E.L. Africa Magazine | Issue 3

EDUCATIONAL

DECEMBER 2020

LEADER

E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE

E.L. AFRICA CELEBRATES ITS OFFICIAL LAUNCH WITH A VIRTUAL EVENT P. 25

DIGITAL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR NOMINATION P. 1

ALIGNING CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION P. 11

ASSESSMENT & GRADING POLICIES P. 18

DR. ADA OMILE

E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE NEWS MARCH 2021 PRINCIPAL RECOGNITION: THE E.L. AFRICA DIGITAL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR (DPOY) AWARD THREE PRINCIPALS WILL BE SELECTED AS WINNERS PRIZE: LAPTOP COMPUTER

CRITERIA:

ELIGIBILITY:

Throughout the pandemic, all principals had

Nominees must be principals of an

to embrace virtual and digital solutions as

accredited secondary school (Public and

quickly as possible for learning continuity

Private schools) in Sub Saharan Africa. All

and continued to do so beyond the

nominees must have completed a minimum

pandemic period. E.L. Africa magazine

of five years’ experience as a principal at

wants to honor three principals who have

the time of nomination and maintain their

digitally transformed their schools with

position as principal throughout the 2020-

innovative solutions in education. Principals

2021 school year. As the NOMINATOR you

that continue to push for digital access for

must include with this form the following

students, eliminating technology barriers,

materials:

transforming school-community

Five statements of support, one of

communication with all stakeholders that

which must be from a professional

increased attendance, record keeping, and

educator

infuses technology into all curriculum as a

A resume of the nominee: include work

strategy for engaging students (evidence

history, all degrees earned, and other

based).

honors received A description of contributions made by the nominee from the nomination criteria, in 12 point font.

CLICK TO FILL OUT NOMINATION FORM

Please provide information on the form to nominate a Principal to receive The E.L. Africa Magazine Digital Principal of the Year Award. All information requested must be included with the nomination form. The completed form and supporting documentation must be received by the due date on the form. Additional questions should be emailed to elafricamagazine@gamil.com.

Because selection is based on the nomination information, care should be given to its clear preparation.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

EDUCATIONAL

LEADER

E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE

EL Africa is a quarterly publication that focuses on school leaders' real needs, offering them practical and technical strategies for improving schools in a constantly evolving environment.

IN THIS ISSUE 08

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE

09

MEET THE ADVISORY BOARD

11

25 32

SPOTLIGHT: E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE VIRTUAL LAUNCH TECHNOLOGY TOOLS FOR TEACHING & LEARNING

ALIGNING CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

33

POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY RESPONSE

14

TWO-BY-TEN: A TWO MINUTE STRATEGY

42

SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MADE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION

15

EDUCATION POLICY & CURRICULUM

43

MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON STUDENTS WITH SEND

18

ASSESSMENT & GRADING POLICIES

46

A LOOK AT THE UNDP'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

19

ASSESSMENTS FOR LEARNING

47

2020 GLOBAL EDUCATION MEETING DRAFT DECLARATION

21

QUICK ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES TO USE IN THE CLASSROOM

49

THE COACH APPROACH

23

PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD

53

I AM A GRIOT POEM

Articles published in EL Africa are edited for style, content and space prior to publication.

Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent EL Africa positions.

Endorsement by EL Africa of products and services advertised is not implied or expressed.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

2

ABOUT E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE This quarterly digital magazine aims to serve as a link to close the gap between research and practice for effective schools for principals of secondary education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The goal is to use this medium to address the needs of schools through the Principals, share best practices in school leadership, enhance their leadership skills, and empower and celebrate what they do. This unique magazine will give a voice to these school leaders and serve as an African solution for African problems.

The E.L. Africa Magazine gives school principals/headmasters/headmistresses the resources, strategies, and inspiration required to prepare students for success. The magazine stirs school administrators toward openly discussing skills and strategies to improve schools and advance learning, it empowers these administrators to build an improved education system that is exceptional, independent and capable of self-sustaining with the correct mindset, by collaboratively sharing their skills.

Therefore, the E.L. Africa presents a paradigm shift, viewing the change in the education systems from the lens of the school principals that implement teducation policies, these administrators are responsible for implementing/executing significant policies/changes in the schools.

We embarked on this game-changing project as an inspiration to other educators to improve the education system in SSA. When you share your knowledge, skills and celebrate others without being apologetic, you feel fulfilled. It’s so important.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

EDITORIAL & DESIGN WRITERS

EDUCATIONAL

LEADER

E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE

T e mi t o p e Mu s t a p h a - N i g e r i a Ch r i s On wu k a - N i g e r i a S a n v e e E l mu t P i n t o - T o g o

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHERS Dr. Ada Omile Dr. Frances Ufondu

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Samantha Ingram Dr. Evelyn Mamman Dr. Cprain Cele Prof. Francis Onukwuli Dr. George Motsoeneng Okiria Martin Obore

E . L . A f r ic a M a g a z in e ’ s e x c l u s iv e l o o k a t t h e P a n d e m ic r e c o v e r y in e d u c a t io n a t s o m e c o u n t r i e s i n S u b - S a h a r a n A f r ic a . G a in s o m e p e r s p e c t i v e o n a l i g n in g c u r r ic u l u m a n d in s t r u c t io n ( p a g e 1 1 ) . W h a t

Alahaj Yakub A.B Abubarkar

i s y o u r s c h o o l d is t r ic t ' s p o l ic y o n g r a d i n g a n d

Vikky Prescott

assessment (page 18), and Learn more about

Dr. Lonnell Johnson Prof. Kate Omenugha

l e a d in g t h r o u g h a c o l l a b o r a t iv e s u c c e s s ( p a g e 2 3 ) . S e e t h e E . L A f r ic a V ir t u a l L a u n c h ( p a g e 2 5 ) .

CREATIVE DESIGNER C h i n e n y e O m il e

Educational Leadership Africa Magazine (ISSN 2693-2806) is published quarterly in March, June, September, December by Educational Leadership Consultant Group- (ELCG) in Virginia, USA. ELCG is an organization focused on training and development of education leaders. The EL Africa magazine, a component of ELCG, is the voice for principals, assistant principals, and other school leaders across SubSaharan Africa. The statements, opinions, and advertisements expressed herein are those of

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR A COLUMN IN E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE? SEND US AN EMAIL AT ELAFRICAMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM

individual authors and companies and do not necessarily represent the views of EL Africa magazine or the ELCG.

Article Submission: Submission on topics relevant to school leadership are requested.

Email ideas and articles to elafricamagazine@gmail.com.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

4

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHERS DR. ADA OMILE

She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership K-12, from Argosy University, Washington DC, Post Master's Certificate in Educational Leadership & Administration from George Washington University, Master of Science in Computer & Information Systems , Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities, both from Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta Georgia. She has over 27 years of experience in Education and Leadership.

Her doctoral research in 2011 was focused on providing professional learning to school principals in Anambra State, Nigeria. The result of the research showed a glaring gap in practice. To address the gap, she started Education Leadership Consultant Group

(ELCG), a Non-

profit organization that provides professional learning on effective schools to school principals and directors of private proprietors of schools in Africa. Recently, she concluded that we need to create a forum to reach more school principals throughout the SSA, hence this EL Africa magazine.

DR. FRANCES UFONDU

She earned her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership from University of LaVerne, California. She earned a California Professional Administrative Services Credential; a Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential; a Master’s of Arts in Education Administration from University of Benin, Nigeria and a Bachelors of Science in Vocational Home Economics Education from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

In addition, she received a Professional Certificate in Accounting for Governmental and Nonprofit Organizations; a Chief Business Officer (CBO) certification through California Association of School Business Officials Partner Training Program; Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Certification in Curriculum and Instruction Leadership and Leadership Coaching.

Her dissertation in 2005 was focused on an in-depth research of skills required by principals to effectively implement the Public School Dr. Omile and Dr. Ufondu attended the same high school and college in Nigeria and have dedicated their career and life’s work to improving leadership capacity for educational leaders in the hopes of positively improving learning for our students. This E.L. Africa Magazine is designed to give educational leaders the tools to enhance and empower their teachers as they collaborate to improve teaching and learning for students.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

Accountability Act in California. The findings indicated that principals perceived skills in visionary leadership as very important. The study also empowered staff members and students to reach high levels of performance; creating and communicating a school vision and aligning financial, human and material resources with the vision; student assessment, gathering, analyzing, and using data to inform decision making; demonstrating and understanding of curricular alignment to ensure improved performance and designing, evaluating, and refining curricular remediation programs.

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

B

ack in June when we launched the E.L.

As school leaders, it is important to care about

Africa Magazine, I knew we were

the teachers who will be forced to change how

going to make a huge impact on

they teach and are being retrained to teach with

leadership & education in Sub-

unfamiliar tools.

Saharan Africa (SSA). And we have.

This digital magazine sets out to provide school leaders with strategies to enhance their leadership skills and gives them a platform to bring their experiences, skills, and passion to others. As this year fades in our rare view mirror (we will miss it?) In many ways, 2020 has highlighted the importance of resilience; through this medium, school leaders in SSA have shared their experiences and challenges.

Despite the challenges that COVID brought in education, I remain optimistic.

The E.L. Africa magazine's virtual launch event on October 31st was a great success. We thank our distinguished guest speakers and participants and have shared highlights from the event in this issue.

In my letter on the last issue of E.L. Africa, I

Speaking of changes on instructional delivery, it is time to revisit curriculum and assessment. We urge education policy makers in SSA to take another look at the curriculum and assessments and make the necessary revisions. These revisions will be a herculean effort, but it is needed.

Therefore, in this issue we discussed aligning curriculum and instruction, grading, and assessment policies. With the right policies, schools can fundamentally change the direction of teaching and learning.

My personal and professional experience has taught me that learning and growing through challenges require purposefully cultivating three traits: strength, resilience, and the love of what you do.

Thank you.

mentioned that COVID is a great accelerator.

We can see that it has opened the eyes of

Respectfully,

educators in Africa to the important

education sectors of SSA countries are making it

Ada Omile

a priority to retraining teachers, looking for ways

Ada Omile

to digitize learning, and mitigating the digital

Executive Director

divide. The care for students’ learning drives this

E.L. Africa Magazine

improvements that needed to be made in teaching and learning especially with technology. Conversations from our Zoom event at the end of October indicated that the

migration as the realization that we can no longer educate the way we used to. This shift is here to stay. Therefore, returning to school next school year may be a challenge for students, teachers, and administrators.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

6

CONTRIBUTE TO EL AFRICA MAGAZINE! If you’re an expert in education, please share your knowledge and experience with your fellow school leaders in E.L. Africa magazine. Write about one of the following themes or submit an article on another topic of interest to principals, assistant principals, or aspiring principals.

Themes for Next issue How to cultivate a leadership culture that is agile and adaptive, creating the scaffolding for innovation and change Reflective practices E.L. Africa is

YOUR

magazine—help make it an even more valuable resource by writing an article or

passing these themes on to a colleague who has a great program or unique perspective.

Content Manuscripts should explore one theme or other topics of professional interest to secondary school principals. Manuscripts are evaluated by ELCG/E.L. Africa magazine staff members and are judged on their relevance, interest to principals, timeliness, originality, readability, and credibility. E.L. Africa magazine seeks articles that: Describe best practices and exemplary programs objectively and include evidence of success as well as a discussion of problems Explain how principals can act on the information Include advice, resources, and examples Offer opinions on some topic of professional interest to principals

Requirements Manuscripts should be no more than 2,000 words, including references, but may include additional supplemental material. Successful manuscripts are written in a tone and style appropriate to a magazine; are well-organized; clearly establish the purpose of the article; use specific examples—it is best to show, and adhere to the rules of grammar.

How to Submit Please send your manuscript to elafricamagazine@gmail.com and include: The manuscript prepared in MS Word.

A cover letter that indicates your intention to submit the manuscript to E.L. Africa magazine and stipulates whether the manuscript has been submitted elsewhere.

Contact information for each author: school and title, telephone number, and e-mail address.

A two-sentence author biography. The first sentence should include a current title, school and e-mail address; the condition sentence should highlight key accomplishments or reinforce your authority in discussing the topic.

Photographs If you’d like to send photos to accompany your article, please attach the JPEG files to an email and send them to elcgtraining@yahoo.com. If no photos are available, E.L. Africa will select file or stock art to enhance the article.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE...

"E.L. Africa Magazine is the right thing to do so that leaders in education in Africa can share best practices that can make us move together as a continent by learning from each other."

- Mr. Alfred Kahi Indimuli

"Educational Leadership in the community, locally, regionally and

"E.L. Africa Magazine is gratifying; It is nice to have an African

globally appreciates this magazine.

version [leadership magazine] that contextualizes our

E.L. Africa Magazine provides yet

experiences. I am glad and thankful to God that you [Ada Omile]

another opportunity to share relevant

and your Co-Founder [Frances Ufondu] listened to God and

experiences and occupy

obeyed. God bless you."

- Mrs. Grace Gado

professionalism in these changing times."

- Ms. Edda Bohn

"I have had a look at E.L.

Africa

Magazine, and all I can say is wow! This is

"A special thanks to Dr. Ada and team for this special

such a professional product and covers

magazine which has reliably enabled us to link up for the

such an array of topics. I am sure there

necessary and strong

will be something for everyone in it. You

changing times. The introduction of the E.L. Africa Magazine

have done a wonderful job in putting this

has mighty influence, it has excelled in bridging the gaps in

magazine together. It makes me proudly

our growth mindsets from our respective countries. The vision,

African.�

mission and values of E.L. Africa Magazine make it more

- Mr. David De Korte "I

have

been

praying

and

leadership in our Schools in this

reliable and necessary to insight us to lead."

- Mr.James Onyait hoping

for

an

educational

magazine

that

is

for

Africa.

