African education and teacher organizations

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Periodical article

Title:	African education and teacher organizations
Author:	Smyke, R.J.
Year:	1990
Periodical:	Genève-Afrique: acta africana
Volume:	28
Issue:	2
Pages:	17-29
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	trade unions teachers education
Abstract:	Since 1960, when many African States became independent, the growth of public education in Africa has been phenomenal. Investment in education has consistently been the largest or second largest item in almost all annual budgets of black African countries. The reasons for the predominance of education as a public service in Africa, and for its excessive cost to the State as well as for its lack of efficiency include the continuation of expatriate-colonial salary scales, the failure of educational planning, the growth of single national unions of teachers, the power and viability of the African public service, the blind faith of African parents in education as a stepping stone to success for their children, and the stagnant economic situation in almost all African countries. This paper gives an overview of the impact on educational structures of the aspirations of parents, and of the values of teachers and their organizations. It also underlines the growing professionalism of the personnel within the ministries of education. These aspirations lead to a greater expertise but also to a conservative desire to safeguard the current educational patterns. Notes, ref.