MEETING OF THE ERNWACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FINAL REPORT February 18th -19th, 2010 Splendid Hotel, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa Réseau Ouest et Centre Africain de Recherche en Education
MEETING OF THE ERNWACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FINAL REPORT February 18 th -19 th 2010 Splendid Hotel, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The sixth meeting of the ERNWACA Board of Directors (BD) was held on February 18 th and 19 th 2010 in a regular session in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso at the Splendid Hotel. The opening and closing sessions of the Council were presided over by The Delegate Minister in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Training,Monsieur Maxime Z. SOME, representing the Minister of Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research of Burkina Faso, unable to attend. Eleven out of thirteen members took part in the meeting. The two absent participants had presented their regrets for not attending. Professor Ousmane GUEYE as the incoming Chairman of the Board emphasized the new stakes for ERNWACA, notably the promotion of scientific research and scientific publications as well as diversification of partnerships. He also welcomed the entry of the new Regional Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Djénéba TRAORE and congratulated Madame Mireille MASSOUKA for her management of the Regional Coordination during the six month interim period. The BD examined the 2009 annual ERNWACA activity report, the financial balance sheet for 2009, the projected financial report for 2010, the terms of reference of the ERNWACA Prospective Review relating to realization of the action plan 2005-2010, as well as other documents that had been submitted. 1
The BD approved the 2009 activity report following its amendment, and carried over the financial balance sheet to a second reading before adoption by its members. The BD approved the membership of Congo Brazzaville and the Central African Republic as the respective 15th and 16th members of ERNWACA. At the end of its meeting, the BD formulated the following recommendations: With regard to the format of the annual report: The new format should use a less heavy caliber: the text analyzed and summarized, without Annexes, should occupy a reduced number of pages adequate to ensure improved editing. With regard to content: give pride of place to national activities and take account of identical language for the original version. Concerning new partnerships: The emphasis should be on: 1/ The approach to new partners, notably the Islamic Development Bank (IBD) and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (EMCCAS/CEMAC) 2/ The necessity to initiate the signature of Agreements with the Ministers in charge of Education. 3/ The implication of the BD in implementing a further phase III of the PanAf project. With regard to the naming of the Regional Coordinating Office, the BD announced its wish that the organization chart should not be modified without authorization. The Board of Directors thanked the Government of Burkina Faso for having facilitated the meeting of the Session, as well as for the participation of the Minister, Maxime Z. SOME. The Board also thanked the ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office as well as the Burkina Faso National Coordinating Office and the Organizing committee for successful preparation and supervision of the meeting. The Board of Directors thanked the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for its financial support to ERNWACA. 2
CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 1 Objectives of the meeting... 4 Recapitulation of principal recommendations of the last Board Meeting:... 4 Anticipated Results :... 4 1. OPENING CEREMONY... 5 2. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.. 6 2.1 Presentation of the 2009 activity report... 6 2.1.1 Chairmanship of the Board of Directors... 6 2.1.2 Implementation of recommendations of the 5 th session of the Board of Directors... 6 2.1.3 Diversification of partnerships and activation of the Regional Resource Mobilization Committee... 7 2.1.4 Renewal of posts of National Coordinators reaching the end of their mandate.... 7 2.1.5 Modification of ERNWACA status as an International Non Governmental Organization (INGO) with assignment of its headquarters to Mali... 7 2.1.6 Finalization of the procedures manual document... 8 2.2 ERNWACA INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM... 8 2.3 RESTRUCTURATION OF THE ERNWACA REGIONAL COORDINATING OFFICE... 8 2.4 STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS... 9 2.5 PROJECT MONITORING... 10 2.6 ERNWACA COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY... 11 2.7 TRAINING... 12 3. PRESENTATION OF 2009 FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT... 12 4. PRESENTATION OF 2009 FINANCIAL REPORT... 12 4. PRESENTATION OF THE 2010 ACTION PLAN... 13 5. PRESENTATION OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE PROSPECTIVE REVIEW... 13 6. ERNWACA ORIENTATIONS: WHICH NEW PROSPECTS?... 14 7. MANDATE OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS... 15 8. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND OF CONGO BRAZZAVILLE... 15 9. LOCATION OF THE NEXT BD MEETING... 15 10. THE BD CLOSING CEREMONY... 15 MEETING WITH UEMOA... 17 ANNEXES... 18 ANNEXE 1... 19 ADDRESS BY THE ERNWACA REGIONAL COORDINATOR... 19 ANNEXE 2... 21 ANNEXE 5... 26 ANNEXE 6... 30 PROGRAMME... 31 3
REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE ERNWACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OUAGADOUGOU, FEBRUARY 18TH AND 19TH 2010 Objectives of the meeting were agreed as follows: Present the ERNWACA 2009 activity report and financial report. Present the ERNWACA 2009 financial audit report. Discuss the 2010 activity programme and the 2010 budget. Assess the terms of reference for the ERNWACA prospective review. Define orientations for new ERNWACA prospects. Recapitulation of principal recommendations of the last Board Meeting: Include the budget line indicating support for the national coordinating offices; Diversify partnerships by providing operational means to the regional resource mobilization committee; Pay attention to renewal of the National Coordinators (NC) who have been in the same post for two three-year mandates ; Take necessary measures to modify ERNWACA status as an IONG (International Non Governmental Organization) with assignment of its headquarters to Mali; Transmit the procedures manual and the statutes to the members of the Board of Directors and to the National Coordinators with a due date for return to the Regional Coordinating Office by April 1st 2009. Anticipated Results : Discussion and validation of the ERNWACA 2009 activity report. Discussion and approval of the ERNWACA 2010 budget. Suggestions concerning terms of reference for the ERNWACA prospective review Decision concerning the length of mandate for National Coordinators. Recommendations on new ERNWACA orientations. 4
REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE ERNWACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OUAGADOUGOU, FEBRUARY 18TH AND 19TH 2010 1. OPENING CEREMONY The deliberations of the 6th ERNWACA Board of Directors (BD) took place in conference room of the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on February 18 th and 19 th 2010. The opening ceremony was presided over by the Minister Delegate in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Education of Burkina Faso, Monsieur Maxime Z. SOME. Four speeches were delivered: - Welcome remarks by the ERNWACA Burkina Faso National Coordinator - Address by the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator - Address by the Chairman of the Board of Directors - Opening speech by the Minister Delegate in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Education of Burkina Faso 5
The ERNWACA Burkina Faso National Coordinator welcomed participants at the Board of Directors and expressed his wishes for every success for the Board s proceedings. The Regional Coordinator of ERNWACA stressed the importance of the anticipated results by the end of the session and thanked all ERNWACA partners. For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors spoke of the network s new orientations after twenty years of existence. The opening speech was given by the Minister Delegate in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Education of Burkina Faso. Monsieur Maxime Z. SOME assured ERNWACA of Burkinabe Government support and expressed his wishes for every success to the 6 th session of the Board of Directors. 2. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Consideration of items included in the Agenda for the Board of Directors began on February 18 th after the opening ceremony and ended the following day at 12:30 a.m. After the adoption of the programme, the following points were addressed in succession: 2.1 Presentation of the 2009 activity report The ERNWACA Regional Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Djénéba TRAORE, presented the network s 2009 activity report, including the following items: 2.1.1 Chairmanship of the Board of Directors The year 2009 saw the passing of responsibility from Mr. Joshua BAKU to Professor Ousmane GUEYE as Chairman of the ERNWACA Board of Directors (BD). The incoming Chairman was elected on February 13 th 2009 at Lomé, Togo, following the deliberations of the 5 th Session of the BD. 2.1.2 Implementation of recommendations of the 5 th session of the Board of Directors The first actions of the Regional Coordinating Office were directed towards implementing the various mandates that had been assigned by the 5th session of the Board of Directors, notably: Diversification of partnerships and activation of the Regional Resource Mobilization Committee ; Renewal of posts of those National Coordinators reaching the end of their mandate; Modification of ERNWACA status as an International Non Governmental Organization (INGO) with assignment of its headquarters to Mali ; Finalization of the procedures manual document. 6
2.1.3 Diversification of partnerships and activation of the Regional Resource Mobilization Committee With a view to making diversification of partnerships concrete, proposed Memoranda of Understanding were submitted to sub regional organizations, notably the African Union (UA), ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), ADEA (Association for Development of Education in Africa), UNESCO-BREDA and CODESRIA (Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa), CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Union of Central African States), the African Development Bank (ABD) and BOAD (West African Development Bank) as well as the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) were to be approached in the weeks to come. In addition, institutions in the North, such as SNV (Schweizerische Normen- Vereinigung) and the Hewlett Foundation carried out visits to contact the ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office in the framework of setting up new partnerships. Partnerships with American and European Universities, as well as with North and South American and European research network will also be initiated and developed. Visits were also carried out with traditional partners, both new and potential for the network, notably ; IDRC-BRACO (International Development research Centre West Africa Regional Office), SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), NORRAG (Network for Policy Research Review and Advice on Education and Training), USAID, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mali, FAWE- Mali, UNESCO-BREDA, the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Mali, OSIWA (Open Society Institute for West Africa), CODESRIA, WAEMU (UEMOA), ECOBANK-Mali and PLAN International-Dakar. During these visits, interviews concerned respective activity programmes as well as prospects for collaborative projects. 