My

prayer

was

miraculously

and

unexpectedly answered last month when I was linked to Educational Leadership Africa Magazine! Sincerely, that is my best gift this year. The topics, themes, and the style as digital are apt, relevant, and universal. The solutions or suggestions preferred for our educational challenges especially as it relates to Covid-19, so useful and helpful! Record keeping which has been dumped inside a waste bin in our schools in Africa is revisited. Every topic treated, is indeed a lifesaving tablets for all school leaders� I ate the magazine like a honey pot, repeatedly! It completely blew my mind. This is a "lecture" any school manager can attend for hours without getting bored."

- Dr. Stella Idowu Ebuetse E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

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MEET THE ADVISORY BOARD 1

Mr. Richard Buffington (Ricky) - Board Chair Program analyst with MAG Aerospace providing logistic and program support for soldiers at Fort Belvoir VA. Obtained a master’s degree in Business Management from California Coast University.

A retired Marine veteran with 30 years of serving the military community.

An active member of the

Saratoga Hunt Homeowner Association for 14 years as the President or Vice President. Mr. Buffington is also an annual volunteer at the First Home Alliance non-profit organization and several First Mount Zion church organizations.

2

Dr. Steve Dike Has 38 years of executive experience with expertise in strategic planning, public policies, market analysis, negotiations, project management, program evaluation, organizational restructuring and repositioning, process redesign and re-engineering and private-public partnerships. Chairman of the Nigerian Educational Research & Development council.

He is on the board of Nigerian National

Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Centenary City Plc, & Nigerian Infrastructure Backbone Foundation. He holds an earned Ph.D. in Economics, MBA in Finance, M.S. in Resource Management, M.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Chemistry from West Virginia University. He was an Adjunct Professor of finance and management.

3

Dr. Wilhemina Hall McKinney An International Educator for thirty-five years. She has trained and or mentored students, teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents at all education levels.

She started her career

as a classroom teacher and ended at the level of Instructional Systems Specialist in the areas of professional development, assessment, and partnerships. She is presently an Educational Consultant.

4

Dr. Eugene Otuonye Currently a high school assistant principal and has been an educator for over 20 years in California, United States, working as an elementary and middle school teacher, and high school Dean of Students. He holds two master’s degrees in Cross-Cultural Education and Educational Administration from The National University La Jolla, California. His doctoral degree was in Leadership and Organizational Management. He has extensive knowledge of curriculum and instruction, student learning, WASC, master schedule, state, and district testing. His focus currently in his position is strengthening the English Learner Literacy rate, Positive Behavior Intervention & Support and Community Engagement.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

5 Mr. James Lambert Onyait Current principal of Nebbi Town Secondary School in the Nebbi Municipal, West Nile and Headteacher of Raymond Vocational Secondary School in Mubende Uganda. Mr. Onyait also consults with organizations in Uganda for research and development. He was the director of studies at the St. Kizito Secondary school Bugolobi in Kampala. He has devoted many years in education supporting technical skills acquisition for students. He has an MBA and BA degrees in Education and holds a certificate in Counseling and Guidance services from Makerere University.

6

Prof. Francis O. Onukwuli Retired mathematician and computer scientist for 36 years. He served as a Lecturer & Coordinator Information and Computer Science at Spelman College, Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Math, Manager Computer & Information Sciences Laboratories, Morris Brown College, Atlanta, and Author microcomputer materials for calculus students. He has Ed.D in Educational Leadership & Administration, Post-Doctoral studies in Mathematics/Computer Science at Kennedy-Western University, Boise, Idaho, MS in Computer Science (Mathematical Computing/Network Analysis),

B.S. Honors in Mathematics

7

and Minor in Physics.

Mr. Frank Nnabu Okeke Has a degree in Law and Physics, master’s degree in law, Business Administration and Education Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate in Maritime Law and International Business Law. An alumnus of University of London, United Kingdom, University of Lagos, Nigeria, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

8

Dr. Angela Agboli Esedebe Campus President at Stratford University’s Alexandria campus, worked at Strayer University for 13 years and served in various capacities including full-time faculty, Associate Dean for Arts and Sciences and Campus Dean. Holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications and a master's degree in international law and diplomacy, and a Ph.D. from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She also holds another master's in business administration with a concentration in management from Strayer University in December 2012. She received the prestigious Strayer University Faculty Award of Excellence at the 120th Annual Commencement Ceremonies in Norfolk, Virginia October 27th, 2012.

9 Dr. Evelyn Mamman Assistant Superintendent of curriculum & instruction for Tenafly Public Schools. She has been an educator for twenty-one years, a reflective practitioner who leads with a passion for teaching and learning. Has worked with students of varying ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

She has also held various positions: adjunct professor, teacher, literacy coach, literacy consultant, supervisor, and Director of Title I and Supplemental Education programs. She has a Doctoral Degree in Arts and Letters, a M.Ed in English Education, and a B.A in English Education. Her goal is to educate, engage, and empower those she serves.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

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Dr. Samantha Ingram & Dr. Evelyn Mamman Dr. Samantha J. Ingram was the Chief of the Center for Instructional Leadership Development (CILD) for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas Region. She was also the Superintendent of the South Carolina/Ft. Stewart/DoDDS-Cuba School District for DoDEA.

Dr. Evelyn Mamman is the Assistant Superintendent of curriculum & instruction for Tenafly Public Schools. She has also held various positions: adjunct professor, teacher, literacy coach, literacy consultant, supervisor, and Director of Title I and Supplemental Education programs.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

When educators ensure alignment from the objective level throughout the instructional level and assessment, students are able to access the expected curriculum. This translates to improved student achievement and standardized test results.

The more often teachers experience this level of success, it increases the significance of alignment in terms of student learning. Finally,

DR. SAMANTHA INGRAM SK & C DEVELOPMENT GROUP CONSULTANT SERVICE

the alignment process requires a clear understanding of the level of thinking required of each task to ensure teachers deliver the adopted standards so that all students have access to expected curriculum.

oo often, the role of alignment in student

T

learning is not placed at the forefront of student achievement. But this task alone is essential to students mastering the

mastering the standards and demonstrating the expected level of performance. So, what is necessary for educators to see the significant meaning of alignment in the role of student learning? Both achievement and standardized test results must show improvement.

Aligning learning objectives, instruction, and assessments begins with developing a clear understanding of both the content standards and the performance standards. This alone requires

DR. EVELYN MAMMAN

teachers to have an in-depth understanding of how to determine the cognitive demand of the learning, which translates to “what kind and level of thinking is required for the student to successfully engage in the task?” This is the critical step in the alignment process. Most often, educators refer to this step as the Unpacking of the Standards. This involves identifying the kind and level of thinking required from the standard.

urriculum is defined in so many ways

C

by various researchers. Simply put, curriculum refers to skills and knowledge that are taught in an

educational program of study. Curriculum is “Written, Taught, and Tested” and the three

However, the next step of the alignment process which involves aligning the objective is just as

curricula should be completely aligned to maximize learning for each student.

crucial because this is where the development of the instruction begins, the taught curriculum.

Therefore, teachers must be precise in ensuring

Before looking at curriculum alignment, it is important to define all three curricula.

that the level of thinking for the objective is tightly aligned to both the instruction and the assessment. This ensures that the expected standard is taught and assessed, which is why the alignment process must be at the forefront of student learning.

Glatthorn defines the

written curriculum as

documents produced by educators and/or governing bodies to specify knowledge and skills to be taught and the scope and sequence for teaching those skills. It also includes materials developed by classroom teachers.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

12

The

taught curriculum refers to the delivery of

Assessments should reveal how well students

the written curriculum and is reflected in what

have learned what the teacher wants them to

happens in the classroom.

learn while instruction ensures that they learn it.

In this instance,

teachers are required to develop lesson plans and

This occurs when assessments, learning

approaches to instruction for teaching the written

objectives, and instructional strategies are

curriculum. They (the teachers) understand and

closely aligned so that they support one another.

implement a variety of research-based

All assessments are congruent with the written

instructional practices to meet the needs of all

and taught curriculum.

students.

process yields data to inform decisions about

A consistent monitoring

carefully calibrated, timely, and appropriate The

tested curriculum is that part of the written

interventions by student, by teacher, by subject

curriculum that is assessed by national, state, and

and by school. Putting consistent practices in

locally developed assessments. Both formative

place allows educators to evaluate the efficiency

and summative assessments are used to monitor

of strategies used.

student, teacher, and principal performance, drive instruction, and inform students and parents.

To ensure that these three components of a lesson are aligned, teachers should ask the

Even though all three curricula interact with each

following questions:

other, research suggests that the tested

Learning Objectives: What do we want

curriculum seems to have the strongest influence

students to know how to do when they leave

on the curriculum actually taught.

this lesson/class?

Assessments: What kinds of tasks will reveal Curriculum alignment is the process in which

whether students have achieved the learning

schools and teachers across all levels formally

objectives we have identified?

organize and purposefully design an educational

Instructional Strategies: What kinds of

program to promote learning. Teachers and

activities in and out of class will reinforce our

Educational Leaders collaborate to develop the

learning objectives and prepare students for

curriculum and ensure there are no gaps that may

assessments?

hamper academic progress.

In order to align curriculum to maximize learning Based on decades of research, curriculum

for each student, teachers have to set common

alignment has a strong correlation to student

goals and know what they want their students to

achievement. It also helps to modify lessons, units

know, understand, and do. The best way to

of study, and programs to better target student

achieve this is through a collaboration of

success and make better use of school resources.

teachers dedicated to improving not only

The ultimate goals of aligning curriculum are:

individually but also as a team.

To improve academic achievement in all subjects for all students To eliminate achievement gaps To guarantee continuous improvement

The effective execution of this at the classroom level will require teachers to create learning objectives, choose instructional strategies, and design assessments.

REFERENCES “Chapter 3 Aligning Curriculum, Instruction, Learning Tools, and Assessment.� Literacy Leadership for Grades 5-12, by Rosemarye Taylor and Valerie Doyle Collins, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003.

Glatthorn, Allan A. Planning and Organizing for Curriculum Renewal: a Chapter of the Curriculum Handbook.

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

TWO-BY-TEN The Two-Minute Strategy Adapted from Sarah McKibben, in ASCD

What if instead of going head-to-head with your

The focus of Two-by-Ten is just getting to know the

most challenging student, you created an ally in

child outside of school. Find out what his favorite

him/her? Grace Dearborn shared a strategy for

food is, what his favorite hobby is, how did his

making that happen: the "Two-by-Ten."Dearborn

baseball game go, etc. If [your approach is]

explained that by spending two minutes a day for

authentic, the child will know it. When a student is

10 consecutive days getting to know a disruptive

especially "resistant and shutdown," experts

student, teachers can begin establishing an initial

recommend striking up a conversation with one of

connection. Historically referred to as the "two-

the student's friends within earshot and eventually

minute intervention" by researcher Raymond

drawing that student in, even if it takes several

Wlodkowski.

days.

The Two-by-Ten strategy is a way to not only break

Two-by-Ten is one of the most powerful

the ice but also form the foundation for a

relationship-changing strategies, and teachers

sustainable relationship—and better classroom

should build the time into their lesson plans when

behavior. Two-by-Ten gives a disruptive student

other students are engaged in an assignment or

what he is seeking in the first place: a positive

project that requires less … direct teaching.

connection with an adult.Safety is a fundamental human need and if kids don't feel it, they're going

Allotting time for shorter conversations can also be

to ask for it by acting out, a student is more likely

beneficial as long as they occur every day (not

communicating the message "Would you connect

counting weekends) because consistency is what

with me, so I can let down my guard?" Some of the

"allows the walls to come down. Thus "half a

students would be more receptive to the

minute a day for 10 days is better than one 20-

conversations than others but will warm up to

minute conversation because [the student] needs

attention by the second week.

that ongoing connection to relax."

A DEEPER CONNECTION Keeping the content of the conversations centered on the student's personal interests is essential to making the strategy work. Teachers can use an interest inventory to ask questions or just focus on whatever the kid is talking about to his friends or what he's wearing—his sneakers, backpack, anything at all, that's a sure clue.

The discussions, however, should extend beyond the typical "how are you today, nice to see you, even talking about what the student shared in class or wrote about in an exercise does not have the same effect as when teachers probe more deeply.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

14

EDUCATION POLICY & CURRICULUM By: Dr. Frances Ufondu

G

lobally, education is high priority on the

However, with the take off of the UBE scheme in the

agenda of all governments, who are

country, it then became imperative that the existing

constantly under pressure to analyze the

primary and junior secondary school curricula be

outcomes of education policy and its implications for

reworked to ensure the realization of the goals of the

management in education. More and more

UBE program.

educational planners have apprehended the fact that most limitations and prospects they face are mostly

The newly revised structure adopted by stakeholders

the consequence of the decisions made by

therefore consists of 8 subjects for primary 1-3, 9

policymakers. Consequently, planners are giving

subjects for primary 4-6 and 10 subjects for JSS 1-3. In

greater attention to policy making issues; however,

addition, the Nigerian Educational Research and

simultaneously, policymaking is evolving into a complex

Development Council (NERDC) developed a new

and reform-based process. Today, educational

curriculum structure for the 3-year senior secondary

planners are more concerned about their policies

education, which could be categorized into the

solving prevailing problems. I will take a look at

following 4 streams: Humanities, Science and

policymaking and its implementation as it relates to

Mathematics, Technology, and Business Studies. All

national curriculum implementation in three countries

students, irrespective of their field of study, had to

Curriculum itself could be described as the content, knowledge, skills and aptitudes that are written, taught, and learned within a school system.

study five compulsory cross-cutting core subjects:

in sub-Saharan African countries.

English Language, General Mathematics, One Trade/Entrepreneurship Studies, Computer Studies/ICT and Civic Education.

Overall, the new

Senior Secondary Education Curriculum structures Nigeria operates a two-tier curriculum structure for

entails five compulsory subjects and several elective

secondary schools. The first-tier is the last segment of

ones. The curriculum is diversified to cater for the

the 9- year Basic Education Program. It is important to

differences in talents, opportunities and future roles of

note that the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme

individuals. It is developed to provide trained

was introduced in Nigeria in 2000. Under this new

manpower in the applied sciences, technology and

scheme, free education was extended to cover the

commerce. Technical knowledge and vocational skills

junior secondary schools. Thus, all children of school-

necessary for industrial and economic development

going age will receive nine years of uninterrupted

were also greatly considered in the development of

formal education (6 years of primary and 3 years of

the curriculum. The curriculum is also designed using

junior secondary). The implication of this is that the

the thematic approach and the provision of options in

minimum level of education for every Nigerian child is

school subjects.

