When Governments Get Creative : Adult Literacy in Senegal
This report summarizes lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education in Senegal. In 1993, Senegal established a new policy for literacy programs based on partnership between civil society and the state: the stat...
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| Format: | Brief |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2004/07/5072681/governments-creative-adult-literacy-senegal http://hdl.handle.net/10986/10352 |
| Summary: | This report summarizes lessons learned
and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in
education in Senegal. In 1993, Senegal established a new
policy for literacy programs based on partnership between
civil society and the state: the state ensures policy
leadership, overall coordination, monitoring and evaluation;
the providers (civil society organizations, such as
non-profits, village associations, and language
associations) implement local literacy activities; an
independent contract-managing agency handles contracts and
rapid transfer of funds to providers. The World Bank
financed project achieved the following results, which were
similar to those achieved by the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA): about 190,000 participants, of
which 87 percent were women, enrolled in literacy classes
over a five-year period; capacity in government and civil
society organizations improved consistently; the dropout
rate averaged 15 percent (much lower than for most adult
literacy programs); most participants achieved learning
mastery levels for reading (although not for math). The
results of the literacy training exceeded target levels.
Learning outcomes systematically improved as a result of two
factors: providers became more experienced; and research led
to improved procedures. The report notes that weak
monitoring and evaluation contributed to the following
shortcomings: re-financing of low-quality providers; lack of
information about impact. As a result of these problems,
some of the literacy courses did not provide adequate
learning for the participants. |
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