm shift is required that also recognises
demand for second chances, renewal of skills and widening of tertiary education opportunities. This
entails not only laying firm foundations for lifelong learning, but an essential element of any process,
structure, assessment, recognition and certification of acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences in
the society.
Through EFA and MDGs efforts and government policies, Sub-Saharan Africa has made many gains in
enrolments, gender equity and literacy. However, more remains to done to deal with children out school,
adult illiteracy, tackle new forms inequality, and prepare youths and adults for lifelong acquisition of
knowledge, skills and competences commensurate with the rapidly changing world.
Constraints hindering lifelong learning should be addressed at policy formulation and implementation
through an extended vision of quality of education and learning achievement. A new paradigm should
include multiple pathways of learning, effective utilization of ICT and appropriate assessment of
outcomes.
To respond to current challenges and opportunities, policies and strategies should focus on development
of an inclusive, well articulated and holistic education system, whose hallmarks are to improve quality,
equity and strengthen measurement of learning outcomes.

Introduction
The need for knowledge cannot be gainsaid. There is no doubt that the evolution of human
societies has always been predicated on growth and development of knowledge. Knowledge has
enabled humanity to deal with and overcome problems, develop rich cultures, complex
organizational and governance systems, invent, innovate and harness technologies. As humanity
progresses into 21st century, the need for knowledge is even more urgent. Importantly, such
knowledge should be continuously acquired so as to keep up with the rapidly changing needs and
demands. Population growth and ensuing pressure on finite biophysical resources, increased
interdependence and competition, inequalities and exclusions globally among other dynamics
can only be resolved through investment in knowledge which is universally accessible.
This vision of knowledge is far from being achieved and there exists huge differences within
countries and global regions in terms of the numbers of persons who have access to education in
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all levels. The developed regions have made great strides ensuring that their citizens have access
to knowledge throughout their lives. There the concept and practice of lifelong learning is well
entrenched (EURYDICE, 2011). When it comes to lesser developed regions notably in Africa
and Asia, the situation is different. Countries are still grappling with how to ensure that majority
of citizens have access to basic education and their education systems often lacks a vision for
lifelong learning due to various constraints.
Nonetheless, it is no longer debatable that access to quality and lifelong learning is a
fundamental human right enabling realization of other rights and freedoms necessary to
wholesome and sustainable living. Currently, there exists a global consensus on this need. The
1990 World Conference on Education for All held in Jomtien, Thailand, the World Education
Forum held in Dakar 2000, and the Millennium Development Goals framework evidence the
coming together of the global community to develop universal goals on education. The goals
developed are contained in Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) frameworks (Burnnet and Felsman, 2012).
The EFA framework contains six goals. These are: Expanding and improving comprehensive
early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
children; ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances
and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory
primary education of good quality; ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and
adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes;
achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women,
and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults; eliminating gender
disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in
education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls full and equal access to and achievement in
basic education of good quality and; improving all aspects of the quality of education and
ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by
all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills ( UNESCO, 2012, United Nations,
2012). Correspondingly, MGGs on education identifies universal access to primary education
and elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education as critical components of
this global vision on education.