Junior Secondary School (JSS) year 3 and on successful completion pupils will be awarded the

Namibia’s Basic Education is subdivided into four

minimum qualification of Basic Education Certificate

phases: Junior Primary (Pre-Primary and Grades 1-3),

Examinations (BECE) at the end of the 9-year basic

Senior Primary (Grades 4-7), Junior Secondary

education schooling to replace the Junior Secondary

(Grades 8-9), and Senior Secondary (Grades 10- 12).

Certificate Examination. With this arrangement, pupils

After completing the Namibia Senior Secondary

need no entrance examination into the junior

Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) level at the end of

secondary schools since the terminal examination for

Grade 11, learners have various options: they may

primary 6 pupils had been abolished.

choose to continue with either vocational education and training or with distance learning, or seek employment.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

Learners who meet the prescribed requirements may

While the new curriculum objectives were certainly

proceed to Grade 12. In Grade 12, learners will take

detrimental, it does seem unrealistic to expect the

their subjects on Advanced Subsidiary Level, which is

nation to disengage successfully from the seemingly

an admission requirement for enrolment at many

inescapable legacy of apartheid in only two decades.

universities in Southern Africa and abroad.

South Africa’s newest initiative, the National Development Plan 2030 (NDP), provides a “holistic

Namibia's curriculum has been developed to give

approach” to build economic advancement for the

direction to basic education towards the realization of

poorest Africans through improving education,

Namibia Vision 2030. It ensures the continuation of

infrastructure, rural development, healthcare, and

the foundation principles of the Namibian education

social protection (South Africa Ministry of Education,

system described in Toward Education for All: A

2012). Implemented in February 2013,the initiative aims

Development Brief (1993), so that it can also be a

to tackle the education crisis by bolstering teacher-

curriculum for the future. Namibia Vision 2030

training programs, increasing the number of students

describes the kind of society that Namibia strives to

who achieve above 50 percent in literacy and

become, and how to achieve it.

mathematics by creating smaller class sizes, and raising retention rates to 90 percent with more

In Namibia, the National Curriculum for Basic

practical curriculums. It plans on providing stronger

Education (NCBE) is also the official policy for

incentives to ensure its effective implementation for

teaching, learning and assessment; it gives direction

teachers. It is evident that simply spending on basic

to planning, organizing and implementing teaching

education, which is over 7 percent of government

and learning. It is the responsibility of all schools, as

expenditure, will not provide textbooks and qualified

well as educational institutions catering for part-time

graduates. Reasonable policies and curriculum that

learners, to ensure that they adhere to the

relate to the realities of South African society need to

requirements of their curriculum and to those specified

be implemented alongside teacher-training programs

in the syllabuses and other curriculum documents for

and development education programs.

each phase and subject in basic education. The NCBE

structure of each phase, what electives and subject

The problem of education in most countries lies in the implementation of policies, and not in the formulation. Educational planners formulate impressive policies but sometimes do not endeavor to implement them successfully. This

combinations are available and overall time

issue is because of misconceptions and sustainability

allocation. It describes effective assessment

in educational policy and the actualization of the

procedures, ensuring that assessment is closely

policy objectives. The task of curriculum advocacy,

integrated in the teaching-learning process. The

sensitization and ultimate implementation should not

curriculum also provides a framework for the

be left in the hands of the government and

development of syllabuses, learning material and

policymakers alone, continuous training and the

textbooks for the various subjects and areas of

knowledge that would keep members of the public

learning, from which teachers’ schemes of work so that

and end-users abreast of the changes in the new

the goal and aims of the curriculum will be put into

curriculum should be provided.

provides key learning areas for all learners, and outlines the end-of-phase competencies, which they should achieve, as well as the attitudes and values to be promoted throughout the curriculum. It outlines the

and the establishment of Outcomes Based Education

It is not enough for the government to provide money for the review of the school curriculum and not provide the needed support for its eventual implementation in the classrooms. To facilitate the creation of an effective

(OBE) were launched in 1997. C2005 aimed to make

school system, education policies must focus on more

access and quality of education more equitable while

appropriate reallocations of funding, improved

also decentralizing oversight to the national education

teacher-training quality throughout rural regions,

system to the South African provinces. The OBE

applicable and localized curricula while bridging the

policies made substandard education a norm in the

gap between classroom realities and educational

majority of large South African public schools.

theories and focusing on local contexts and cultures.

practice in a consistent manner.

South African enactment of Curriculum 2005 (C2005)

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

16

While most of the Education Goal has not been fully

Multilateral aid organizations need to advocate

achieved, the developing world has witnessed an

teacher-training programs in their education policies,

impressive surge in global gross primary school

even if the positive impacts initially are less concrete.

enrollment rates, while an acknowledgment of the

If not, the deficit of inadequate curricula and

need for basic education has become universally

inadequate teachers will hamper any potential

paramount, Secondary education, however, has not

educational progress. Perhaps the most glaring

followed the same trajectory, and while the global

detriment in current political rhetoric is the concept of

convergence around primary education enrollment is

“fee free” education. While almost every sub-Saharan

certainly impressive, secondary education has been

African country boasts some form of “fee free” school,

relatively neglected, and sub-Saharan Africa still lags

the cost of education is not only real but also

far behind the rest of the world.

substantial.

The ultimate aim of any education curricula is to equip students with numeracy, literacy, and a wider skillset

An adequate curriculum sensitive to the particular cultures and capabilities within a country is integral in shaping an education system, as are those who are entrusted to teach it. Moreover, if an education to realize the students’ potential.

There is much to celebrate in Africa’s educational progress over the past half a century.

Nevertheless, if the region hopes to capitalize on its abundant human potential, each country must address these challenges and offer meaningful policy solutions to improving them. Every child has the right to the social mobility that education can

system is corrupt, as many sub-Saharan countries, the

offer, and every country must shoulder the

teacher quality will dwindle and the overall education

responsibility of providing it. Some of these challenges

system will fail its students. While Education Ministries

have been met with an array of policies, with mixed

continue to build schools and execute publicity-

results in terms of the soundness and fairness of

attracting programs, teachers have been severely

policies as well as the effectiveness of curriculum

underfunded and are often under-qualified.

implementation.

REFERENCES Eger, Katharine, "An Analysis of Education Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa" (2016). CMC Senior Theses. Paper 1419. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1419 Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria, “Education for Change, A Ministerial Strategic Plan (2018-2022)” National Institute for Educational Development (NEID), “The National Curriculum for Basic Education” Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, 2016.

HAVE NEWS YOU WANT HIGHLIGHTED IN E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE? SEND US AN EMAIL AT ELAFRICAMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

&

ASSESSMENT GRADING POLICIES WHAT IS YOUR DISTRICT SAYING?

formative assessment

School systems have a philosophy regarding

Teachers should use

assessment and grading in their districts, they

data to identify areas of student strength and

usually base it on teachers’ collective belief

student growth. Teachers will use this data to

of a growth mindset, that students master

adjust instruction. Formative feedback informs

concepts and skills in different ways and at

the learner, teacher, and parents/guardians

different rates. Therefore, they know that

about progress toward mastery of the concept

their teachers are responsible for developing

or skill.

instructional plans based on frequent and varied assessments. They believe that grades

Summative assessment is assessment of

should not reflect behavior, but rather, a

learning that occurs at the end of a learning

student’s mastery of content or competencies

cycle, it could be semester or term, and is

of the curriculum. The reasons school systems

designed to determine a student’s level of

have policy on grading and assessment is for

mastery of specified content or competencies.

uniformity in a school

Summative assessments become the source of

district/zones/municipality. So here are some

information for grading. Grade level and

questions to ponder:

curriculum teams should create common summative assessments that are aligned to a

What is your school district's most recent

common unit of standards. For instance, all 10th

grading policy? Has there been any

grade Science or Math collaborative teams.

changes in the policy, what is the current policy number?

Reassessments encourage a growth mindset in

As school leaders, how have you helped

students and allow them to demonstrate

your teachers deepen their understanding

mastery. It is always advisable for teachers to

of the changes in the assessment and

provide the opportunity for reassessment of

grading policy?

major summative assessments to students who

What plans do you have about how your

scored poorly, and remediation is very important

teachers will collaborate to evaluate the

prior to reassessment.

role of assessments and grades in their classrooms?

It is not advisable for teachers to average the

How have you identified steps that your

scores from the original assessment and the

teachers will take to ensure a growth

reassessment. Also, the format of the

mindset mentality when creating future

reassessment does not need to mirror the format

learning activities and assessments?

of the original assessment. These practices should be consistent throughout the whole school.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

18

ASSESSMENTS FOR LEARNING By: Dr. Cyprian I. Cele

ASSESSMENT FOR INFORMATION Assessment of persons’ attributes is carried out for various purposes. Here we concentrate on educational assessment of learners to accelerate their progress and to give a summary report of what they have achieved in a learning situation. Educational assessment can be

formative or summative. Formative

assessment is carried out for helping the learner improve on his progress while summative assessment is carried out for the principal purpose of documenting and reporting what a learner has achieved.

Pre-assessment provides the teacher with information on what the learners already know and can do, misconceptions they may have and therefore their learning needs. The teacher then plans and prepares better on how best to maximize the learning potentials of the incoming learners. The rest of formative assessment is carried out as teaching and learning progresses, using a variety of assessment techniques in order to constantly get information for improving the teaching/learning situation. While the assessment provides information about group progress, there is information also about sub-groups of learners as well as individual learners, depending on the extent to which the assessment data are disaggregated. The teacher uses the information to decide on the best way to help the body of learners, subgroups as well as individuals in the learning cohort.

Assessment helps incoming learners to get to know where they are and get an idea of what lies ahead of them. They get tuned up to be guided by the teacher. When learners know they will be assessed in what they learn, they will be encouraged to revise. It fosters attentiveness in class. Learners who are well motivated will be helped by assessments they go through to review their approaches to advancing their studies: how to pay attention to the teacher, how to make notes, how to revise and handle better the tasks they go through. Learners like to discuss how they have performed in an assessment. By learning how classmates have performed, a learner is encouraged to study more intelligently. This peer feedback can be very effective where there are group tasks in which the weaker learners benefit by working with the better achieving learners.

BASES OF ASSESSMENTS We do not assess anybody on anything for no purpose. Assessment of learners is based on specified learning areas, with clearly defined learning objectives at a given level. The purpose of assessment is to find out the status of the learners on the objectives, how they can integrate and utilize the body of knowledge and skills conveyed by the objectives before, during and after instruction. Assessment guides the teaching and learning enterprise towards the outcomes specified in the curriculum. It is therefore essential that the assessment must mirror and clarify the curriculum.

THE NEED FOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS Assessment is designed according to the purpose for conducting the assessment, the body of knowledge and skills specified in the learning area and the time available for the assessment.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

Knowledge specified by the objectives is important, but more important is finding out what the learners can do with the body of knowledge conveyed by the objectives. In the real world, a learner is confronted with problems that must be solved. The learner must therefore be able to use the body of knowledge for handling the problems that can be encountered outside the learning context.

Higher order thinking skills have become a predominant feature of assessment instruments. The instruments must not merely ask the learner to recall information, but to manipulate the information in a novel situation.

Extended writing, critiquing, and such other assessment tasks require the learner to synthesize, analyze and organize what is learnt to produce a product greater than the individual learning objectives. Besides these cognitive performances, others require learners to actually do what is done with the objectives outside school. Learners may be asked to dance, run, cook, make a table, according to the outcomes specified for a learning area.

In order to design meaningful performance assessment, one must think through the content of the curriculum and understand the important outcomes a learner is expected to acquire. Stiggins (2005) summarizes considerations that must be engaged in while designing performance assessment, which includes:

CONSIDERATION

IMPLIES

Performance

What content knowledge should a learner acquire?

Indicators

What skills and knowledge should a learner be able to demonstrate?

Establish the cognitive level the assessment should require.

The assessment tasks should not disadvantage any group of

Accessibility of the Tasks to all Learners

learners: Clear to all learners Options for accommodation should be clear Cultural differences should not be a disadvantage to any The learner assessment should integrate cross-curricular skills.

Relevance

The tasks should present novel situations.

The scoring rubric should be clear and relevant to what the learner performs in the real world.

Performance assessment should therefore present meaningful and worthwhile tasks that motivate both the learner and teacher. Presentation of novel tasks relevant to the context in innovative ways rather than welltrodden paths will make assessments conducive to better teaching and learning.

Dr. Cele is a Retired, Former Director of Research and Policy Development which involves training of staff and improvement of assessment for the Ministry of Education of Botswana and led the development of the Act for the formation of Botswana Examinations Council. Prior to that, he was the deputy secretary for East African Examinations Council and deputy secretary for the Uganda National Examinations Board. His role was on achievement testing, involving syllabus development, test development and administration and the dissemination of results to stakeholders.

REFERENCES Wangsatorntanakhun, J. A., Designing Performance Assessments: Challenges for the Three-Story Intellect. Redeemer International School Thailand. Bangkok, Thailand.

Arter, J. & McTighe, J.(2000). Scoring rubrics in the classroom: Using performance criteria for assessing and improving student performance.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Miller, C., Doering, A. & Scharber, C. (2010). No such thing as failure, only feedback: Designing innovative opportunities for e-assessment and technology-mediated feedback. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 21(1), 65-92. Waynesville, NC: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/33184/.

National Council of Measurement in Education: http://www.ncme.org/resources/formative Stiggins, Richard. (2005). Design and development of performance assessments (ITEMS module). Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. 6. 33 - 42. 10.1111/j.1745-3992.1987.tb00507.x. www.thoughtco.com

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

20

QUICK ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES TO USE IN THE CLASSROOM By: Prof. Francis Osita Onukwuli, Sr.

