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Functional Literacy in Mali: Training for Development. Educational Studies and Documents: No. 10

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Functional Literacy in Mali: Training for Development. Educational Studies and Documents: No. 10 DOCUMENT RESUME ED 094 242 CE 001 775 AUTHOR Dumont, Bernard TITLE Functional Literacy in Mali: Training for Development. Educational Studies and Documents: No. 10. INSTITUTION United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). PUB DATE 73 NOTE 65p.; For related document, see CE 001 776. The document is also available in French AVAILABLE FROMUnited Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, 7, Place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris, France (Order No. 92-3-101113-8, $1.95) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC Not Available from EDRS. PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Adult Basic Education; *African Culture; *Basic Skills; Cultural Disadvantagement; Developing Nations; Developmental Programs; Economic Development; *Economic Disadvantagement; Educational Development; Educational Disadvantagement; Field Studies; *Functional Illiteracy; Human Development; Illiterate Adults; National Programs; Program Development; *Rural Education; Teaching Methods IDENTIFIERS *Mali; Work Oriented Literacy Programs ABSTRACT With a view to making literacy an integral part of the economic and social development program of Mali, the study represents the third project of the Experimental World Literacy Program which began with functional literacy pilot projects in Tanzania and Iran. A critical report of the implementation of the pilot project in Mali, it contains a description of the events, in their actual sequence, and an assessment of what was achieved under the project and of the way in which the activities were planned and executed. Au evaluation of the project was undertaken based on three surveys--before, during, and after the project--collecting data in four categories:(1) educational,(2) psychological, (3) socioeconomic, and, most importantly,(4) economic. Significant results of the project were: (1) the establishment of functional literacy centers,(2) the strengthening of Malian functional literacy services,(3) increased popular support of literacy training, (4) evidence that education can be geared to development, and (5) the renewal of cultural life through literacy activities. Of interest to development specialists, educators, and Africanists, the report concludes that functional literacy teaching provides the Malian authorities with a practical method for training the illiterate in rural and urban areas, and so promoting the economic, social, and cultural development of the country. (MW) No.10 Functional literacy in Mali training for development SCOPE OF INTEREST NOTICE The ERIC Facility has assigned this document for processing BEST COPY AVAILAU to: r. C .S In our judgement, this document is alto of interest to the clearing- houses noted to the right, Index mg should reflect their special points of view. 0 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVEDFROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POL ICY, 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS BY MICRO COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FICHE.GilleS latet.Y HASsouriau, BEEN.GRANTEGLR.Y vir. The Une-coPress ORGANIZATIONS OPERAT 70 ERIC AND WITH THE NA ING UNDER AGREEMENTS OF EDUCATION. TIONAL INSTITUTE OUTSIDE FURTHER REPRODUCTIONREQUIRES PERMIS THE ERIC SYSTEM OWNER " Unesco SION OF THE COPYRIGHT EDUCATIONAL STUDIES ANL) DOCUMENTS New series Published in English, French and -for titles marked with an asteriskin Spanish. List of titles published or in preparation: 1. Education in the Arab region viewed from the 1970 Marrakesh Conference 2. Agriculture and general education 3. Teachers and educational policy 4.*Comparative study of secondary school building costs 5. Literacy for working: functional literacy in rural Tanzania b. Rights and responsibilities of youth (also available in Russian) 7. Growth and change : Perspectives of education in Asia 8. Sports facilities for schools in developing countries 9. Possibilities and limitations of functional literacy: the Iranian experiement 10. Functional literacy in Mali: training for development 11. Anthropology and language science in educational development 12. Towards a conceptual model of life- long education in the field of education, Unesco also publishes the following periodicals: Prospects. Quarterly Review of Education Literacy Newsletter Educational Documentation and Information: Bulletin of the IBE Functional literacy in Mali : training for development c) - by Bernard Dumont LLI BEST COPYAVAILARLE Unesco English Edition ISBN 92-3-101113-8 French Edition ISBN 92-3-201113-1 Composed and printed in 19 73 in the Workshops of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, Place de Fonterroy, 75700 Paris, France LC No. 73.77353 Printed in France © Unesco 1973 Foreword This study of functional literacy in Mali is a sequel us such a clear picture of the whole venture as the to two others published in the collection Educational author haj, for fr.