Descriptions of Education System and Context and Reform Initiatives in Each Country

• In Event: Educating Diverse Democracies: Comparing the Voices of Teachers and Students on Activity-Based Learning in Eight Countries

Abstract

Africa (Uganda and Sierra Leone)
With the goal of Education for All (EFA), both governments have made education free for all children for Years 1-9. In Sierra Leone, research based on observations, teacher interviews, and survey questionnaires from students, parents and teachers showed that the quality of the education has been compromised due to the rapid increase in enrolment, a high teacher-pupil ratio, a shortage of teaching and learning materials, poor school conditions, and low teacher motivation due to low salary (Nishimuko, 2007).
In Uganda, Universal Secondary Education (USE) made many subjects compulsory and introduced more practical subjects, integration of technology and automatic promotion. It also made change in syllabi, textbooks, and assessment methods. However, there is a lack of textbooks, technology, and resources. USE brought about increase in student numbers and lack of teachers due to low salaries.
China
In 1999, the Chinese Department of Education introduced its “quality education” reform. The reform goals, as stated in a Ministry of Education (2010) document—For the All-Round Development of Every Student: China’s Curriculum Reform of Basic Education in the New Century—are “students should be urged to take an active part in learning activities” and “[students] should also develop their abilities to collect and process information, acquire knowledge, analyze and handle problems, [and] communicate and cooperate with others” (p. 3).According to Liu and Qi (2005), this reform required major changes in Chinese schools. The reforms emphasized each teacher’s use of varied teaching and learning methods and his or her application of a variety of assessment modes (Liu & Qi, 2005). These changes required extensive pedagogical transitions, as traditional modes of teaching, predominately teacher directed, had to be replaced by a variety of new modes of instruction.

Caribbean Countries (Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados)

The education system in the Caribbean is selective, stratified and segregated. Most “upper-streamed” schools are considered more prestigious and this gives rise to the fundamental difference that becomes the prime motivator for school choice. There is a lack of resources in low income rural communities, but rich in middle to high income urban communities.
In Trinidad, the Vision 2020 2007-2010 operational plan puts forwards four main goals in creating an innovative people: (1) to become well known for excellence in innovation, (2) to create a seamless self-renewing, high quality education system, (3) to produce a highly-skilled work force to drive innovation and production, and (4) to harness cultural elements to inspire innovation and creativity (Behrman, 1996).
In Guyana, educational policy emphasizes development of literacy and numeracy skills; teacher-centred strategies emphasize the copying and memorization of notes and teaching to the test. (Jennings, 1999; 2000)
“No Child Left Behind” or automatic promotion policies in the Caribbean countries and Uganda is a major concern for teachers. Students are not doing their homework and assignments. Trained teacher migration is a major concern in all sample Caribbean countries. All four sample Caribbean countries have laptop or tablets in the schools programmes.

Author

• Peter Yee Han Joong, University of Toronto