Founders of Eritrea’s Education System E-Book

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 158

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

About this book This book documents 13 Eritrean education biographies of leading members of the Ministry of Education in Eritrea. They actively have participated in freeing the country located in the eastern part of the African continent and have simultaneously built up the educational system under most difficult circumstances. A consistently notable contingency was found in all biographic self-reflections, which had decisively influenced the authors and actors curriculums: The three decenniums long fight for Eritrea’s independence, the formation of an educational system, and simultaneously the active design of their own education biography. A biography is always the result of individual perception and acts of interpretation. In that respect, it is the told story of life. The concept of biography places the individuality and subjectivity of the addressee’s pedagogic actions into the focus point. These educational biographies are exemplarily for Eritrea’s “Nation Building Process”.

Leseprobe

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

Context of the Educational Biographies

Abbreviations

I. Teaching in Unsettled Times

A Soldier Hits the Books Again

Discipline and Handwork are the Key to Meet Expectations

Education is a Life Long Process

Discontinuity As a Constant

II. Revolution School Managers

Fighter and Teacher

Challenges as a Source of Inspiration for Self-development

Learning by Doing - A Manager In the Field

III. Teachers in Exile

Hungry for Education - Dreams from my Mother

Teaching during the Armed Struggle

Education During War: The EPLF As a Learning Organisation

Struggle for Education and Independence

IV. Raised in Times of War – Eritrea’s Younger Generation

A Postwar Career

Experience and the Will to Improve

Glossary

About the Authors

Acknowledgements

As is so often the case, this book could not be published without the suppport of many. First of all, I’d like to thank our thirteen „special cases“ (I hope they now can smile about this term) who did a great job during their distance studies and who had a heavier workload than others because of the additional aptitude test they had to pass. During this project I gained a deep insight into exceptional biographies under extraordinary circumstances. These biographies are outstanding examples for humans who have acquired knowledge and experience much more outside of educational institutions than inside (and still do).

I also extend my deep gratitude to the other consortium partners Prof. Dr. Rolf Arnold (University of Kaiserslautern), Peter Gerstlauer and Andreas Meyn (GFA Consulting Group Hamburg) and Tesfamariam Tekie (ECOSOC Asmara). Complex projects like this can only be handled and carried out successfully when different people with different competences work as one unit. Furthermore, GFA Consulting Group kindly supported the publication of the first edition of this book.

Special thanks are due to Petros Hailemariam, director general of the research and human resource department in the ministry of education, Asmara. His serenity, connected with a great deal of experience in many fields reflected in his texts as well as in many conversations, left a lasting impression.

Uwe Wieckenberg

Preface

This book documents 13 Eritrean education biographies, created during the post gradual distance study programme “School Management” conducted by the Technical University Kaiserslautern.

All authors are leading members of the Ministry of Education in Eritrea. They actively have participated in freeing the country located in the eastern part of the African Continent and have simultaneously built up the co-educational and educational system under most difficult circumstances.

A consistently notable contingency was found in all biographic self-reflections, which had decisively influenced the authors and actors curriculums: The three decenniums long fight for Eritrea’s independence, the formation of an educational system, and simultaneously the active design of their own education biography.

The imponderableness of fighting for freedom made it impossible to plan professional careers. Most of the time, the academic education had to be discontinued and it was all but certain, if and when it could be resumed.

The biographic approach of educational science was orientated on the understanding of biography as mirror of manifold experiences of a lifelong process that influenced the personal development and actions of individuals. Studying the Eritrean educational biographies made quickly aware that for certain social situations, informal and improvised studying was of high significance.

Rolf Arnold1 understands pedagogic as life forming and at the same time altering science. It is about defining and creative forces of education. According to that understanding, documentary biographies are exemplarily for Eritrea’s “Nation Building Process”.

According to Jochen Kade2, a German education scientist, a biography is always the result of individual perception and acts of interpretation. In that respect, it is the told story of life. The concept of biography places the individuality and subjectivity of the addressee’s pedagogic actions into the focus point. He shall be seen as a whole person and not as an abstract conglomeration of sociologic characteristics.

From this point of view, this book will not contribute another research result but trigger more interest on educational science for biographic research.

Uwe WieckenbergHeidelberg/Germany, June 2015

1 Arnold, Rolf: Selbstbildung – oder: Wer kann ich werden und wenn ja wie? Hohengehren 2010.

2 Kade, Jochen: Erziehungswissenschaftliche Bildungsforschung im Spannungsfeld von Biographie, Karriere und Lebenslauf". In: bildungsforschung, Jahrgang 2, Ausgabe 2, 2005.

Context of the Educational Biographies

By Uwe Wieckenberg

This book is one of the outcomes of the project "Post- and Undergraduate Studies for the Ministry of Education, Eritrea" funded by the European Union. The project took two and a half years and started in January 2009 with three German consortium partners, the University of Kaiserslautern, the GFA Consulting Group Hamburg and the Institut fuer Bildungstransfer, Landau.