These goals need to be achieved by 2015. As the targeted deadline nears, there has emerged a
need to take stock on what has been achieved, challenges met and craft a way forward. This has
informed the multiple interlinked processes whose aim is to develop universal vision and goals
of education in post-2015 period. Subsequently, different regions need to account on what have
been achieved and provide, in consultation and concert with others, policies and goals which
should inform the crafting of post-2015 goals on education.
The African Context
Since the launch of EFA, the continent of Africa has developed policies to further strengthen the
realization of education for all within the context of lifelong learning. For instance, the New
Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) in its recognition of the centrality of education in
achieving good governance, peace and security and holistic development developed strategies for
education in Africa. The strategies calls upon African Union member states to evolve national
policies and incentives for private sector participation in the provision and delivery of education
services; establish national guidelines for adequate funding and judicious utilization of resources;
develop medium- and long-term framework for specific education and literacy programmes for
different categories of citizens; ensure realistic assessment of country potentials for and
constraints militating against ability to meet international development and education goals and
targets; ensure framework for prioritizing the allocation of educational resources to areas of
greatest needs especially with respect to meeting the scientific and technological demands of the
21st century and needs for employers of graduate educates of education institutions and; identify
causes and methods of managing Africas brain drain ( Africa Platform for Adult Education,
2010).
From these strategies several fundamental educational needs in Africa are identifiable. They
include need to expand access and enhance equity, focus on lifelong learning opportunities,
quality and relevance vis--vis national development goals, scientific and technological
knowledge.
Drawing from universal and continental goals countries have made remarkable progress in
educating their citizens especially in realization of EFA goals one and two. Enrolment in primary
education grew by 51 percent between 1999 and 2007. The net enrolment rates at primary level
by 2007 rose at 73 per cent (UNESCO, 2009). Correspondingly, access to secondary education
has grown exponentially. In 2006, 12 million more students were enrolled compared to 1990
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when only 20.6 million were in secondary school. Between 1999 and 2009, the gross enrolment
ratio increased from 28 per cent to 43 percent (UIS, 2011). Likewise, governments have
increased the share of education budget as a percentage of the GDP, currently standing at more
than 5 percent (UNESCO UIS, 2011).
However, it is worth noting that how ensure pupils enrolled at primary level stay in school and to
increase the rate of transition from primary to secondary level remains a serious challenge. Out
of 3 pupils enrolled at primary level, one eventually drops out. In 2009, only 67 per cent of
pupils completed primary education. Significantly, there are huge gender disparities. For instance
in Central Africa Republic, Chad and Democratic Republic of Congo between 57 and 69 girls
enter the last grade of school for every 100 boys (UIS, 2011).
Further, the assessment and qualification system for transitioning to secondary level tends to
filter out a large number of pupils who do not make the required grade, often unfairly labeled as
failures. The situation is exacerbated by poverty, on-going conflicts, gendered and other forms
of inequalities and exclusions. This has led to low levels of transition to secondary education.
Compared to the global average where the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for lower secondary
education increased from 72 per cent to 80 percent between 1999 and 2009, in Africa the GER
stood at 43 percent in 2009. Consequently, 40 per cent of all lower secondary school age girls
and 33 percent of boys were out of school (UIS, 2011).
When these figures are disaggregated to capture country by country data, there is huge disparity
across the continent. For instance, the GER for primary and secondary education in Somalia in
2009 was estimated at 33 and 11 per cent respectively whereas in Seychelles the GER for both
levels is around 110 per cent. This also indicates the complexity of constraints facing access to
education especially in conflict ridden states such as Somalia where collapse of education
system, deliberate destruction of institutions of learning, targeted killings of students and the
educated cadre, massive displacement of persons makes provision of education almost
impossible(UNESCO, 2010b).
Beyond challenges of access and equity, quality of learning is of serious concern. Quality has
been affected by a host of factors such as lack of physical infrastructure with pupils even
studying in open spaces, inadequate teachers education and number of teachers, teachers
absenteeism and outdated curriculum. A World Bank report showed that at primary level,
teacher-pupil ratio was 1 to 45 and one to 23.9 in 2010 at primary and secondary levels
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respectively (World Bank, 2012). On teacher education, studies in various countries shows that a
huge percentage of teachers do not meet the requisite professional qualifications due to low
standards required for recruitment into the profession, inadequate initial training and lack of inservice professional education. For instance, in Tanzania, Cape Verde and Togo less than 50
percent of the teachers are professionally qualified (UNESCO, 2011). In Kenya, Service
Delivery Indicators (SDI) data of 2013 showed that in public primary schools, children are on
average taught for only 2 hours and forty minutes a day, yet the officially they should be taught
for five hours and forty minutes. Also, only 35 percent of teachers showed mastery of subjects
they taught (World Bank, 2013).
When it comes to curriculum content, Africa has yet to answer critical questions especially on
education for whom and for what (knowledge and skills). Often, students are subjected to
outdated curriculum which does not match the local knowledge and skills needs, fails to integrate
indigenous knowledge and use of local languages, is overloaded with so many subject areas and
exam oriented leading to frustrating rote learning rather than critical understanding of content. In
its delivery, it is teacher centered. Ultimately, this has led to lack of relevance for it does not
factor in knowledge needs for Africa such as sustainable development, adoption of science,
technology and innovations and the key goals of education such as problem solving , creative
and critical thinking and learning to learn( World Bank, 2003).
The data provided so far shows that as we approach 2015, it is observable that some
achievements have been made but more needs to be done towards the realization of EFA goals
one and two. This is significant since it is through the actualization of these goals that the
foundation for lifelong learning in Africa can be laid. This is because progression towards the
achievement of EFA goals three and four is impacted inter alia, by constraints experienced at
early childhood and primary level education. Essentially for lifelong learning to become a way of
life, there is a need for an upward spiral build up where achievements at lower level enhances
success and continuity at upper levels.
Importantly as the data has shown, expansion of schooling has not been matched with quality
and relevance. Ultimately this is what matters most for Africa is a part and parcel of the
globalised world and as such learners must be equipped with the knowledge, skills and
competencies needed to live in this world. This requires re-orientation of and a holistic approach
to the whole learning process.
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Additionally, the transition from one level to other remains a challenge. Large number of
potential learners lack access. Others drop out along the way. The reasons are varied but they do
point to lack of equity either due to poverty, gendered and other forms of social-economic
exclusions. As such, constraints on equity must be addressed so all to give an equal chance for
every learner. This must be matched by coming up with processes which enables re-entry into
the education system at various levels for the large numbers of out of school individuals.
The article enters the discourse of lifelong learning in Africa from this perspective. The
following section draws on this perspective, and focusing on adult literacy (EFA goals number
four and five), makes a case for the post-2015 agenda on adult education within the broader
terrain of lifelong learning.
Adult Education in Africa
According to Hamburg Declaration on Adult Learning, 1997,
adult education denotes entire body of ongoing learning processes, formal or otherwise,
whereby people regarded as adults by the society to which they belong develop their
abilities, enrich their knowledge, and improve their technical or professional
qualifications or turn them in new direction to meet their own needs and those of their
society (Hamburg Declaration on Adult Learning, CONFINTEA V, 1997).
Essentially, it aims at enhancing adult literacy. Such a goal is more urgent in Africa where a host
of factors already given have denied many people access to education contributing to high
numbers of adult illiteracy.
Based on UNESCOs definition of a literate person as someone who can read and write a short
statement about their life (UNESCO, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2010: 2010),
more than 63 percent of Africas adult population is literate (UNESCO, Institute of Statistics).
However, this definition of literacy is inadequate in 21st century and especially when one factors
knowledge needs for Africa such as sustainable development, adoption of science, technology
and innovations and the key goals of education such as problem solving , creative and critical
thinking (Kinyanjui and Khoudari,2013). A more robust measure of literacy will certainly deliver
lower results.
In Africa, the focus has been more on EFA goals one and two, without any concerted effort
towards providing alternative pathways to those who have been excluded from the education