Over the years of teaching students and adults, educators discovered that when a variety of assessment measures are utilized to determine students’ knowledge gain on teaching goals, learners learn more and it reflects their wholesome comprehension of the course unit better than using only tests, quizzes and exams.

Here are some assessment strategies to use in the classroom of informed teachers:

CHORAL RESPONSE This can be used in a number of ways. For example, after reading text or a story or chapter, turn to the class and ask them to give the definition of a word in unison. This can be done many times during a single lecture, and it is a low risk way to review materials and keep everyone thinking.

PIVOT This is a paired activity. Students at their seats are asked to “pivot” so they are knee –to-knee and eyeto-eye with their partner. This will keep noise level down. Pairs decide who is “A” and “B”. This is used to quickly process material that has just been discussed. “A” begins by telling all they remember and have in their notes. “B” fills in anything that “A” might have missed. This creates accountability in note taking during lecture and listening skills with partners.

PAIRED INTERVIEWS This can be used as an icebreaker at the beginning of a semester, as a quick review of what has been done in class or review for a test. Students are paired and they ask one another questions. The teacher may ask students to summarize what their partners shared.

PAIRED DISCUSSION Students break into pairs, and the teacher gives the pair a topic for discussion. When students have discussed the topic, they may share their ideas with the class.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

60 SECOND POWER WRITE This is for processing material given in notes. Have students take out a sheet of paper and draw a line along the right, creating a margin. Fold the paper along that line. Students will then take notes up to the margin line. When the paper is folded, the notes should not be visible. At an appropriate break point in the note taking, tell students to cover their notes and use the blank side of the paper to list important points given during lecture. When students have completed their lists, it is time for feedback. Sources of feedback can be peers, teachers, or their notes.

WHIP AROUND This is to review reading materials, notes or lectures.

Teacher asks questions of any student in class. Just because a student has answered a question does not mean they will not be asked again, or that everyone will be asked a question.

RESPONSE CARDS Have students fold a sheet of paper in half the long way. On one side of the folded paper, have them write a large T (true), and on the other side a large F (false). The teacher then asks the class questions and the students respond by holding up the side of the card with the correct answer. This keeps everyone involved and is low risk because if the student’s answer is incorrect they may quietly change it. This is only a review strategy.

RALLY ROBIN

10-2 RULE

After reading or during a lecture, ask students to

Students take notes on the top two-thirds of their

form pairs and identify who will go first. Then have

paper. Then at a logical break point, give students a

the first student give one fact or concept they

chance to reread their notes. Then on the bottom

remember. The partner gives one thing they

third of the paper, students take two minutes to

remember. The pair continues to build until time is up

write a summary of their notes. Then the student

or they have run out of information to share. The

finds a partner and reads the summary to the

teacher may list on the board items that are

partner. They add anything they did not have, and

important so students may check to see if they have

then they share with the whole group.

them.

REFERENCES Effective Teaching Strategies for Block Schedules (Grades 6-12), Bureau of Education and Research

10 GOOGLE CLASSROOM TIME SAVERS FOR TEACHERS

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

22

PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD: LEADING THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS! By: Dr. Ada Omile

As you plan the next school year after dealing with the disruptions of the pandemic. School leaders in Sub Saharan Africa should reimagine how to embark

Identify the skills and dispositions necessary for students to become successful employees. This will be your blueprint.

on new territory to bring students to standards that exemplify world-class achievement. This journey can

This “new” vision of your school will require

be somewhat confusing and frustrating, or it can be

transformative systemic change in mindsets,

clear and rewarding. One of the most important

structures, processes, and procedures.You can

roles school leaders play in school improvement is

transition from the traditional secondary school to

strategy. Making meaningful improvements in

an academy-based structure. You may have 3-6

schools requires everyone to work towards common

academies. This will be based on career interest and

goals. In subsequent issues of this EL Africa, I will

students can partake in one of the career

focus on key components of strategy at the zonal,

academies "Pathways" for instance:

district, or municipal levels and how directors can

Academy of Arts and Communication

place highest priority on school improvement with

Academy of Industrial and Engineering

funding to support it. But for now, let us focus on the

Technology

school level and how school principals can

Academy of Science

strategically improve the schools through the

Academy of Health and Sciences

curriculum offered in order to prepare their students

Academy of Professional and Public Services

for what lies ahead, and ground them in the areas of STEM.

Your teachers and administrative teams will be challenged to learn new roles, the classroom

Principals are smart accomplished leaders and want

learning experiences and opportunities will to be

their students to succeed, and therefore are willing

extended beyond the physical school grounds,

to go to any length to improve their schools.

because your students may have to visit/or attend

I love the saying, “You cannot change the direction

training at the organizational location for hands

of the wind, but you can adjust your sail to reach

on/interactive learning, where partners share their

your destination.” As a school principal, you can

expertise and desired skills of their profession and

change the way you prepare students for what lies

help provide guidance to your students for colleges

ahead. Your school climate and culture have a

and/or a careers.

profound impact on teachers and students’ performance, and your leadership has a profound

This collaborative partnership could be extended

impact on the climate and culture of your school.

internationally as foreign student exchange

Climate equals morale, and culture is what you can

programs or Student Partnership Exchange Program

get people to do. As a forward-thinking leader, you

(SPEP) & M-STEM, where your students travel

should become part of your school community to

overseas for two weeks to participate in programs

prepare your students for what lies ahead. We may

of their choice at a school.

not know what exactly lies ahead for our students in the future. However, the following suggested steps can help to transform your schools.

One, create a school community collaborative partnership made up of faculty, parents, students, industry/businesses partners. Two, set aside opportunities for several short (45 min.) meetings especially in the morning before school starts. Three, raise funds through this group.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

LEADERSHIP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SURVEY Thank you for all you do and for your honest feedback.

We want to be able to provide the best professional development experience possible to all our leaders.

TAKE SURVEY

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

24

SPOTLIGHT: E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE VIRTUAL LAUNCH!

On October 31, 2020, E.L. Africa Magazine hosted its official launch to discuss the importance of strong school leadership, growth mindset, the impact of COVID-19, and lessons learned.

EXECUTIVE DIRCTORS REMARK Hello everyone and welcome to this virtual launch of Education Leadership Africa magazine, the E.L. Africa. We are so glad that you are here. My name is Ada Omile, the CEO and co-founder of the magazine.

I do not have to tell you that the world has changed so dramatically in the last several months and 2020 has seen the world turned upside down. The pandemic has affected African education greatly, so today we have convened our distinguished guests, experts and school leaders to have this critical important conversation about where we stand and how to bounce forward with a growth mindset to ensure that all school leaders in Sub Saharan Africa have the tools and resources to thrive in this uniquely challenging times.

I will use this analogy to equate the situation most of the African schools were in. – Let’s say that You are in the forest cutting a tree with an axe, and suddenly, your axe disappeared, and you do not know what to do next. Some people are trying to use their hands to cut the tree, but some went into a hardware store and the salesperson told them they have no axes and showed them a power saw. The salesperson does not know how to use the saw and could not give any directions. That is where most schools found themselves when the pandemic hit. Cutting the tree with an axe represents the physical schools and classrooms, trying to cut the tree with your hands is trying things that will not work.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH

but it requires that school leaders and teachers

NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE

need training to implement any new learning

EL Africa magazine is meant to empower school

designs for students. Africa is now at the

administrators to build an improved education

crossroad of internet and education, and to

system that is exceptional, independent, and

meet the demands of internet education, how do

capable of self-sustaining, and tailored to the

we mitigate the digital divide between the haves

needs in Africa or contextualized to African

and the have-nots in both private and public

situations.

The power tool is the new way of doing things,

schools in SSA. When we look back at this pandemic experience, what is going to stand

The goal of the EL Africa magazine is to enhance

out?

your leadership skills and empower and celebrate what they do. The magazine provides strategies,

With a growth mindset, anyone can embrace

and inspiration required to prepare students for

change, persist in the face of setbacks, welcome

success. It is meant to stir you all towards openly

challenges, and view setbacks as an opportunity.

discussing skills and strategies to improve schools

During this conversation, we want to

and advance learning, by collaboratively sharing

collaboratively figure out how to build resilience.

your skills. This unique magazine is meant to give you a voice and serve as an African solution for

You all implement policy decisions from the

African problems.

ministry of education of your various countries, and you have done your very best with few

I have received numerous calls, emails, and text

resources. With long school closures, some of

messages about how much value you found in the

your students have regressed, what strategies

magazine and how you appreciate it. We do ask

are you planning to implement to increase

that you continue to forward the magazine to

student’s engagement. There are simple things

your members. We will have a school leadership

you can introduce at your school for academic

conference next year where we look forward to

Small Changes, Big Impacts which may include- encouraging selfimprovement, what we call

meeting all of you.

care for your teacher, adding clubs like:

Our next goal is to make sure that school leaders

Science/Engineering Club - have students

in the rural areas have the network/data to

and teachers organize Scifest once a year.

access the magazine. We are working hard to

Tutors Club – A peer led academic support

partner with network providers to give you all free

for struggling students (have your senior

data to access this digital magazine.

students tutor other students, they more they tutor, the more they learn).

Cybersecurity/Programming Competitions SkillsAfrica- Where all your technical

Thank you all for attending this powerful forum.

We hope to have more of these conversations.

Meanwhile, let's focus on what we do bestschool leadership. The results will show in your

schools will have a yearly competition of the

effective schools, increased attendance, test

different programs you have at the schools,

scores on external exams. As soon as we are able,

for instance Culinary Arts, Welding, TV

we will start visiting your countries for professional

Production, Agriculture etc.

developments.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

26

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH

HIGHLIGHTS FROM GUEST SPEAKER REMARKS DR. DOZIE EZIGBALIKE

He summarized by saying that the school leader

The former United Nations Economic

would like to be able to combine the core

Commission for Africa, Africa who led the

educational data that they collect with such

response to the call for a data revolution

ancillary data as population and location, to

discussed Educational Leadership and Open

make decisions that would improve educational

Data. He discussed open data, educational

outcomes. The government and proprietors will

data, the datasets that go beyond student

need the same data combination to review the

records and test scores and the need to make

proposals. And parents will need the same data

data easily accessible. He discussed ancillary

combination to decide which school to send

data that may not be classified as educational

their children. Schools then become primary

data, but which play an important role in

data collection nodes. Teachers already collect

decisions about providing and improving

and use a lot of data in their normal activities.

educational services, his presentation focused

What we now need is to explicitly include them

on those nontraditional data sets.

in the design of community open data systems, and to empower them with concomitant

He used an analogy of what type of data

upgrade of skills for their new roles.

school planners need before choosing a location for a new school. He explained how

MS. EDDA BOHN

the datasets would necessarily need to be

Executive Director for Quality Assurance from

cross-referenced with actual and projected

The Department of Education in Namibia. She

age-specific population data to determine if

informed that Namibia recently joined the 2020

the school would need more classrooms in, say,

Global Education Meeting, which was co-

five years’ time? Will it need more teachers?

hosted by Governments of Ghana, Norway, the

Library acquisitions? Laboratories? Etc. So,

United Kingdom and UNESCO, on 20th

even though a school principal will not be

October 2020. At this event education

expected to collect and store population data,

managers, as well as Heads of States

broken down by age, the school must acquire

assembled to overcome challenges our

the datasets from whatever national authority

education system is facing. She said that

collects them, and then combine them with the

currently in Namibia, a strong policy framework

normal school data for long term planning. He

for inclusion in the education sector ensures

linked it to the

open data concept - involves

the needs of children with disabilities and those

used, reused, and redistributed, free of cost,

orphaned or of other vulnerable status. The

subject only, at most, to the requirements to

system's design is to guarantee that children

attribute and share. The concept implies two

with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable

Technical Openness and Legal Openness. So, every main aspects of openness:

sector should make their data products open for the data commons to work for everybody, including providers, regulators, and consumers of educational services.

27

that Educators at all levels are responsive to

making data available and accessible to be

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

communities do not fall victim to abuse of any kind as per the policy document the National Safe Schools Framework.

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH She talked about learner support for curriculum

Teachers were taught how to use Windows 7

attainment and psychosocial support as priority

after implementing one-teacher-one laptop,

for all in the schooling system.

computer literate head teachers/principals and promotion to include test of computer literacy.

She also spoke about how COVID-19 has

Laptop acquisition schemes were implemented.

accentuated the need to address the given

In Anambra State alone, they trained over

disparities, especially the challenges of digital

10,000 teachers and were very aggressive due

inequality. She stated that the state-owned

to the pandemic. Professor Omenugha initiated

enterprise, Namibian College of Open Learning,

and executed the onerous task of making

NAMCOL, which caters for out of school

Anambra State teachers become computer

learning, is an active partner in the

literate.

digitalization of secondary school learning content. Simultaneously, connectivity, Digital

In addition to teacher computer literacy, they

Learning Competence across all levels,

created different platforms for teaching,

capacity building of students, learners and

interaction and teacher collaboration including

educators takes precedence. She stated that

creation of WhatsApp groups for education

their curriculum has been rationalized and

stakeholders, teachers, COVID-19 emergency

adopted a shift towards formative assessment.

taskforce and private schools proprietors. Most

Continuous learner support and professional

importantly, for the COVID-19 era they created

development opportunities for educators will

the Anambra State Teaching-on-Air that airs on

enable learners’ potential.

Facebook, YouTube and television through the Education Ambassadors. Teachers learned how

PROF. AZUKA OMENUGHA

to be creative, wrote lessons and posted on

Commissioner for Education, Anambra state,

their groups for comments and were also

Nigeria delivered a powerful presentation on

trained on broadcast teaching on radios and

Engaging Nigerian Teachers in Technological

televisions. The online teaching came with

Growth and Transformational Leadership, issues

challenges ranging from poor internet

stem from teachers not being trained well, low

connectivity, internet routers lost to theft, cost

self esteem and lack of confidence, as the

of data for online teaching, poor access of

profession is perceived as a stopgap

rural dwellers, lack of electricity, poverty and

profession. The hostile teaching environment

illiterate parents.

experienced by teachers due to lack of infrastructure and instructional materials

Teachers felt like the pandemic gave them the

combined with the COVID-19, EndSars and

push to dare to move into the technological

teacher strikes is not encouraging. The big

information system. Today, most of their units of

question she posed is:

How do we change the

narrative?

study are on saleable videos and YouTube.