The other – more important – outcomes pertain to 47 Master certificates, 10 first degree equivalent and 111 diploma level equivalent certificates.

The Master programme has been developed for employees of the Ministry of Education Eritrea and is based on the accredited Distance Study Programme “School Management” at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern.

This programme was composed of two parts: basic studies and specialized studies. The basic studies consisted of different subjects in the broad field of School Management which includes relevant topics and subjects in various fields of the personal, institutional and systemical level of the educational system. Examples are

Pedagogy and School Development

Assisted Learning: From Teaching to Counselling of Learners

Change of Learning Culture

Pedagogical Leadership

Change Management and Organisational Development

Criteria for Assessing the Quality of Teaching

Development of Teaching and Learning Processes

Team Building and Communication

Emotional Competence as a Core Competence of School Leadership

Human Resource Development and Human Resource Management

School development as a tool of system development

Quality Control and Quality Management

External Evaluation and School Inspection

Research Methods in Social Sciences for School Evaluation.

In the “specialized studies”, starting in the third semester, the learners could choose among several specializations, such as “Curriculum Studies”, “Educational Planning & Administration” and “Educational Supervision/Accreditation”.

In addition to the study texts the programme consisted of face-to-face tutoring seminars and workshops. The learners had to submit several assignments, such as term papers, seminar papers, portfolio, and they had to pass written examinations. All in all a huge workload during the four semesters and a great challenge for the self-motivation: distance learning means learning alone with the help of learning materials and study texts at a distance from one’s teacher or lecturer. The learners are separated from their lecturers in space and time but they are still being guided by them.

One of the biggest advantage of distance learning is the fact that learners are able to learn and study beside their job. They have the flexibility or the freedom of choice when and where they study – of course within a given timeframe. Furthermore learners are guided through a support structure that enables them to access those who are available for consultation and support: the tutors, the administrative staff and even lecturers by sending them an e-mail.

The feeling of distance is very often not caused by geographical distance but by the lack of accessibility to needed information. During this programme we tried hard not to make the learners feel the distance. But – on the other hand – they have to feel responsible for their own learning path and continuous motivation.

This study programme had one particular feature: although it is a post-graduate course, which means that students are required to proof that they have a first academic degree, 13 learners – leading members of the Ministry of Education – were not able to present the necessary academic credentials for several reasons, for instance because the documents had been lost during the struggle for independence.

For cases like this, the University of Kaiserslautern provides a unique opportunity to compensate the missing credentials: the aptitude test. This is a sign that general education and the world of work are slowly coming closer. The magic words are “recognition of prior learning”. Candidates who do not have the requested credentials can compensate them by having a minimum of five years of relevant experience in the respective professional field. In addition, they have to work out a detailed portfolio which is composed of documents proofing the sound professional experience containing in particular

a letter of motivation which shows the candidate’s development of his own competencies

a curriculum vitae

school report cards (if available)

certificates of examinations in continuing training.

The aptitude test concludes with an oral examination in which candidates must prove a deeper knowledge, own experiences and competencies in the following areas:

planning and design of didactical concepts for schooling in complex contexts

realisation of innovations in school development and change of learning culture

counselling and supporting of teachers

management of educational institutions

topics and models of education policy

quality assurance and evaluation.

The 13 texts of this book derive from the letters of motivation, in which the learners present their personal reflections about their educational and professional biography.

Abbreviations

ELF

Eritrean Liberation Front

EPLF

Eritrean Peoples’ Liberation Front

ESECE

Eritrean Secondary Education Certificate Examination.

IIEP

International Institute for Educational Planning, Paris, France

MoE

Ministry of Education

NGO

Non Governmental Organisation

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

UNICEF

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

TVET

Technical Vocational Education and Training

VET

Vocational Education Training

I. Teaching in Unsettled Times

A Soldier Hits the Books Again

By Ghirmai Estifanos

Above all I would like to say “thank you” to the Technical University of Kaiserslautern for the commitment to support the staff of the Ministry of Education Eritrea to enhance their competencies by providing different qualifications through distance studies.

David Pratt 1994, in his book curriculum planning said:

“We live in an age of promise and an age of peril. While some of the international tensions of the cold war have relaxed, enough nuclear and chemical weapons remain stockpiled to destroy civilization. In many countries, more political prisoners are jailed and tortured and thousands continue to die in conflicts. Agriculture has never been more efficient or productive, but millions of adults and children around the world are starving. This is the world that education and training inhabits, the world that education and training, in general, and curriculum, in particular must address. In this world it is the role of education to enhance human well-being by promoting learning”.

I am an Eritrean working in the Ministry of Education at the Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. After the completion of my secondary school education I studied two years advanced diploma course at Bahar-Dar Polytechnic Institute Ethiopia and graduated in metal technology. After my graduation I was recruited as a teacher in the Ministry of Education Ethiopia and worked as a machine shop instructor at Bahar-Dar Polytechnic Institute.

In the summer of 1977 I joined the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front and served as a combatant and at the maintenance and repair of the artillery section. I also served as a teacher in the liberated areas with in the stronghold of the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front.

