ERNWACA News N°17
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ERNWACA News n°17 - September 2012 - www.ernwaca.org Nouvelles du ROCARE n°17 - septembre 2012 - www.rocare.org Decentralization of social services in Africa: the contribution of ERNWACA RE he Educational Research the Regional Coordination of the network, Network for West and Central ERNWACA should, in the future, choose TAfrica (ERNWACA) tried to the option of a transnational research analyze the experiences of administrative aimed at establishing a synergy of decentralization in the areas of education, different experiences of the real existence water and health through a scientific of decentralization beyond language and publishing workshop in Abidjan (Ivory geographical boundaries in the areas of Coast) on the theme: « Decentralization in education, water and health. West Africa and Central Africa: learning “We are at the stage of publishing from local and intersectoral experiences the papers that we produced in the in education, water and health.» context of the transnational research This workshop, held from May 28 to 31, on decentralization in West and Central 2012, allowed participants from Burkina Africa, with as motto: learning from Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger and local and intersectoral experiences in Senegal to question the social changes education, water and health. We invite you brought about by the decentralization to invest yourself fully in the discussions process, to promote equitable access to during these few days, to closely monitor basic social services in the sectors of the results of the work of our researchers” education, water and health. he added. According to the Executive Secretary of ERNWACA News Nouvelles du ROCA Table of contents 1 - 8 REGIONAL NEWS 9 - 10 PUBLICATIONS 11 - 17 NATIONAL NEWS ERNWACA News, n°17 | September 2012 ERNWACA Bi-Annual Newsletter EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr. Toumani SIDIBE DESIGNER Dramane DARAVE 4 Regional News ERNWACA Strategy Session amako hosted from 26 to 28 October 2011 the 6th session of the strategic meeting of the BEducational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA). This important three-day meeting, brought together some fifty participants including members of the Board of Directors, National Coordinators, members of the Scientific Committee, partners, etc. The session was opened at the Hotel Mande and chaired by Oumar Maiga, a technical advisor to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Participants discussed the ERNWACA draft Strategic Plan for 2012-2016 and its cost and proposed a new institutional framework to increase the visibility and functionality of the network. ERNWACA believes that decentralization is the most appropriate vehicle for promoting grassroots development he network chose this concept as a research topic in its 2005-2010 Action Plan. TDisseminating the results of transnational research on “Decentralization in WestWest and Central Africa: learning from local and intersectoral experiences in education, water and health” is the theme of a regional workshop organized by the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) from 21 to 24 November 2011, in Bamako, Mali. The workshop aimed at reviewing country reports with all stakeholders and took place in a context where several member countries of the network have made the transfer of certain powers and resources to the municipalities in the sectors recognized as essential to of social services” focused on Burkina Faso, sustainable development and poverty reduction. Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Senegal. It The research findings on the actual existence of was funded by the International Development and decentralization in the six countries involved in Research Centre (IDRC). this study confirms the commitment of States to implement policies (territorial spaces of expression of local democracy and promoting economy bringing wealth and jobs). In a global context where conflicting interests often prevail over common destiny, ERNWACA believes that decentralization is the most appropriate vehicle for promoting grassroots development. The transnational research on the “Decentralization ERNWACA Newsletter n°17 - september 2012 Regional News 5 Closing workshop of the Panafrican Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of ICTs - Phase II he Panafrican Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of ICTs (PanAf - Phase TII) funded by the International Development and Research Centre (IDRC) and implemented by the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA), in collaboration with the University of Montreal, held on 13 and 14 January 2012 the closing workshop of its research activities. The objectives of the workshop were to: • Share the results, challenges and impacts of the project in the participating countries • Review the papers to be published in international journals • Discuss / Exchange on the prospects of the project and the future of the Observatory on ICT use in education Forty participants including researchers, members of the International Scientific Committee and policy makers from eleven (11) countries (South Africa, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal) took part in this important activity. The ERNWACA Regional Coordination paid a courtesy visit to the Malian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research he team of the ERNWACA Regional Coordination, headed by the Executive TSecretary, Dr. Toumani Sidibé, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Mali, M . Harouna Kante on Friday 1 June 2012. Exchanges between the Minister and the delegation of ERNWACA focused on several important points including ERNWACA research activities and findings, funding for research in Mali, advocacy for greater involvement of ERNWACA in educational research initiatives conducted by the Ministry. The delegation also requested from the Minister the granting of facilities to house the Regional Coordination of ERNWACA. ERNWACA Newsletter, n°17 - september 2012 6 Regional News Renewal of the UEMOA/WAEMU “Centre of Excellence” label for ERNWACA he Statutory Council of Ministers of the West Twenty (20) higher education African Economic and Monetary Union and research institutions of the T(WAEMU/UEMOA) approved the proposal UEMOA/WAEMU zone were to renew the “Center of Excellence” label for the granted this prestigious Center of Educational Research Network for West and Central Excellence label. Africa (ERNWACA) for a period of 2 years. The PACER Programme aims This renewal comes as part of the second edition of at improving the provision of the Programme for the Support and Development of postgraduate training and research in member Regional Centers of Excellence of UEMOA/WAEMU countries, strengthening the quality of training and (PACER) and aims at consolidating the gains of research in training institutions, supporting the the previous edition while enhancing the quality of mobility of students, teachers and researchers from the ERNWACA. UEMOA/WAEMU community and at strengthening ERNWACA, through all its organs, is grateful to the presence of women in higher education and UEMOA/WAEMU for the confidence and support vocational training. it has continued to provide the network for several years. ERNWACA Strategic Plan for eminent institutions for Educational Research. Undoubtedly, since its founding in 1989, 2012-2016: The agenda ERNWACA’s collaborations (in educational research) with the Ministries of Education in the region, with the Donor community, and with the Universities, have fostered the production of knowledge and the use of technology for the betterment of Education in the region. However, ERNWACA is now entering into a new phase of institutional renewal and this necessitates organizing activities which aim at continuing to secure its place as a foremost resource for educational research in West and Central Africa. A new strategic direction is required in an educational environment marked by a dwindling in financial resources and a decline in the quality and relevance of education. This Strategic Plan draws in part on the earlier and excellent evaluative “bilan prospectif” for the years 2011-13 (Lanoue and Barro, 2010) and takes into onceived at its inception as an informal account ERNWACA’s expanding efforts in educational forum of which the key mission was to research, the growing importance of ERNWACA’s Cbring together West and Central African partnerships with the Donor community, and the researchers in Education, ERNWACA’s contribution increasingly international outlook of ERNWACA’s to the construction of a knowledge base on educational research programmes. research and to its use for improving educational practice and formulating evidence-based policies in West and Central Africa, has been outstanding. It is now generally acknowledged that ERNWACA has emergedemerged as one of WestWest and Central Africa’sAfrica’s pre- ERNWACA Newsletter n°17 - september 2012 Regional News 7 THEY JOINED ERNWACA Dr. Toumani SIDIBE, and a Master of Education (Exeter University, England, 1992). ERNWACA New Executive Dr. SIDIBE worked as a consultant Secretary with several international organiza- tions on H2P (Humanitarian Pandemic r. SIDIBE served as Director of Acad- Preparedness) and Literacy Boost (in emy and Advisor to the President of Basic Education). He produced several the University of Bamako (Mali). He publications on reading comprehension D in the teaching of English for Specific started his career as a primary