= start to finish of the operations Studies and Documents, which dealt with the func- Bernard Dumont was in chargeof the international tional literacy pilot projects in Tanzania and Iran team that Unesco placed at the disposal of the Malian respectively. These three ventures are part of the authorities to carry out this experiment. Experimental World Literacy Programme, the Mr. Dumont, who has an intimate knowledge launching of which was approved by the General of Mali, having lived there for several years be- Conference at its thirteenth session in November fore the pilot project came into being, is a talented 1964, with a view to making literacy an integral ani experienced educator and an exceptionally effi- part of the economic and social development pro- cient organizer.What he has to say should be of grammes of the States concerned. interest to development specialists, educators and While the study of the Tanzanian project w s Africanists and to all who feel concerned, for one basically a journalistic and personal account of acti- reason or another, about the problems of the Third vities under way, and that of the Iranian project was World. However, the opinions he expresses are essentially a consideration of functional literacy his personal responsibility, and do not necessarily based on one particular experiment, this document is reflect those of Unesco. a critical report on the implementation of the pilot We wish to extend our very sincere thanks to project in Mali.It contains both a description of the all those who have assisted in preparing this mono- facts, in their actual sequence, and assessments of graph and, in particular, Mr. Dumont himself and what was achieved under the project and of the way in the leaders and members of the national and inter- which the activities were planned and executed. national team of the functional literacy pilot pro- There is probably no one who could have given ject being carried out in Mali. 3 Table of contents Introduction 7 Chapter 1 Mali and literacy 15 Chapter 2 The linguistic infrastructure of functional literacy 19 Chapter 3 Other preparations and first attempts 29 Chapter 4 The Malian method 35 Chapter 5 Functional literacy in the field 47 Chapter 6 Evaluation 53 Chapter 7 Results - Prospects 61 4 . r. 44il .'-' I 14, tbaliNe44414, Ir .11 10 2o 4.,.1} .110%4 5 I 1'- - Att. P. a I 4 .1',,r...°4I.'N1 \ * 4. 15nn .4tt xV 4A5a. tr .4 .:Np 14. ) .0141 TY Li r .0% t 1 I I so ' ta'n, a; ;',7 ',10t ' q411-4 , ), .411...1111,, r - 41 .4;44 rry Introduction The adult functional literacy project in Mali is a that in any case, that is the business of the Fulani practical experiment built on, and always very and not of the Bambara. close to, the realities of the country. This discussion follows on from questions put Anyone taking an interest in this project should by the instructors about the poster.It represents therefore first acquaint himself with those realities. a scene very familiar to the farmers, but its cor- In preference to an elaborate description, the course rect interpretation is the outcome of the group dis- chosen here has been to reflect them by means of cussion guided by those in charge of the session. four real-life cases in the form of brief presenta- The purpose of this type of session, which tions of objects or pictures giving the reader an idea those in charge of literacy in Mali call "a recapitu- of the atmosphere and helping him to understand the lation session ", is to encourage discussion and re- problems met with and the solutions applied. flection on the practical everyday activities of the peasants and on the improvements proposed to them First case study: picture by the agricultural extension workers concerned with "Operation Cotton".At the same time, these It is 8 p. m. ,and night has fallen on the village of sessions, which teach participants to understand Zambougou (50 km. from S6gou, the chief town of images, serve as a half-way house between the the Fourth Region).All is still and dark, and only reality experienced by the peasant and the doubly the slight hum of all the peaceable activities of go- abstract representation of that reality constituted ing on in every home is audible.One of the houses, by writing on paper. The reading, writing and however, which is a little larger and rectangular arithmetic sessions, which are to follow on the (while the others tend to be circular or square) sheds next day and thereafter are based on the sentence a brighter light around it and from time to time louder written on the blackboard as a caption to the pic- and clearer sounds come from within, somewhat un- ture: "Sine has bought a big draught ox".All the usual in the calm of this village.It is the Literacy individual documents distributed to pupils at the Centre. Literacy Centre teach reading and writing with sen- Inside the building, brightly lit - and overheated - tences of this kind beneath illustrations like that of by a paraffin pressure lamp.
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