Teaching on air is now a big deal, teachers’ skills in technology soft skills have improved and

She said that they had the Global T4

more opportunities and options are available

conference on October 30, 2020 with a focus

for educators. She strongly believes that in the

on examining the new normal and trying to help

21st century, educators must be given and be

teachers understand the importance of

prepared to use technology; they must be

Technology. In Anambra State, she focused on

collaborators in learning-constantly seeking

taking the teachers from the basic level of

knowledge and acquiring new skills along their

computer literacy to an advanced level.

students.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

28

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH

ALFRED KAHI INDIMULI

He said that school leaders at all levels in

Principal, KESSA president, and ICP chairman.

schools can contribute to this by; being

He talked about the responsibilities of

accountable for the smooth functioning of

educational leaders to protect students and

routine activities, shaping a vision and Mission

support teachers with tools necessary to do

of a holistic success for all students, creating a

their jobs. He talked about challenges they

climate hospitable to education. cultivating

faced when the pandemic hit, the

leadership in others, improving instruction,

unpreparedness of teachers, the network

managing people, data, and processes.He

challenges. He discussed the education cloud

added that the education systems in Uganda

that the government provided but was not fully

are grappling with a multifaceted set of issues,

implemented because of lack of teachers

from; new health concerns, social distancing

training, and the EDU Channel for continued

seems almost impossible, sanitation

learning. The teachers are now receiving

requirements, and to remediation and making

training on technology use in the classroom.

up for delays in essential learning especially for

The country is now trying to introduce more

finalists who have resumed. He concluded with

technology in teaching and learning.

the importance of a growth mindset.

He said that the Kenyan curriculum developers

DAVID DEKORTE

have partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University

Principal in South Africa. He described the

to develop secure applications for teaching

experiences of public schools and technology

and learning. Students in class 8 and form 4

challenges during the pandemic and lessons

were allowed to return to school and take the

learned. How leadership in South Africa

examination. They have developed a system of

engaged the stakeholders in ongoing dialogue

portfolios for student’s assessments, and use

throughout the period. The schools switched to

the teacher services commission to train

online education and blended learning, and

teachers. He added that now they have ICT

teachers went into a massive learning curve.

personnel support in schools for technology

The use of google classroom was introduced

infrastructure, and that the principal is the key

and it was a challenge even for him. The tool is

to determine the type of infrastructure needed

great because students that were absent can

in the schools.

login into the google class and see the instruction missed. He also said that it is a good

JAMES ONYAIT

thing that school principals were given the

Principal in Uganda. He described the three

autonomy to make choices regarding the

general school categories in Uganda: The

opening of schools. The schools were opened

purely government-owned school, private but

at 50% capacity and the same set of students

government-aided schools, and purely private-

were in schools to avoid the spread. The

owned schools, which were further categorized

students were also assessed on the content

into three major classifications: the elite/first

learned after the resumptions.

world or affluent schools, the average/middleclass schools, and the "low/third world schools.

The other wise decision that South Africa made

He emphasized on the importance of strong

was to complete the 2020 school year and

and good leadership in schools helps to foster

start the next one afresh. He stressed the

both a positive and motivating culture for staff

importance of the social connections of

and a high-quality experience for learners.

students going to schools, and how the children missed the contact with teachers during the lockdown.

29

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH Moving forward, a brand-new way of teaching

Education has allotted a stimulus package of

will emerge by embracing technology and

1million United States Dollars to all private

integrating that into the teaching and learning.

schools across the country. The Principal Association has also reached an agreement to

DARRIC DENNIS

hold refresher workshops for member schools in

Principal of Vine School System of Christ and

areas where they are challenged – ranging

Secretary General of the National Association

from leadership, quality instruction, technology,

of Liberia School Principals Montserrado

computer to school finance and budgeting etc.

County Chapter. He discussed the importance

This exercise is expected to commence in

of strong school leadership and how it cannot

November. He said that some schools are now

be overemphasized because It addresses the

building online platforms as a backup plan for

issue of creating a proactive instructional

the continuation of students’ learning in case of

environment where teachers are held

any unforeseen circumstances.

accountable to the full implementation of national curriculum for the delivery of quality

DUNCAN GOWEN

education for all students, and it opens the

Principal of Day Waterman College, Abeokuta

door for high cooperation/coordination

in Nigeria talked about the challenges of the

between administrators and teachers, between

pandemic and the impact. He focused on the

teachers and students, and between students

theme of how we bounce forward. He used the

and students, and finally between the school

ray of sunshine to represent how schools and

and parents or the outside community.

leaders can shine and celebrate the journey that all leaders have been on since the

He quoted a Chinese Proverb: “doing the same

pandemic hit, their success amid the

thing over and over and again, yet expecting

challenges though the infrastructure may not

different results is madness.” If school leaders

be adequate yet. is not what it should be. He

will continue to indulge into the consistent act

said that this period has presented them with

of corruption, dishonesty, academic bias,

an opportunity to shine and develop their skills

partiality, tribalism, hatred, bad labor practice,

set, how to engage with all stakeholders, that

and the lack of accountability and

every school leader has travelled a journey from

transparency then growth is yet to become a

where they are in March to where they are now,

reality; however, we must never walk down such

therefore, that success should be celebrated.

a path. In Liberia, the digital divide is still a

With this opportunity, leaders should re-

major challenge due to two major reasons: The

examine what they do and how they engage

high cost of buying and maintaining tech tools,

and challenge students (skills and content).

and the knowledge needed by both teachers and students to engage into the

He said that in an effort to “build back better”

teaching/learning process using these tools.

and become a high-performance school, his

The use of Technology is no longer a choice,

school has contracted an accreditation team

but a compulsory decision that must be made

to help strengthen what they do. He discussed

by all school leaders to meet the needs of all

high performance learning or advanced

learners. He said that through a consistent

cognitive performance- critical thinking skills,

appeal from the Principal Association, the

creativity, imagination, curiosity, and values

Government of Liberia through the Ministry of

attitudes, and attributes required for success.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

30

E.L. AFRICA VIRTUAL LAUNCH As an educator, he said that there has been

After considerable reflection on his journey of

more emphasis on content and not key skills

discovery, he seems to culminate with a

that the students need when they graduate and

revelation of himself metaphorically as a

go into the workforce.

This multifaceted character, an essential figure

griot.

in many West African cultures, is a village elder His school conducts regular well-being checks

who fills a number of valuable roles: public

with the students and community to develop a

servant to the King, historian, genealogist,

partnership with the stakeholders. The “WHY” is

entertainer, storyteller, poet, and magistrate,

his presentation of why we do what we do is to

among other functions. Most significantly this

develop global citizens, nurture advanced

person is venerated as a teacher. He

performers, and create enterprising learners.

concluded his discussion of the “Coach Approach: From a Theoretical to a Practical

DR. LONNELL E. JOHNSON

Model for Successful Teaching” with this poetic

A retired professor. In a refreshing presentation

self-portrait. Some of the poem he shared will

by Dr. Lonnell Johnson, he discussed principles

be found in this issue.

that he learned and applied while teaching for more than forty years, He took us on a journey

WILLIAM BAAKO

of discovery of what it means to be a

A private school proprietor and the GNAPS

player/coach in academe, as he shared

PRO, Ghana. He commended the EL Africa

excerpts from “Reflection on My Journey

magazine for bringing school leaders in Africa

through Academe,” an article published in

together to learn from each other, He

Thought and Act: the Higher Education Journal

reiterated the challenges that private

of the National Education Association. Written

proprietors face in Ghana and how they lack

as a reflective essay, the article also pays

the support of the government unlike the public

tribute to some of the teachers who have

schools. He pleaded that we support the

influenced him from junior high and high school,

private proprietors to support the GNAPS to

through undergraduate and graduate school

provide technology devices to schools

and beyond.

especially in the rural areas.

The metaphor of a coach. He reflected on the different roles of teachers - one of which is to be a supreme motivator or coach. Three of the most significant functions he described of a coach include being a motivator, recruiter, and advisor. As a writing instructor, he functions as a “player-coach”, but also classifies himself as a “student-teacher” in that he continually discovers that there is so much to learn about the art of teaching. Dr. Johnson poetically described the role of educators as artiststudent-teacher-player-coach, a kind of factotum in education.

31

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

HAVE NEWS YOU WANT HIGHLIGHTED IN E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE? SEND US AN EMAIL AT ELAFRICAMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM.

TECHNOLOGY TOOLS FOR TEACHING & LEARNING GOOGLE EXPEDITIONS Allows teachers to provide guided virtual tours to anywhere in the world. Teachers control what the students see on the teacher iOS device, while the students follow along on their own device. This can be used with or without Google Cardboard Glasses.

CLASSCRAFT

ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Transforms school by taking the video game mechanics that provide rich and interesting play experiences and applying them to the classroom setting.

EXPLAIN EVERYTHING CLASSIC (IOS) A digital whiteboard app that allows students and teachers to create meaningful content to demonstrate concepts by using their voice to add ideas to their visuals. Whiteboards can be exported and shared as videos.

DELTAMATH Junior and Senior secondary math classes, auto generates content to be assigned to specific users to practice their skills. It's free, but needs a log in.

ILEARN CONTINENTS AND OCEANS A fun way to learn the names and locations of the continents and oceans. Four modes to choose from: Learn, Game, Test, Puzzle.

PIVOT TABLES EXCEL Beneficial for School Support Staff and School

www.khanacademy.org

www.ck12.org/student

www.learninga-z.com

www.brainpop.com

www.vooks.com

www.pbslearningmedia.org

www.kids.nationalgeographic.com

www.codemonkey.com/hour-of-code

www.codecombat.com/teachers/hour-ofcode

www.wow.boomlearning.com

www.funbrain.com

Administrators. Will give interractive view of data.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

32

33

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

NIGERIA ANAMBRA STATE BY: CHRIS AMONYE ONWUKA

All over the world, the pandemic took everyone by surprise. Indeed no one could imagine that schools would be

Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha interviewed by Chris Amonye Onwuka

grounded going into a lockdown. On March 24, 2020 all schools in Nigeria were shut down. In order to have our students meaningfully engaged at the time, a program tagged:

Anambra State Teaching on Air was initiated on April 1, 2020 throughout the state.

The initiative was for Senior Secondary School students covering these following subjects: English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Civic Education, Government, Literature in English, Igbo, etc.

Commissioner for Basic Education E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

34

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY Each subject was taught for 60 minutes and broadcast on Radio and Television and shared online over various platforms. (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Podcast).

The junior secondary school students and that of the Primary started on 14th April 2020. The following subjects were taught, English language, Mathematics, Igbo, Basic Science, Social Studies, Civic Education, Christian Religious Studies, and Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning additionally for Primary Schools. While 30 minutes is given for Primary Schools, 60 minute is for Junior Secondary Schools. Over 150 teachers took part in the Project which included teacher mentors and ambassadors in the project.

The initiative gave birth to distribution of over 3000 radios to students involved. Communities subscribed into the radio campaign as well as some humanitarian organizations like: The Rotary Club adding their widow’s might on radio ownership. The program enhanced the communication skills of both teachers and students, making teachers visible to a global audience while improving the listening skills of the students.

The Project gradually built a community of teachers desiring to make Anambra Education globally competitive. It ignited the Community involvement in education and training of their children thereby instituting in a systemic way blending teaching and learning.

Right from the onset, we had a clear mandate from His Excellency Willie Obiano, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, which was to transmit a strategy that ensures equitable learning process, marking the state out as one of the lowest illiteracy rates country wide.

We set up WhatsApp Group for teachers where mentors are included to fine tune the subject matter. The state started an ICT drive of

One Teacher One Laptop Campaign/Policy where teacher’s capacity

became priority serving as Laptop acquisition scheme and it also led to further capacity building for them to Singapore, Dubai, Greece, and other countries of repute. All teachers were to be computer literate before employment and this has turned out over 10,000 teachers on our role partnering with NGOs of international standard.

We also went into a state-of-the-art

equipment campaign which involved innovation in schools, science

laboratories, libraries, sick bays, hostel construction of over 650 capacity, etc. The result was the global competitiveness and excellence by Anambra schools in the world Techno Innovation Competitions and other competitions where the state had proved her mettle as world best.

All we have been doing prior, during and post Covid-19 are basically the means to mitigating the digital divide for learning; but additionally, we hold strong to many tenets like: the nobility that comes with technology in teaching and need for teachers to up their skills; understanding the new normal and how to unlearn and relearn; sensitization and orientation of the public; inclusion of sign language teachers to the social media live streaming. I did not see clearly how the state is mitigating the digital divide.

While these schemes and programs were on, they came in with so many challenges, such as: poor Internet connectivity; Internet routers lost to theft; cost of data for online teaching; poor and lack of access of rural dwellers; lack of electricity; poverty; illiterate parents etc.

We however did our best to surmount these challenges through use of jingles; posters– reaching out to public in markets, churches etc., text messages; procurement of 3,000 radio sets for distribution to 9 Local Government Areas that are hard-to-reach working with education stakeholders; production of computer CDs for the lessons; procurement of cameras for sign language teachers for projection during Teachingon-Air.Indeed, our overall maxim was:

35

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

no child should be left behind!

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY

DELTA STATE

Mr. Patrick Ukah

BY: TEMI MUSTAPHA

Our society is moving very fast with the digital economy, with the introduction of mobile phones, the Internet, and social media; our content on the curriculum ought to have changed. The last curriculum for secondary school in the state was done in 2012 before the development of curriculum on education which is the current one done by the NERDC. Between 25th November to 3rd December, we plan to have a workshop aimed at developing a curriculum revision and scheme of work for both primary and secondary schools that meets the educational standard of the 21st century.

