African Leaders in Education and Training for Sustained Growth (LETSGA)
DATE: 21 Jan - 1 Feb 2008 |
Overview | Background | Participants | Objective | Key Publications
OverviewÂ
The two-week workshop African Leaders in Education and Training ― organized jointly by the World Bank and the government of Singapore ― was opened on January 21, 2008 by World Bank Africa Region Vice President Ms. Obiageli Ezekwesili and her Asian counterparts in Singapore.
The workshop brought together a number of Singapore institutions in areas where Singapore's experience and expertise in education and training are of special interest and relevance to African countries. The program included presentations and discussions on key challenges faced by African countries in making their education and training system more effective in supporting economic and social development.
A presentation was made on how Singapore addressed similar problems, especially during the first three to four decades of independence. Guest speakers shared their knowledge about the development experiences of such countries as Malaysia and Vietnam.
Background
In June 2006, a group of some 30 policy makers from six African countries — Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar and Mozambique — took part in a study tour to Singapore and Vietnam. The tour was organized jointly by the Government of Singapore and the Africa Region of the World Bank.
The tour’s main objective was to offer senior officials from the six countries a first-hand look at the remarkable economic and social transformation in these and other East Asian countries. It also sought to gain a better understanding of how investments in education and training has helped support this transformation.
As a follow-up to this study tour, in December 2006 the World Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Singapore (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to provide a framework for a three-year collaborative program.
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Participants
Participants were senior policy makers and institutional leaders from Ghana, Madagascar and Mozambique, invited guests from South Africa, the African Development Bank, the African Capacity Development Foundation, donor partners, World Bank staff, as well as counterparts from Singapore, and resource persons from Japan, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
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Objective of the LETSGA Program
The objective of the program is to provide workshop participants with an opportunity to
- Better understand the nature and scope of the visionary and strategic leadership required to align the education and training sector to the economy;
- Acquire practical ideas to build towards a high-performance TVET system; and
- Gain practical know-how to foster leadership for excellence in schools.
Key Publications
Toward a Better Future: Education and Training for Economic Development in Singapore since 1965
Lee, Sing-Kong; Boon, Goh Chor; Fredriksen, Birger
March 2008
This book provides a comprehensive analysis of education development in Singapore since 1965, giving particular attention to the type of strategic management that has enabled Singapore over the last four decades to develop its education and training system, from one similar to that of many Sub-Saharan Africa countries, to one of the world's best performing systems.
An African Exploration of the East Asian Education Experience
Editors: Tan, Jee-Peng; Fredriksen, Birger
April 2008
This book details the education policy choices and implementation modalities that have enabled many East Asian countries over the last 30-40 years to move from education and economic conditions similar to those of many Sub-Saharan Africa countries to attain the high level of development they enjoy today.
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