2.1.4 Renewal of posts of National Coordinators reaching the end of their mandate. The issue of renewal or the end of the mandate of National Coordinators is a matter covered by the texts concerning them at local level and by the Statutes amended in December 2009 during the Strategy Session in Bamako. The Regional Coordinating Office recommends National Coordinating Offices concerned should organize elections in order to renew Committees that are at the end of their mandate. To do this the Regional Office will follow the electoral process with care. 2.1.5 Modification of ERNWACA status as an International Non Governmental Organization (INGO) with assignment of its headquarters to Mali. The Framework of Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Mali and ERNWACA and the Authorization for a Foreign Association were renewed in September 2009. In addition, contacts were made at the level of the Mali Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with a view to obtaining the status of an International Non Governmental Organization (IONG) with assignment accord of the headquarters to Bamako. Finally, the Regional Coordinator met with Mme GAKOU Salimata FOFANA, Minister of Housing, Land Tenure and Town Planning during the 7
month of December and presented a request concerning the ERNWACA Headquarters. 2.1.6 Finalization of the procedures manual document. The ERNWACA procedures manual document was finalized during the Strategy Session held in Bamako, Mali on December 13th and 14th 2009. The Regional Coordinating Office received English and French language versions of the manual and re-submitted them to the National Coordinating Office for final validation. 2.2 ERNWACA INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM The year 2009 marked the anniversary of the Network s twenty years of existence. This twentieth anniversary was celebrated both at national and regional level through conducing scientific activities on the situation of educational research in Africa. At the regional level, on December 15th, 16th and 17th, the Regional Coordinating Office organized an International Scientific Colloquium on the theme of «Educational Research in Educational practice and policy in Africa.» The Colloquium was placed under the aegis of His Excellency Monsieur Amadou Toumani TOURE, President of the Republic of Mali, represented for the occasion by the Malian Minister of Education, Literacy Training, and National Languages, Professor Salikou SANOGO. Madame SIBY Ginette BELLEGARDE, Malian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Mr. Maxime Z. SOME, Burkina Faso Minister Delegate in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Training also honoured the Colloquium with their presence. The gala dinner organized to celebrate ERNWACA s 20th anniversary was offered by the President of the Republic at the Bamako Grand Hotel on December 17 th 2009. Under the chairmanship of the Minister of Education, Literacy Training and National Languages, the dinner was the occasion to present ERNWACA awards for Excellence to the successive ERNWACA Regional Coordinators, members of the Board of Directors, National Coordinators, members of the Regional Scientific Committee as well as to partners who were present, specifically the NORRAG network. 2.3 RESTRUCTURATION OF THE ERNWACA REGIONAL COORDINATING OFFICE Structurally the ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office underwent considerable modification with the departure at the end of 2008 and in early 2009 of two members of the team, notably the Finance Officer and the Information Officer who were not replaced. Effectively, their functions were devolved to personnel already in post, that is to say the Administrative and Financial Assistant and the person in charge of the PanAf website who successfully managed to combine these functions. However, practical dispositions will be taken at the financial level with a view to strengthening competencies in financial management and accounting. 8
2.4 STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS With regard to strengthening partnerships, the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator took part in several international meetings, notably: The strategy session of the NORRAG group, (site web: www.norrag.org) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 24 th 2009. The two networks decided to formalize collaborative links in the areas of publishing and scientific exchanges. In addition, prospects for partnership with the South American partnership RedEtis (Argentina) were introduced. The 17th Conference of Commonwealth Ministers of Education (17CCEM), a triennial Commonwealth event held between June 15 th and 19 th at Kuala Lumpur. The theme of the Conference was: Education in the Commonwealth: Towards and beyond Global Objectives. On June 16th 2009, the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator presented the PanAf project, funded by IDRC during the panel on: The ITC Imperative: Innovate for Education. The ECOWAS policy dialogue on education of girls and disadvantaged children in the region. The three