Commissioner for Basic & Secondary Education

Renowned Nigerian curriculum development expert education emeritus, professor I. Obanya will facilitate and direct the workshop. The state government decided to lay more emphasis on teacher’s capacity development by establishing the State Teachers Professional Development Centre (TPDC) at Owa-Oyibu, with the appointment of the director-general. The governor also developed computer suites in some of our schools to ensure that the learning environment meets the demands of the time.

Last year, the Okowa administration employed 1000 teachers majoring in sciences, languages, and computer education to advance ourselves with the study and teaching of science and vocational studies in our schools. In the state alone, over 12 new schools have been approved and established to ensure that there is easy access to basic and primary education. So, these reforms are being driven with all sincerity and passion and we hope that by the end of this administration, the difference will be clear.

LAGOS STATE

Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo

BY: TEMI MUSTAPHA

The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, (TESCOM) held series of training for our

Secondary School Teachers on the use of

ICT as a tool for teaching students to achieve optimal performance as we adopt the Nigeria

Education Research

Development Council produced curriculum, we aim at

equipping

Lagos State Teachers with necessary skills in ICT in line with the present administration’s agenda on Education and Technology.

The importance of this is that we are integrating technology in the contemporary teaching-learning process across our schools, the training is meant to educate Lagos state secondary school teachers on the integration of technology into their classroom

Commissioner of Education

practices.

Recently the teachers were trained, specifically on how to use the internet and PowerPoint for presentation and teaching, among others which we expect that will make their classes more interesting and engaging.

We intend to visit classes for on-the-spot assessment, so ensuring that the curriculum content meets the 21st century in this digital age. , we have concluded plans to digitize curriculum of basic schools, modern techniques are being deployed to maximize learning in all public owned basic schools. More than 2,000 teachers from the 57 local councils were trained intensively under the State Government’s Eko Excel Initiative. We had trained 2,400 primary school teachers during the State capacity building program.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

36

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY Recently our Governor in Lagos State announced the introduction of a vehicle scheme for Head teachers to support them in delivering their responsibilities, this is part of the reforms , we have set out to motivate and impact on the morals of our teachers to get better results. We are introducing a teacher computer to enable us to know what each teacher teaches on a daily and weekly basis; this will help us to know academic growth and we will be able to predict outcomes of learning. We intend to institute better school governance and improve the capacity and welfare of students.

Mr. Dennis Ityavyar

BENUE STATE BY: TEMI MUSTAPHA

Presently, Benue state government is revising the education laws which was last revised in 1983 and it is now at an advanced stage.

Finally, we have started sensitization; we have spoken with stakeholders and are preparing them ahead of the policy change, before the end of the first quarter of 2021, we must affect the implementation. Benue State government is also returning schools such as missionary schools back to the owners and giving schools back to the communities and individuals, so that they will run the schools based on their initial objectives.

Commissioner of Education

Benue state have paid their teachers’ salaries. Private schools that are sub standards and that don’t follow the curriculum; those that operate with unqualified teachers; and those without physical and inconsistent structures have been shut down, Benue state government is withdrawing paying private school teachers, we want the school proprietors to hire their own teachers; we want the proprietors to take up the responsibilities of supervision and remuneration of their teachers.

EBOYI STATE BY: TEMI MUSTAPHA

In Ebonyi State, we insist we have local content with global

Dr. Onyebuchi Chima

quality, we teach the children with the known before impact them with the unknown, we get them familiarize with the core knowledge of the immediate environment before we introduce global issues.

They are bringing zest and zeal by ensuring that teachers and pupils conform to standard procedures as recommended by the NERDC and the National Examination Council as well as West African Examination Council (WAEC) and all other examination body’s standard. In every ward across the local governments in Ebonyi state, we have technical assistants and special assistants posted to these wards for school monitoring purposes to ensure standard.

37

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

Commissioner of Education

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY

GHANA KUMASI, ASHANTI REGION By: Alhaj Yakub Ahmad Bin Abubakar

The schools' responses to the challenge of the pandemic by ensuring that all staff,

Headmaster of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School

students and restricted visitors adhere

strictly to the protocols required of the

pandemic. The

protocols involve the wearing of nose masks, keeping social distancing and

sanitizing of hands frequently.

Before students from outside or staff and visitors were admitted into the school daily, the thermometer guns were used on them to determine their temperature coming from, the vehicle or

levels and records on them like where they were

means by which they used to come to the school and their addresses taken.

This is to ensure that contact tracing could be carried out should the need arise as a

result of a suspected

case of the covid-19 or detected case. The school ensured that all concerned complied with these measures and

directives. The Government of the country through its agency the Ghana Education

supplied the school and all other schools with the Personal Protective

Service,

Equipment (PPEs). These involved

nose masks, tissue papers, sanitizers, veronica buckets and water.

The school was also attached to a health facility to ensure cases were quickly was also supplied with nurses to ensure that the health needs of

handled. The School clinic

all students and staff were adequately

taken care of. Our role in ensuring improvement in teaching and learning included the sensitizing Staff and Students on the dos and don’ts of the pandemic, ensuring that all

of both

comply with the directives of

the pandemic and quick response to cases that came about.

Confidence of all were boosted and all carried out their roles diligently.

Both staff and students were also catered for very well. For example the quality to students were improved and the staff was also given

and quantity of food given

a sumptuous lunch in the school. The pandemic

has brought about the use of virtual learning to be introduced,

especially during the lockdown period.

Television and internet learning were introduced. It became apparent that not all the students were exposed to the internet

and even the television. We have also realized that the use of mobile phones,

which is not allowed in the

Secondary School level, has to be relooked at.

We are therefore suggesting to the authorities to introduce mobile phones which to enhance the television learning and possibly introduce

are School Specific and

Radio or FM learning programmes.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

38

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY

TOGO By: Elmut PINTO

In Togo, it took just over 7 months for most students to return to school after closures linked to Covid-19. A more unprecedented recovery which began on November 2, 2020 against the backdrop of endless challenges linked first to the health crisis, then to the restructuring of the educational curriculum, but also to the training of teachers in relation to the new teaching practice, the experimentation of which began barely two years ago.

126 DAYS OF SHUTDOWN...

The cold silence that reigned in schools during the 126 days of shutdown was just as disturbing as its direct cause, the Covid-19. On March 20, 2020, the government sounded the death knell for the education

"I have never witnessed such a situation in my life," testified a teacher in his sixties, founder of a private school in LomĂŠ.During this system. A rather unexpected stop but also historic by its duration.

unexpected stop, the education system and its actors were confronted with various factors which conditioned this new 2020-2021 school year.

PARTIAL REOPENING OF SCHOOLS After 3 months of closure, only examination classes were allowed to reopen. The relatively successful experience will have served to prepare teachers and students for the various exams. With the latest results falling in mid-October, the government took a month and a half to launch a new school year.A new start of the school year unlike any other with new challenges linked first to Covid-19, secondly to the reorganization of educational programs and above all to the salary situation of teachers.

A 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR LIKE NO OTHER Hand washing device at school entrances and each classroom. Information posters against Covid-19, faces half-covered with masks, distance of one meter between academic actors, all in a climate of wariness. This scenario is almost the same everywhere, in private, denominational, and public schools.

Faced with alarmists who found the public authorities' strategies for managing the health crisis insufficient,

"I would like to reassure everyone and ask the declinologists, those who have the gift of dramatizing situations that, the government has so far been able to rise to the challenge. I will even inform you that the entry into other countries of the subregion was not orchestrated with as much precautions and thoroughness." the Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Komla Dodzi KOKOROKO, responded:

REORGANIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM When schools closed in March 2020, students returned without completing the educational programs planned for the school year. But they were able to be assessed based on the first evaluations conducted, to decide whether or not to promote them to the next class.

At the beginning of this new 2020-2021 school year, this gap had to be filled and the Ministry in charge of Education has thought well of this. In order to do so, a teaching program is established for teachers consisting of a part of the past year and the one scheduled for this year.

The objective is to allow students to catch up.

39

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY RETRAINING OF TEACHERS Since the 2018-2019 academic year, Togo has been experimenting with a new teaching practice, the competency-based approach (APC). A methodology focused on the actions and reflexes of learners. The

"put the learner at the centre of the educational process to fight against his/her failure and, on the other hand, to hone the skills of the teaching staff and to improve productivity.� objective being to

After the 6th and 5th grades, it is the turn for 4th graders to experience the APC. Only seven subjects are involved. French, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biology, English, History and Geography.

WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT, THE OTHER "HEADACHE" Respecting the quota of 60 students maximum per class, limiting contacts during school hours and especially during recess, the task seems less obvious to succeed, but school authorities manage to adapt as best they can.

THE DUAL-FLOW STRATEGY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS In public institutions, lessons are given in double flow. Part of the students attend classes in the morning from 7am to Noon and the other half, in the afternoon from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. Speaking to the press on

"I am not inventing anything. Me, speaking to you, I can assure you that I did my high school in double flow in a public school. This does not make me mediocre in front of you, though."

October 22, 2020, Minister Komla Dodzi KOKOROKO praised the merit of this already existing strategy:

Moreover, in private schools, enrolment is considerably reorganized and reduced to avoid overcrowding in classrooms.

ARREARS OF UNPAID PRIVATE TEACHERS During the seven months spent at home, many are these teachers whose salaries remain unpaid to this day.

Approached by our magazine, Erik AGBOHESSOU told us that he had not been paid for the shutdown

"Our founder doesn't even think about paying us. He even says that there are no arrears since we had not worked during the period when the schools were closed," he said. periods.

In addition, while some school founders have paid monthly salaries to their employees, others also plan to

"Parents have not yet paid their remaining school fees," justified a school founder and reported by his teaching staff, Justin AGBO. pay them as parents pay their remaining tuition fees from the last school year.

However, in the public, even if no teacher can complain about not having received their pay during the school closure, they are sounding the alarm about their working conditions.Organized in two public service teachers' unions, they observed a 72-hour strike to

the teacher."

"demand the implementation of the special status of

PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS ON STRIKE Barely two weeks into classes in this new 2020-2021 school year, teachers of the public service decide to claim their right from the public authorities. A strike was launched on Monday, November 16, 2020 throughout the Togolese territory by the two unions. The Federation of National Education Unions (FESEN) and the Coordination of Education Unions of Togo (CSET).

Specifically, teachers are demanding the indexation of the 2 billion CFA francs for 2019 and discussions on the envelope for 2020 and 2021, but also and above all the implementation of the special status of the teacher.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

40

POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY "the strike was followed at more than 90%." Not having won his case, Houssimé Séna threatened: "If the government does not say anything, the strike will be renewed."

This strike lasted only 72 hours and according to the first Head of FESEN, Houssimé Séna

Long before this new school year, the Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Komla Dodzi KOKOROKO, reassured the teaching faculty of the constant holding of consultations to find a common ground on the situation of teachers in the public service.

UGANDA By: Okiria Martin Obore

NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON (Association of Secondary School Heads Uganda (ASSHU) The COVID -19 pandemic is a hard reality that has caused a lot of unpresented challenges associated with uncertainty, desperation, anxiety, fears, economic strain, threat of high dropout rate threat of increased alcoholism and drug abuse, high rate of pregnancy and irresponsibility from a section of parents.

OPENING OF SCHOOLS The country has witnessed partial re-opening of school for only candidate classes which has gone well so far in many schools. We pay attribution to the Ministry of Education and Sports for accepting to listen to proposals and recommendations from ASSHU appropriators of private schools.

CONTINUED HOME LEARNING We credit Ministry of Education and Sports for the swift action of providing guidance and support with strong determination to move the Education forward with proactive and positive intent, addressing important Education issues that ensure that the process of instruction continues even for learners at home through TVs, Radios, self-study materials developed by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), it also includes home schooling and E-Learning. This is every significant initiative in Uganda for those who understand the times, it is a major swing of the Education pendulum.

ATTEMPTS TO PROPEL EDUCATION FORWARD The President during the period of the lock down made a request to the country for contributions, ASSHU was able to collect Uganda shs: 23 million to the National COVID-19 task force, to mitigate effects of COVID.

The Association also made some modest financial contribution to a teacher who was identified by

a BBC reporter struggling-Madam Harriet Agasiru. The Association has been instrumental in organizing visual workshops for Headteachers and teachers some have been achieved through collaborative approaches, for example with Global Peace Foundation on various Topics including: “Shaping Peace together", moral and innovative leadership as key to education transformation."

The other visual conferences were run in collaboration with NCDC on lower secondary curriculum. The other visual conferences were by British Council. The feedback was spectacular, they had an impact in arousing seriousness and amazing vision among Head Teachers on how to hold our profession at its best. It was fulfilling and satisfying listening to the participants and facilitators during this conference. I should note that many organizations that had never taken ASSHU seriously collaborated with it to achieve purposeful education and outputs and have continuation of education programs. It is my prayer that one day the situation shall normalize.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

THE SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MADE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC By: Dr. GT Motsoeneng, Deputy President: South African Principals Association

South Africa as part of a global sphere is

COVID-19 clearly illustrated the need to

currently in a transition which is branded by

review the Post Provisioning Norms since

the impact of COVID-19. The Framework for

teachers with comorbidities suddenly left the

the Implementation of Education Employment

didactic situations to either work from home

Initiative, highlight the current account which

or had their duties adapted to their prevailing

clearly indicates that the provision of public

health conditions. This state of affairs

education continually calls for the

presented challenges to effective curriculum

responsibility from the Basic Education

delivery since immediate substitute or

Department to reposition and realign certain

temporary posts to replace such teachers

systemic practices for the purpose of dealing

were not approved on time.

with challenges, that includes, but are not limited to: academic disruptions, conditions of

Consequently, with the Presidential Fiscal

physical amenities, learners dropping out of

Stimulus Package, which enabled the Basic

school, teachers with comorbidities, provision

Department of Education to implement the

of online teaching, learners and teachers

Education Employment Initiative, Educator

being afraid to return to school and

Assistants and General School Assistants

psychosocial problems which overwhelmed

have been temporarily appointed and

school communities.

deployed in schools to ensure continued learning and teaching. Therefore, this

Accordingly, some of these challenges are

initiative clearly demonstrates the need for

currently at play and may even continue

the systemic change regarding the Post

beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and certainly

Provisioning Norms to allow for the availability

will present a demand to effect systemic

of additional (permanent) teaching posts.

changes for the purpose of achieving an all-

Such consideration will assist in facilitating

inclusive realization of educational

effective curriculum management and

objectives.

implementation at the schools.

