Lessons from Strømme Foundation Speed School Programme in West Africa

• In Event: Accelerated Education as an Instrument of Disruption

Proposal

High levels of insecurity have in the last couple of years resulted in school closures across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and in a steep rise in the already high numbers of out-of-school children (OOSC). Across the three countries more than four million primary-aged children are now out of school, of whom 52% are girls. Accelerated education initiatives such as Strømme Foundation’s Speed School programme provides an efficient and cost-effective way to bring OOSC back to school. However, such alternative education programmes can also provide useful lessons for the formal education sector. In a region with high population growth, widespread poverty and intense pressures on public finances, completion rates and learning outcomes in formal schools show little signs of improving. This presentation will focus on the key factors behind the success of the Speed School programme and discuss how this can be relevant to the formal education sector.
Designed by West African education experts in partnership with Strømme Foundation, Speed School is an accelerated education programme that provides access to education for OOSC aged 8 to 12 years. Speed School students are taught a condensed curriculum that covers the first three years of primary school in only nine months. Upon completion of the programme, the Speed School graduates are transferred to formal schools to continue their education.
Preliminary results from an ongoing external evaluation of the programme by the Nordic Consulting Group (NCG) assessing retention, completion and drop out for Speed School graduates, show that the primary school completion rates for Speed School graduates are substantially higher than those for non-Speed School graduates. The study also has a specific focus on reasons for repetition and drop out for Speed School graduates once they transfer into formal school. Findings show that the low quality of formal primary education is recognised as a key factor by all key stakeholders, from children and parents to the Ministry of Education officials. Very large class sizes, low level of motivation among teachers, teacher absenteeism and the use of corporal punishment are among the issues underlined in the study.
The presentation will highlight three key aspects of the Speed School programme identified in the NCG study which can potentially help improve the quality of education provided in the formal sector. This includes the use of local language combined with a child-centred pedagogy and developing children foundational numeracy and literacy skills, the role of community, in particular the school management committee, in ensuring pupils’ retention and teachers’ attendance, and lastly the critical role of government involvement especially the government technical services and pedagogical advisers visiting schools on regular basis.

Author

• Anne Breivik, Strømme Foundation