day meeting was held in Niamey (Niger) between September 22nd and 24th 2009 with the participation of representatives of ECOWAS member states, civil society organizations and international organizations. The meeting enabled participants to discuss dispositions of educational policy in ECOWAS member states that are likely to promote education in these areas and to agree on strategies for their implementation. Participants were also able to identify endemic and emerging problems relating to cultural practices that prevent women from participating in private and public life, and then to elaborate strategies to suppress them as well as for their use by decision makers. The Minister of Education of Niger, M. Ousmane Samba Mamadou gave the opening speech and expressed the wish of the Government of Niger to improve the quality and access of girls schooling and that of other disadvantaged children in Niger in particular and in ECOWAS in general. Experts presented contributions on education in their respective countries, the policies and framework for education of girls and disadvantaged children. To accomplish this, ECOWAS, represented by Professor Abdoulaye Issaka Maga, expressed a wish to reinforce the partnership with ERNWACA. The Bamako+5 Conference. Contract teachers were at the heart of the conference arranged in Bamako between October 27th and 29th 2009 by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the World Bank, the International for Education and the Malian Ministry of Education, Literacy Training and National Languages. It aimed to take an exhaustive overview of the situation in the eleven Fancophone countries present in Bamako in 2004, to take note of progress made, and to point out new opportunities for improving working and living conditions for contract teachers, to provide an overview of the phenomenon in countries expressing themselves in English and Portuguese, and to analyze lessons to be learnt concerning recruitment, training and professional development. On the fringe of the Conference, during the UNESCO-BREDA side meeting, the Regional Coordinator presented a communication on pedagogical uses of ICT in education in Mali. Cluster Meeting NORRAG ERNWACA, on December 14th 2009 at the Azalaï Nord Sud Hotel in Bamako on the theme: «Advocacy in the Domain of 9
Education. The meeting brought together various stakeholders of education in Mali and in the region researchers, parliamentarians, political decision makers, international cooperation agencies and civil society and constituted a space for reflection and discussion on the notion and practices of advocacy and the various roles of research. 2.5 PROJECT MONITORING At the level of project monitoring, the funding of the second phase of the PanAf project was approved by IDRC in July 2009. The ERNWACA Grants Programme for Interdisciplinary Research signed its 5 th edition in Accra, Ghana. Intended for young researchers, the programme aims at facilitating informative educational research in member countries, increasing the quality of educational research carried out by persons from higher education institutions in West and Central Africa and to contribute to improvement of educational systems. The first phase of the Panafrican research Agenda on pedagogical integration of ICT (PanAf) met with real success, setting up teams of researchers in 12 countries of sub Saharan Africa and the creation of an on-line Observatory where the researchers currently share around 20 000 data on more than 180 indicators and 12 themes from more than 100 African schools (including hundreds of files of raw data). Other partners accompanying PanAf, include SchoolNet Africa, InfoDev, Apréli@, Phase 1 enabled definition of effective use of ICTs with a view to upgrading teachers and learning as well as the quality of educational systems. On the fringe of the e-learning Conference in Dakar, the MAN@ELA de MERLOT African Network prize for free online resources was awarded to ERNWACA. Following successful completion of phase 1 of the PanAf project, phase 2 was officially launched in Dakar, Senegal on December 7th 2009, in the presence of Monsieur Alioune CAMARA of IDRC. As with phase 1, phase 2 represented the result of collaboration between ERNWACA and the University of Montreal. The new phase will aim at upgrading data from the previous phase as well as at scientific publishing by project researchers. To carry this out, researchers and African academics will acquire new skills in scientific publication through a series of training workshops. The transnational study, «Modalities of literacy training and Non Formal Education (NFE) intervention in marginalized community sites the case of Madrassas and other Koranic study centres» conducted over 16 months from November 2007 to May 2009, showed the increasing interest of partners such as UNESCO for Madrassas in the framework of achieving Education for All by 2015. Transnational research on the theme: «Decentralization in West and Central Africa: learning from local and inter-sector experiences: Water, Education, Health», also with IDRC funding, is currently under way in 6 ERNWACA member countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal. Current transnational research will present the advantage of systematically questioning the various experiences of local government and producing responses on the basis of objectively identified facts as to whether or not decentralization in general, and that of provision of basic social services in particular, is viable and has enabled development of competencies at 10