system or those who would wish to continue learning. Indeed, only a small number of adults are
accessing formal education system especially at tertiary and higher education levels.
The absence of national qualification and certification frameworks which recognizes various
learning pathways-formal, non-formal and informal-, coupled with low levels of transition from
one level of education to another and, lack of user friendly learning structures have
disincentivised adult learning. This makes the need to comprehensively deal with how to
enhance adult literacy in Africa paramount going forward. To do so, the following measures
need to be included in the post-2015 agenda on adult literacy.
Vision of Adult Literacy Post-2015 within the Context of Lifelong Learning
The post-2015 universal vision on adult literacy, from an African perspective should be founded
on the following principles:
One, it should be holistic in the sense that it recognizes multiple pathways of learning (to include
formal and non-formal). There exist many ways of knowledge acquisition and the over focus on
formal schooling need to be balanced by this recognition.
Two, it should make issues of equity and inclusivity central since in Africa, large numbers of
people have been denied access to education due to situations beyond their control.
Three, it must focus on knowledge and skills which will enable employability and
entrepreneurship. This will rewards learners from their effort, encouraging further knowledge
acquisition. Overtime this has a realistic chance of entrenching the culture of lifelong learning.
Four, it should promote peace and conflict transformation. As shown from the example of
Republic of Somalia, conflicts have devastating effects on education. Decades of effort are
wasted as education systems collapses in an environment of conflict. Hence education must
promote values of peace and conflict transformation so as to realize sustainable societies.
Five, it should cultivate an ethic of sustainable development. As observed at the beginning,
global biophysical limit is been stretched to unsustainable level and there is a need to utilize
resources in a sustainable manner. Education definitely has a key role in realizing this need.
Six, it should have a goal of creating global citizens. The increased interdependence and contacts
due to forces of globalization offers immense potential and challenges. To effectively deal with
it, there is a need to promote a notion of common humanity bound by deeper values beyond
culture, religion, race, ideologies, and national boundaries.

Seven, it must be quality focused. There is no doubt that the goal for education for all has not
been achieved. Millions of people do not have access to education. Inevitably, this makes it
imperative that they should be included through expansion. However, expansion should not be at
the expense of quality.
Essentially, it should strive to achieve four key goals of education. These are: Learning to know;
learning to do; learning to live together and; learning to be (J. Delors et al, 1996). Based on
these principles, global consensus on post-2015 education goals should promote the following at
national levels:
i.

An extended, inclusive and well articulated education system which recognizes multiple
pathways of learning, provides opportunities for re-entry at various levels, and has
structures and processes for accountability and quality assurance at all levels.
Importantly, in planning and funding, the right to education by all must be adhered to
(Hoppers et al, 2009).

ii.

Investment in quality of learning. As already noted, in education quality ultimately

matters. Thus, there is a need to have a comprehensive review of the education system so
as to identify constraints and address them especially on management of education
processes, teacher recruitment, education and support, curriculum, learning environment
and physical infrastructure. This should be backed by robust assessment systems which
goes beyond passing exams and focuses on how effectively knowledge, skills and values
have been inculcated (World Bank, 2011, 2003). Also, there should be a versatile
certification and national qualification frameworks catering for different pathways of
learning. Further, such education should integrate indigenous knowledge and ICT in
management of education systems and learning.
Conclusion

There is no doubt that education processes are complex and cannot be comprehensively captured
in this article. However, it has captured the main issues on lifelong learning and how to promote
adult education within the framework of lifelong learning drawing from an African perspective.
What needs to be done is not impossible. More than ever before, Africa has a golden opportunity
to entrench and support a culture of lifelong learning. It has enjoyed remarkable expansion in
universal access to basic education providing the needed foundation. Also, it has a youthful
population which is better educated and more ready to adopt science and technology (Nzau7

Mutete, 2012). Significantly, the pessimism which for long defined Africa has been replaced by
bubbling optimism. Sustained economic growth, improved governance, explosion of
information, communication and technology has provided Africa with an opportunity for making
lifelong education for all a reality (Africa Economic Outlook, 2004-2013, 2013; Yonazi et al,
2012). What is needed now is strategic recognition and embrace of education as the key to
Africas renaissance.

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