After liberation I was assigned as a machine shop instructor in Asmara Technical School. From there I went to Taiwan to study precision machinery for four months. After my return I was placed as a director of Maihabar Technical School until 2001. When I was working as a director at this school I was sent to Germany for four months to study the management of training institutions. I also participated in other short courses in Mauritius, Japan and China. In 2001–2002 I studied at the University of Huddersfield UK and awarded a Bachelor of Education in Technical and Vocational Education. Since 2003 I am working, first as a unit head and then as a director of the curriculum planning and development division at the TVET department Ministry of Education.

The issue of my motivation to study in the master programme of school management is that the government of Eritrea is currently undertaking a transformation of the whole education System and this is supported through funding from external partners. Thus my responsibilities are to work for the success of these projects through the development of an up-to-date policy as well as programmes and guidelines for vocational education and training with the appropriate management skills and good governance for the benefit of the use and the society at large.

The intensified situation of global competition and high numbers of low skilled workers in the workforce are some of the challenges every nation faces. Structured action in the public sector of education and training could help to prepare individuals for today's society and is vital for future competitiveness and innovation.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) plays a key role in this picture by providing the skills, knowledge and competences needed in the labour market. It is therefore an essential part of any Education and Training system.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training is one of the sub-sectors of education which could play a big role in revitalising the devastated economy of Eritrea by supplying trained personnel of various levels and types of skill, thus creating better employment opportunities for those achieving vocational qualifications. Realizing the significance of the sub-sector for poverty alleviation and national development, the government of Eritrea is putting huge investments in education and training.

Although a lot of progress has been made in drafting educational policy papers in general and the management of vocational education and training programmes in particular, including hiring international consultants, vocational education and training delivery requires continuous developmental effort as the society itself is changing at a faster rate, because of technological, economic and social development. Thus vocational education and training system is increasingly expected to be responsive to the changing demands.

The international expertise is very crucial for developing countries, as we do not have to reinvent the wheel. Anyway, if the educational leaders, researchers, and practitioners like me are not prepared to approach such issues and challenges of the education system in the appropriate way due to limited competency, any effort made will not bring any change to the country’s economy and the society’s well being. The report of the World Bank research results published in July 2008 says that better living conditions are a consequence of better governance and not vice versa.

As explained by Prof. Dr. Hans-Gunter Rolff (School Development: Instruments and methods, study text 6.1), “the centre point of school development is the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning through teachers, parents and students”. Thus, any reform towards that end will not do any good to a society unless there is good governance and efficient and effective management skills in planning, organising, controlling and directing. These are the bottlenecks or needs I perceive for improvements within the sphere of my responsibility.

Hence I do believe that the programme of school management offered by the University of Kaiserslautern is designed to foster the development of such personnel and prepares them to approach such issues from multiple perspectives. Thus by studying in the Master’s Programme of School Management at the University of Kaiserslautern through distance learning, I will be able to shoulder my responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

I will keep on working on vocational education and training policy development based on the international experience that matches the cultural, social and economic context of my country and on implementing quality training with good governance, so that the youth in particular and the society at large will have a bright future and good livelihood.

Discipline and Handwork are the Key to Meet Expectations

By Kaleab Andemicael

Different writers and philosophers defined learning as a process to permanent changes of behaviour as a result of experience, a process that brings together cognitive, emotional and environmental influences and experiences for making changes in one's knowledge, skills and values. I agree in both descriptions.

It is true that one is said to be learning, if he/she has made permanent change in the way she/he is thinking, acting and doing things. These behavioural changes in knowledge, skills and experiences come through proper guidance and instruction (teaching). Instruction plays a great role in shaping our learning styles. Learning and instruction (teaching) are two faces of the same coin. They are interdependent on one another; one can learn while he/she is teaching. In addition we learn through goal oriented as well as planned instruction.

The other way we can learn is incidental learning, (without full awareness of it) and informal learning that is through cooperation and participation in different human activities. We learn formally or informally, through interaction with society as well as from our experiences.

Experience is a school from which people might be learn a lot. We always learn through our daily activities of our social life, although we are not aware of it. I believe that some people lack the habit and the experience to document their daily activities. I personally lack the habit and practice of keeping my portfolios up to date. A Portfolio is an organised diary of activities of people’s work.

Most people do a lot, but document very few or sometimes none of what they have done. I have done a lot of activities and have experiences as a farmer how to plough and do the other activities of a farmer, as a student, as a teacher through the three different levels and as a curriculum developer. But because of the lack of experience of documentation, lengths of time, changes of working areas in different regions, availability of space and luck of proper technology, I am not able to present all of my valid documents. However, I can say some thing about some of them.

I do not have much to say about my experience as an elementary school student. I want to say something about my student life in Saint George secondary and middle school 40 years ago. Saint George is a secondary school which is found in Mendefera, capital city of the Seraye province at that time, but now Zoba Debub. It was one of the popular high schools in Eritrea at that time. Its teachers were natives, Indians as well as some from Ceylon.