Post provisioning is regulated in terms of the Employment of Educators Act, 76 of 1998.

Furthermore, regulations stipulate that the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) must create a pool of posts in accordance with available funds which are subsequently distributed to schools in terms of the Post Provisioning Norms (PPN). These posts depend on the weighted number of enrolments in a particular school and the total number of posts that are available in a Province.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

42

MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON STUDENTS WITH SEND By: Victoria Prescott, London

THE CHALLENGES

Children who struggle with cross-curricular skills

Amara, Billie, and Cary are struggling. The transition

such as comprehension, resilience, and focus found

back into their central London secondary

themselves isolated like never before. Further, as

comprehensive school after months of lockdown has

children with SEND are also more than twice as

been difficult. The change in the pace of the day,

likely to be eligible for free school meals (EED,

the scores of new faces, and the ever-shifting

2020), the attainment gap is being compounded by

expectations placed upon them as their school

intersectional disadvantage. The truth that

adapts to the ongoing governmental advice is

September 2020 has revealed is that children with

bewildering. Furthermore, each of these students

SEND have been and are being disproportionately

contends with additional needs that make the

affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

transition process even more of a challenge.

SEPTEMBER 2020 Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (

SEND) have a fundamental right to

Schools are now open, and students must yet again attempt to navigate a ‘new normal’. It is a school’s

access education that caters to their unique

moral imperative that they rise to meet the needs,

requirements. However, in the UK, this group is falling

new or previously acknowledged, of those students

behind academically. According to the Education

who have been excessively affected by the

Endowment Foundation, the attainment gap

pandemic. For this to be effective and sustainable,

between pupils with SEND and their peers is twice

schools must adopt a micro and macro view of

as big as the gap between pupils eligible for free

students with SEND, particularly in a mainstream

school meals (an indicator of disadvantage) and

setting, that suitably scaffolds learning and

their peers (EED, 2020). While measures are in place

wellbeing, while balancing the progress of other

nationally to close the attainment gap, the sudden

students and the workload of the classroom

onset of the COVID-19 pandemic this year left many

teacher.

teaching professionals struggling to catch up with the technological demands of remote teaching.

The Department of Education’s SEND Code of Practice conveys the necessity for students with

Many of the differentiation measures routinely

SEND to experience “a system which is less

implemented in a mixed ability classroom

confrontational and more efficient.” (2015) This

environment were abandoned, as teachers

statement, while broad, is a starting point for how

frantically constructed lessons that could be

schools must work to address the myriad issues

accessed in broad strokes by most of their pupils.

presenting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,

Students with SEND, who could previously access

such as knowledge gaps, and regressions in skills

lessons in the company of their peers and in a calm

and behaviour of some of the most vulnerable

and safe learning environment, suddenly found

students in education.

themselves cast adrift in the uncertain ocean of online lessons and remote learning, much of which relied upon students having a degree of independence.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

MICRO LEVEL STRATEGIES

The outcomes of these discrete activities can be

Knowledge gaps and skills regression should be

observed through book checks, so the ‘plan, teach,

tackled in the classroom.

mark’ cycle has never been more important. Marking can be highly effective as a diagnostic tool to inform

A ‘back to basics’ approach is appropriate for each

the planning and teaching of the next ‘block’ of

and every student as a way of establishing a

learning. By noticing class-wide and key cohort

baseline from which need will be evident. Time spent

patterns of learning and misconceptions, a teacher

methodically re-addressing content covered prior to

is enabled to tailor teaching to their classes and

or during lockdown secures learning for all students,

individual students. It is essential that schools place

where previous understanding may have been

emphasis upon formative assessment for the time

unreliable, due to general anxiety or specific

being, as a way of developing student skills and

distractions regarding the virus.

knowledge, rather than a summative measuring of progress.

For students with SEND it is important that the teacher assumes nothing of the fundamentals, but

Further, formative assessment can aid students in

without patronising or undermining the child’s

engaging with their own learning. Black and Wiliam

confidence. Issues that have arisen since returning

(2006) assert that “pupils must be given the means

to school have included reduced motor skills

and opportunities to work with evidence of their

(specifically pencil grip being affected by lack of

difficulties”. While it is clear that giving students

practice) and a loss of ‘sight words’ knowledge

opportunity for reflection and improvement on their

(those words, often non-phonetic, that students

own work is beneficial for learner growth,

learn ‘by sight’ as a foundation to reading). With the

students with SEND it can be difficult to access

basics of reading and writing being affected so

teacher marking in a meaningful way independently.

fundamentally by the break in schooling this year, it

One strategy that can support these students in

is important that there is a systematic addressing of

engaging with their learning process is to discuss

these building blocks of learning.

differentiation with them. Afford students the

for

opportunity to discuss the resources provided for The beginning of the lesson is a key moment for

them individually or in a small group. Discuss the

teachers to check in with those students that may

purpose of resources, have students explain how the

require support, and a handwriting or high frequency

resource is useful to them, and have them suggest

words task may be more appropriate than the

improvements or alternatives.

standard starter or ‘do now’ task. Tasks that are targeted, close-ended, and recurring can help

The benefits of this time investment are threefold:

support students in building their skills and

By receiving direct feedback from those utilising

knowledge autonomously. This type of differentiation

the differentiated resources, it quickly becomes

presents minimal effort for a teacher (this could be a

clear which resources are effectively supporting

booklet that students use as the first task each

learning (and which are not).

lesson) while effectively addressing the specific

Learner autonomy. Discussion of this kind

gaps in knowledge and skills presented by some

encourages students to view themselves as

students. Similarly, the final minutes of a class

learners, and access learning independence

activity could involve a consolidation task, with

through metacognition.

specific students focussing on quality letter

Building relationships. A student who

formation in their writing, and careful, independent

participates in the construction of a lesson is a

reading. It is important to reiterate that the students

more engaged student. It can also allow for a

utilising these activities are those who have been

more honest appraisal of moments where

disproportionately affected by the gap in schooling,

genuine misconceptions or access issues arise,

with this gap having a significant negative impact

and occasions where the student may be ‘opting

upon the foundations of their academic skills. A

out’.

systemic but flexible approach such as this ensures that the academic gap is closed quickly, and the knowledge and skills of those most academically vulnerable students are strengthened.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

44

MACRO LEVEL STRATEGIES

Further, a school wide agreement of broad routines

Many of the broader issues that students with SEND

will be hugely supportive for a child with SEND. The

face on their return to school revolve around routines

addition of new elements to the already busy school

and behaviour, with a disruption in the former often

day, such as handwashing, mask wearing and

leading to a deterioration in the latter. This

staggered break times, can leave students feeling

‘misbehaviour’ can often be attributed to a

anxious about where they should be and what they

manifestation of anxieties and frustrations of a child

should be doing. Investing time at the start of the

who is struggling to process the ever-changing world

term to walk students through the day and respond

around them. Mainstream schooling provides so

to logistical questions will alleviate some student

much more than just curriculum for children, not least

anxiety. Clear instruction at the end of each lesson

children with special educational needs and

from teachers, as a school wide routine, will ensure

disabilities. The correlation between SEND and

that all students know the next step in the complex

mental health issues is undeniable, with mental ill

day, without singling out students that may need

health being six times more likely to present in a

additional support. Visual timetables may support

person with SEND than their ‘typical’ counterparts

some students in navigating the more complex

(Emerson and Hatton, 2007). It is therefore vital that

elements of the school day, such as one-way systems

education provisions provide ‘wrap around’ care for

and changeovers, caused by COVID-19 prevention

those most vulnerable, and work to support those

measures.

children in managing their own behaviour.

LOOKING FORWARD While the addressing of learning needs may start in

Children with SEND can benefit from mainstream

the classroom, the input of other adults in the school

education in several ways. The four broad areas of

environment is vital to the rapid reduction of the

need (cognition and learning, communication and

attainment gap post-COVID-19. Classroom teachers,

interaction, physical/sensory, and social, emotional

teaching and learning support assistants, the

and mental health) can be incidentally scaffolded in

SENCo, the head of year and the form tutor all have

a mainstream, mixed ability classroom, through a

a role to play. It is significant that, while diagnosis of

calm and supportive peer group, quality resources,

SEND is most prevalent up to age 10, this is the very

and strategic teaching from a knowledgeable

age that SEN support declines in education in the UK

teacher. The abruptness of school closures meant

(Explore Education in England, 2020). However, this

that these three elements of a child’s learning

does not need to be the case. Through

experience were removed without warning, leaving

communication and ‘joined up thinking’, a web of

many students feeling disconcerted and aimless. The

educational support can be constructed with the

role of schools now is to ensure that the anxiety and

child at the centre.

apathy experienced by so many students across the world is acknowledged, and that the work starts

One of the most important elements of this ‘joined

immediately to rebuild their academic resilience and

up thinking’ is ensuring the dissemination of

focus. Thus, it goes without saying that students who

information about the additional needs of specific

already face challenges regarding these areas are

students. It is imperative that every teacher knows

brought to the front and centre of a school’s

the needs of the most vulnerable children and

priorities.

appropriate strategies to support those individuals.

While a child should not be defined by their need, it is vital that the formative moments of the first weeks and months back in school are characterised by the child feeling safe, supported, and understood. By informing teachers and other staff of need within the community, a child struggling to express anxieties or frustrations will be met with empathy

REFERENCES Black, P and Wiliam, D (2006) Inside The Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment, Granada Learning

and understanding, rather than misapprehension and

Emerson, E., and Hatton, C. (2007) The Mental Health of

sanctions.

Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities in Britain. The British Journal of Psychiatry. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploa ds/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_ Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guid ance-reports/special-educational-needs-disabilities/ https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/findstatistics/special-educational-needs-in-england

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

A LOOK AT THE UNDP'S Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Achieving the SDGs requires the partnership of all. The school leader’s responsibility in achieving these goals are very important. As you provide effective leadership, bear in mind these SDGs!

4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys

4.A Build and upgrade education facilities that

complete free, equitable and quality primary and

are child, disability and gender sensitive and

secondary education leading to relevant and

provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective

Goal-4 effective learning outcomes.

learning environments for all

4.2 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have

4.B By 2020, substantially expand globally the

access to quality early childhood development,

number of scholarships available to developing

care and pre-primary education so that they are

countries, in particular least developed

ready for primary education.

countries, small island developing States and

4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women

African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and

and men to affordable and quality technical,

information and communications technology,

vocational and tertiary education, including

technical, engineering and scientific

university.

programmes, in developed countries and other

4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number

developing countries

of youth and adults who have relevant skills,

4.C By 2030, substantially increase the supply of

including technical and vocational skills, for

qualified teachers, including through

employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

international cooperation for teacher training in

4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in

developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing states

education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.

4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

46

2020 GLOBAL EDUCATION MEETING

EXTRAORDINARIY SESSION ON EDUCATION POST COVID-19 ATTENDEE AT THE GEM SHARED WITH E.L AFRICA MAGAZINE

GEM DRAFT DECLARATION

PREAMBLE We, Heads of State and Government, ministers and delegates; representatives of United Nations agencies, humanitarian and development partners, international and regional organizations, civil society organizations

‐

education response to COVID 19; and protect those who fall outside of state support. We also acknowledge efforts by governments, teachers and other education personnel, and other education stakeholders to respond to the unprecedented challenges arising from the pandemic. We recognize

and the teaching profession; members of research

that this global crisis can only be addressed through

communities and the private sector, joined on 22

international solidarity and multilateral cooperation.

October 2020, for the extraordinary session of the Global Education Meeting (2020 GEM), organized by

‐

We are convinced that quality education is a human

UNESCO and co hosted by the Governments of Ghana,

right and essential for an equitable, inclusive and

Norway and the United Kingdom.

sustainable recovery of all nations. To avoid what the

‐

UN Secretary General has described as a “generational

We express concern that the unprecedented social, human and economic crisis caused by the COVID‐19

catastrophe,” we must build more resilient, inclusive and

pandemic has exposed the world’s fragility and

do so, we must address the holistic needs of all leaners

interdependence, affecting every country, community

from early childhood, especially the most vulnerable

and family, particularly the most marginalized. The

and marginalized.

‐

COVID 19 crisis cannot be reduced to a public health emergency as it has imperiled fundamental human

‐

gender responsive societies and education systems. To

We agree to:

rights including the right to education. We face a major

Uphold our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for

threat that risks hampering the progress made towards

Sustainable Development and its SDG 4, “to ensure

the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our

inclusive and equitable quality education and

joint efforts to leave no one behind. The crisis is

promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” in

‐

exacerbating the pre existing inequalities and affecting

order to transform education to drive sustainable

disproportionately vulnerable communities and learners,

development, leaving no one behind.

especially, those living in poverty, women and girls,

Invest in inclusive and equitable quality education

those impacted by crises and conflicts, and persons

and lifelong learning now to reduce the impact of

with disabilities.

COVID 19, estimated at up to US$200 billion per

‐

‐ and lower‐middle income countries if

year in low

We appreciate the mobilisation of UN organizations,

no action is taken.

international and regional organizations, humanitarian

Reinforce our global cooperation in education to

and development partners, and civil society

ensure the efficient and effective delivery of

organizations to: advocate for education as key to

political, financial and technical support at the

‐

response and recovery; create multi sectoral partnerships to support countries to ensure

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

country level.

