This study describes the educational system and discusses major educational trends and problems in elementary, secondary, higher, agricultural, and vocational education of four major French speaking West African countries since their achievement of independence. One major problem considered is that rapid expansion of educational opportunity in…

Social changes in Sweden have engendered concrete problems for young people. For example, an extensive government-sponsored day care system has left many youth longing for social contacts with adults. The Swedish society is giving material welfare higher priority than social welfare. Possible solutions are discussed. (RM)

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa face the greatest challenges to healthy development of any region in the world. This report presents reviews of 11 Early Childhood Development programs, studied to define financial and institutional conditions necessary to sustain early intervention efforts. Interviews and existing documentation from governmental and…

This document contains 19 papers on adult education and development worldwide. The following papers are included: "Editorial" (Heribert Hinzen); "Lifelong Learning in Europe: Moving towards EFA (Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All) Goals and the CONFINTEA V Agenda" (Sofia Conference on Adult Education);…

A review of past trends in adult literacy in developing countries shows that the following factors have been crucial to achieving large-scale literacy results: the state as the prime mover; political will or national commitment; a favorable development context; continuous mobilization activities; a broad conception of literacy; broad collaborative…

Describes a lesson plan that uses on the ordinary life of women in Kenya as a means of introducing students to issues concerning women and work in Africa. Students compare the typical daily schedules of a rural and an urban Kenyan woman and examine their different sets of obligations. (MJP)

Discusses the causes for the recent decline in higher education quality in sub-Saharan Africa and possible strategies for improvement, including selective admission to the universities, teacher training programs for faculty, student evaluation of faculty, faculty participation in instructional materials development, improvement of graduate study,…

In this document, leading educators from 12 African Commonwealth countries trace the development of adult education in Africa and show how providers of adult education outside the formal education system (including government and nongovernment organizations, trade unions, women's groups, and religious organizations) have met the needs of their…

This document contains nine papers about and from an international roundtable on the training of teachers in technical and vocational education. The first paper, a Final Report of the "International Round Table on Training of Teachers in Technical and Vocational Education (Curitiba, Brazil, 7-10 April 1997)," examines the following:…

The third of three annual assessments concentrating on the relationship between the world economy and its environmental support systems, this edition expands earlier themes on how economic demands of a world population approaching 5 billion affects the earth's natural systems and resources to embrace threats to security as well. The first of 11…

Educators from European countries were presented with up-to-date information about Africa. The seminar was intended to help teachers present the African experience as cogently as possible in their classrooms. The main topics of the seminar are discussed, papers are summarized, discussions of the working groups are presented, participants'…

Immigration has made public housing populations increasingly diverse, a challenge met by administrators and staff at two housing developments participating in the Jobs-Plus Community Revitalization Initiative for Public Housing Families. Immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Latin America have settled beside native-born…

Ideological arguments are made for open learning, economic ones for distance education. If it can produce similar results to those of conventional education at a lower cost, then distance education has a powerful appeal. With increasing demand for access to educational opportunities at all levels, and often decreasing budgets in real terms for…

The Foreign Language/Area Studies Enhancement Program at Central State University (Ohio) is an experience-centered work and study program in Africa designed to give students training in language, culture, and technology. It parallels and supports the university's northern Senegal water management project designed to promote self-sufficiency among…

The following papers are included: "Editorial" (Heribert Hinzen); "Skills and Literacy Training for Better Livelihoods: A Review of Approaches and Experiences" (John Oxenham, Abdoul Hamid Diallo, Anne Ruhweza Katahoire, Anna Petkova-Mwangi, Oumar Sall); "'Learning to Read Woke Me Up!': Motivations, and Constraints, in…