OUR PRIORITY ACTIONS TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS TOWARDS SDG 4 IN THE COVID‐19 CONTEXT AND BEYOND We further commit to the implementation of the

WAY FORWARD We will monitor the implementation of these

following actions over the next 15 months:

of commitments at the next ordinary session of

commitments over the next 15 months, collect and exchange good practices, and report on the fulfilment

Safely reopen educational institutions based on

the Global Education Meeting planned for 2021 (2021

scientific evidence and considering local contexts;

GEM).

prioritizing the health and safety of students and

‐

educators; establishing closer inter sectoral collaboration among education, health, WASH, social protection, etc.; and ensuring that reopening

‐

‐

We request UNESCO and its partners, together with the SDG‐Education 2030 Steering Committee, to assess the impact of the COVID‐19 crisis on the

plans are equity oriented, gender responsive and

progress towards the achievement of the SDG 4 and

inclusive. These measures should be adequately

other education related targets, examine the strategies

funded at all levels and prepare education

and priorities to recover and accelerate the progress

institutions to continue service provision when

and propose relevant and realistic benchmarks of key

normal school opening is disrupted.

SDG 4 indicators for subsequent monitoring.

‐

Support all teachers and education personnel as frontline workers, consulting their representatives in

‐

We invite UNESCO to lead a consultation in

decision making, and ensuring their safety, well

coordination with relevant stakeholders in order to

being and decent working conditions. Urgent

develop a proposal to strengthen the SDG Education

attention is required to the shortage of trained and

2030 Steering Committee to be able to effectively

‐

‐

qualified teachers aggravated by the COVID 19

steer and coordinate the global education cooperation

crisis. Their professional development needs

mechanism in line with the Education 2030 Framework

‐

‐

‐

including digital and pedagogical skills for learner

for Action and in the post COVID 19 context. UNESCO

centered quality education is a matter of urgency.

will present this proposal for adoption at the 2021 GEM.

‐

Invest in skills development, including socio

Until this time, we agree to extend the mandate of the

emotional skills, for inclusive recovery, decent work

current SDG Education 2030 Steering Committee

and enhanced employability, and sustainable

members as a transitional measure.

‐

development through re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities for all young people and adults who have lost or are at risk of losing their jobs.

Narrow the digital divide in education, develop open educational resources and build digital

‐ ‐

commons as a complement to face to face learning, with a view to enabling inclusive and

‐

equitable technology supported learning. In so doing, protect learners’ privacy, foster digital citizenship and promote education as a public good.

HAVE NEWS YOU WANT HIGHLIGHTED IN E.L. AFRICA MAGAZINE? SEND US AN EMAIL AT ELAFRICAMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

48

THE COACH APPROACH: FROM A THEORETICAL TO A PRACTICAL TEACHING MODEL By: Lonnell E. Johnson, Ph.D.

As a retired Professor of English, I recall my first full-time teaching position at Fayetteville State University, an Historically Black University in Fayetteville, NC. During my first tenure at FSU, I was asked to develop a faculty development seminar which I entitled “The Coach Approach: A Model for Successful Teaching.” When I returned to Fayetteville State as an adjunct professor in 2014, I was assigned two sections of English 120, freshman composition, one of which happened to be a learning community of predominantly student-athletes. As I redesigned my syllabus in preparation to teach this particular group of students, I recognized that during the time I was away, I had gone from a theoretical model to a

The classic definition of a coach refers to "one who trains an athlete or team of athletes;" another definition refers to "a private tutor who prepares a student for an examination." Perhaps my definition combines both of those aspects in that I perceive a coach to be one who trains, instructs, inspires, motivates, advises, and directs students to be successful in their academic pursuits within a particular course. Such a teacher fulfills several valuable roles embodied in the metaphor of a coach. Three of the most significant functions include being a motivator, recruiter, and advisor.

practical model in terms of my philosophy of education.

MOTIVATOR Actually, I see myself as a coach or exhorter,

Principles that I have learned in my teaching for more than forty years, I continue to apply, and I invite you to join me on my journey of discovery of what it means to be a player/coach in academe, as I share excerpts from “Reflection on My Journey through Academe,” an article published in Thought and Act: the Higher Education Journal of the National Education Association. Written as a reflective essay, the article also pays tribute to

offering advice, tips, and strategies for writing assignments that each student must complete individually. In the classes that I teach, my goal is to inspire students to present the best writing they have completed thus far. As a writer who teaches writing, I think of myself as a player-coach who strives to help each student to achieve his/her personal best as a writer. Here is the motto that I use for every class that I teach:

some of the teachers who have influenced me from junior high and high school, through undergraduate and graduate school and beyond.

Good, better, best, Never let it rest Until your good is better

When I recall the teachers, who have most

And your better is best.

impressed me and had a great impact on my life, I recognize that many of them have been amazingly versatile. Teaching demands flexible individuals who are able to adapt quickly in an academic setting and perform a variety of functions, one of which is to be a supreme motivator or coach, a term that is heard with increasing frequency in a variety of professions other than education.

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E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

Dunn in his discussion of the teacher as coach notes, “Winning coaches demand high levels of performance and must have well-rounded motivational skills” (1992, p. 1).

Sanchez also relates some of the responsibilities

RECRUITER

associated with being a coach:

One of the essential functions of the winning teacher/coach is that of being a “recruiter.”

Coaching includes the ability to analyze a person's

According to Dunn, “Faculty members should seek

performance and identify ways to improve it and

out talent as well. They should assist eagerly in the

to work together to engage in mutually

institution’s effort to attract the best student body

appropriate actions. An effective coach influences

possible—their classroom ‘players’.”In reflecting

others to change behavior positively by creating a

upon those teachers who most affected me, I

climate that is supportive and demonstrates how

recall that they “sparked” something that drew me

each person adds value. Specifically, an effective

into teaching, and so I endeavor to light the flame

coach is skilled in interpersonal communications,

in others and by my example draw them into

facilitating, teaching, and challenging others in

teaching, as I was drawn. In a sense, I “recruited”

order to achieve their personal best (2011, p. 13).

my younger daughter, Angela, who, after completing an undergraduate degree in

Teachers who function as coaches are leaders,

communications, found her way into teaching

unquestionably. Ken Blanchard comments, "Your

language arts in middle school and high school.

role as a leader is even more important than you

Currently, she is serving as a principal at a charter

might imagine. You have the power to help people

school in Trenton, NJ.

become winners."

Shortly after she completed her first teaching As a coach, I endeavor to maintain an atmosphere

assignment, I shared with my daughter a poem

that encourages participation and sharing. After

that I had written as a tribute to a teacher who

meeting Parker J. Palmer, master teacher, and

retired after teaching 33 years at Fayetteville

consultant on higher education, I encountered his

State University, where I taught in my first full-time

definition of teaching—“To create a space where

teaching position. “The Teacher’s Task” is a poem

the community of truth is practiced,” and I

whose title is taken from a statement by Leslie

incorporated his statement into my composition

Fiedler, noted literary critic, who commented that

and literature syllabi, elaborating upon the

“The teacher’s task is to patiently explain.” This is

concept with this statement:

certainly applicable to each teacher who functions as a coach. Since the first time that I read the

"One of the primary objectives of this course is to

work, I have broadened the dedication beyond the

establish the classroom as a “safe haven” where

single individual who inspired the original poem to

fruitful, meaningful dialogue, and exchange of

include others, and so I also recognize that it is

ideas take place. We strive to provide a place

likewise written for readers of this publication.

where ideas may be challenged and minds may be changed or positions affirmed, but where ideas,

The Teacher’s Task

views, and responses are listened to with respect

For all those called to teach

and where courtesy is always maintained. We will

The smallest spark can kindle a desire,

engage in dialogue with the texts through reading

Ignite a fire to stir and warm the heart,

and writing and with one another through

And through the years the embers from that fire

discussion and peer editing."

Will glow with light inflamed from that same start.

In the dark of night should a doubt arise,

In discussing some of the basic steps involved in

A question of the road less traveled by,

the coaching model, Sanchez suggests that

Recall that same glow in a student’s eyes

coaches should work to “Ensure a trusting,

Shall dispel the chill of questioning why.

affirming, and supportive climate throughout the

You who labored in the classroom have learned

process” (p. 13).

That rapport with student, colleague, and friend Offers recompense beyond wages earned.

You who loved the teacher’s task we commend: May joy warm your heart and sustain you yet, With memories of success and no regret.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

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I taught at Fayetteville State from 1985-1994 when I

ADVISOR—AS “PLAYER-COACH”

accepted a position at Otterbein College (now

The classic definition of a coach refers to "one who

Otterbein University) outside of Columbus, OH, where

trains an athlete or team of athletes;" another

I served as one of the advisors to education majors

definition refers to "a private tutor who prepares a

with a language arts concentration. I would

student for an examination." Perhaps my definition

continually be on the lookout for prospective

combines both of those aspects in that I perceive a

teachers. I would be particularly aggressive in terms

coach to be one who trains, instructs, inspires,

of seeking out prospective teachers of color to help

motivates, advises, and directs students to be

offset the diminishing pool of minority teachers. In

successful in their academic pursuits within a

the same way that an expert gemologist keeps a

particular course. Such a teacher fulfills several

jeweler’s glass around his neck when examining

valuable roles embodied in the metaphor of a coach.

precious gems, I keep my eyes open, ever watchful for those rare “blue diamonds” whose color adds to

In addition to serving as a motivator and recruiter,

their value and rarity. Males who choose to go into

the teacher/coach also functions as an advisor--

education, at any level, are like precious gems, but

offering advice, tips, and strategies for writing

those exceptional students who select elementary

assignments that each student must complete

education as their choice are extremely rare and

individually. The Coach shares practical advice that

priceless, in my estimation.

will improve the student’s overall game. Actually, I have modified my designation to become a “player-

Here is a poem inspired by the concept of “A Rare

coach,” a metaphor more suited to me.

Blue Diamond” that we can apply beyond the educational arena. Certainly, in recognition of the

Three of the most significant functions include being

Coach as a Recruiter:

a motivator, recruiter, and advisor.As a writing instructor, not only do I function as a “player-coach”,

A Rare Blue Diamond

but I also classify myself as a “student-teacher” in

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches

that I am continually discovering that there is so much

of secret places, that you may know that I,

to learn about the artof teaching. Now that I think

the LORD, Who

call you by your name, am the God of Israel. - Isaiah 45:3

“I keep my eyes open, ever watchful for those rare ‘blue diamonds’ whose color adds to their value and rarity.”'

about it, I continue to play a variety of roles as an educator: artist-student-teacher-player-coach, a kind of factotum in education.

Reflections on My Journey through Academe

So, after considerable reflection, my journey of

Lonnell E. Johnson

discovery seems to culminate with a revelation of who I really am metaphorically: I think of myself as a griot. This multifaceted character, an essential figure

You have walked past this same spot countless times before, Unaware of precious resources cast aside.

fills a number of valuable roles: public servant to the

Hidden riches, vast assets in secret places,

King, historian, genealogist, entertainer, storyteller,

Pearls of great price, overlooked, lay all around us.

poet, and magistrate, among other functions. Most

Then one day a glint of light catches your eye.

significantly he is venerated as a teacher.

You stop for a moment to take a closer look And find mud, all kinds of crud, hardened on the surface.

A veneer of fear, glazed over and entrenched in pride, Hides a true gem, marred and missed, dismissed as worthless: A rare blue diamond glistens in the bright sunlight, Priceless possession to those with eyes to see.

Such beauty far beyond the stunning Hope Diamond.

Sometimes if you stop to look around and glance down, You may just find a priceless treasure at your feet.

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in many West African cultures, is a village elder who

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

SPECIAL POEM "I AM A GRIOT" Cookin' Mama Christian Rock Group

"You can be who you want to be when you find out who you are."

I am a griot.

I am a servant, bond-slave in the service of the King, my father; a servant after the order of King David, from whom the Savior descended. Like Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, I too am born of royal seed. Descendent from countless generations, I am born of the seed of David.

According to the prophet Jeremiah: As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so, will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

Rescuing from oblivion the memories of great men and women of humble means, never despising

I am a griot.

small beginnings; a raconteur, retelling the stories of "Real Heroes" who never swell the ranks among

I am a poet—psalmist—master of rhyme—master

annals of recorded time; and declaring their line

craftsman, wordsmith—an artificer seeking to

that goes forth from all the earth.

forge with words this joy unspeakable, a sonneteer, balladeer, crafting compositions

I am a griot.

flowing from the soul of a man who swapped his lowdown blues for pure turquoise joys, choosing to

I am a historian—a vessel of speech—a speaking

compose oral ointments and pouring pure, holy

document—a talking book—I let my life speak:

anointing oil to soothe the soul, compounded after

listen to my life—page by page. "Your life is a

the art of the apothecary.

book, and every day is a page" thus spoke Elijah, the prophet; an accoucheur, attendant to the

I am a griot.

birthing of some of the many books implanted deep within us all; keeper of secrets, I unfold the

I am a singer—conveying melodies heard in my

mystery of history and unveil the history of the

inner ear—having understood lyrics I did not know

Mystery—the crowning achievement, piece de

when I was young. . .I, too, sing my song and hold

resistance, the masterpiece of “His story.”

no strife. . .knowing the best lines are yet to be sung; an entertainer, embodying the oral tradition,

I am a griot.

infusing music into my poetry, now I see: I am a teacher, and I teach because I love the “I got the music in me! I got the music in me! I got

teacher's task and findmy richest prize in eyes that

the music in me!”

open and minds that ask, a speaker of truth-I speak the truth in love and create a space where

I am a griot.

the community of truthis practiced, leaving behind a legacy to affect eternity.

I am a genealogist—unraveling the begetting and the begotten—recollecting the forgotten—

I am a griot.

connecting fathers and sons and mothers and daughters—more than a mediator—a daysman—

And so much more, and by the grace of God, I am

ambassador extraordinaire—breaking it down and

what I am.In case you didn't know, now you know.

making it plain:

Just call me griot.

Wild young man, tell me, who's your daddy?

I am a griot.

Wild young man, let me tell you who's your daddy.

E.L. AFRICA | DECEMBER 2020

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