local and community levels. Another point of interest in this overall analysis of empowerment of local stakeholders is to measure the degree of synergy between local structures optimize use of resources and meet community needs with greater efficiency and effectiveness. The study will also make it possible to discover if decentralization has brought local communities a relative plus in comparison with the previous mode of governance. At this level clarification of issues of mastery of work in hand and of partnership are a highly anticipated result. At this level, researchers involved will acquire knowledge and know-how that will be reinvested in other experiences to accompany this complex process. ERNWACA scientific publications and communications made qualitative and quantitative advances in 2009 thanks to the joint efforts of the National Scientific Committees and the Regional Scientific Committee chaired by Professor Thérèse Tchombé and the ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office. The launch of the first edition of the Journal of Education Research in Africa (JERA) on July 16th 2009 in Abidjan (RCI) was conducted under the chairmanship of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Ibrahim Cissé Bacongo. JERA is a review concentrating on social sciences aiming to promote the research belonging to the African context and to provide teachers, educators, educators and decision makers with resources for comprehensive analysis of educational issues in Africa. In addition, bringing to press the first number of the review African Educational Development Issues (AEDI) provides recipients of the ERNWACA Grants program with the possibility of publishing the results of their research. In addition to these two main reviews, ERNWACA publishes specific works on completion of colloquia and transnational research projects. 2.6 ERNWACA COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY ERNWACA communications strategy is implemented at three different levels: The ERNWACA website www.ernwaca.org / www.ernwaca.org giving access to all network activities. It also diffuses various publications as well as the activities linked to education and research via the virtual library; The electronic list news@ernwaca.org which ensures keeping network members and partners informed about news of appearance of articles, books and conferences by the network and other organizations on research and education. The biannual ERNWACA and PanAf project news bulletins dealing with questions and bulletins linked to research in member countries and providing information on the life of the network. These bulletins are diffused electronically to network members and partners. ERNWACA also concentrates its energy on leading advocacy towards technical and financial partners, notably for its recognition and granting of funds for the realization of its mission. 11
2.7 TRAINING Among training sessions, ERNWACA members have taken part in several workshops and seminars on capacity building, advocacy, accounting and financial management, in particular: Seminar on "Budget Management, Monitoring and Analysis» organized by Tricompétences from March 2 nd to 17th 2009 in Lyon (France): Training followed by Lassana BALLO, ERNWACA Administrative and Financial Assistant. Capacity building workshop on organizational performance, Dakar, Senegal from September 20th to October 1st 2009. Organized by IDRC: Workshop followed by Prof. Dr. Djénéba TRAORE, Regional Coordinator and Lassana BALLO, Administrative and Financial Assistant. Forum for learning and research (FAAR) at the Hotel Le Méridien-Président, Dakar in Senegal in which the Regional Coordinator, the Manager and the Communicator of the PanAf Project took part. FAAR objectives are to: 1- Share, discuss and document incidences and lessons learnt from different projects supported by Acacia; 2- Offer an opportunity for networking and capacity development; 3- Explore priorities for future research in ICT-D in Africa. 3. PRESENTATION OF 2009 FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT The financial audit report, previously transmitted by e-mail to the members of the Board of Directors, was validated with the recommendation to provide responses to the auditors recommendations regarding NIF, ITS deductions, vacation pay, clear differentiation between honoraria and salaries, 17.5% deductions from honoraria. With relation to reinforcement of the capacities of the Administrative and Financial Assistant, the audit emphasizes the need for better mastery of the CIEL software. It should be noted that in future the Regional Coordinating Office will pay INPS costs to the tax authorities and that reflection is under way to provide health insurance to all the personnel of the Regional Coordinating Office. Effectively the Government of Mali is preparing to make this insurance mandatory for all employees.. 4. PRESENTATION OF 2009 FINANCIAL REPORT The 2009 financial report was presented by the ERNWACA Regional Administrative and Financial Assistant. The provisional ERNWACA budget for the 2009 financial year is for 838 023 168 F CFA corresponding to a reduction of 7.5% in relation to the budget for the previous financial year. The rate of execution of the 2009 budget is 72% while the rate of recovery of financial commitments is 97%. Analysis of the budget shows that the rate of execution of resources is good and the recovery rate is excellent. This indicates that partners honour their commitments. This is notably the case for IDRC for its assistance to the PanAf2 and 12
Decentralization Projects and Institutional Support, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UEMOA-PACER for the Research Grants Programme funding, the SDC for a contribution of 24% to the 2009 budgetary receipts assigned to funding the ERNWACA International Colloquium, the Strategy Session and realization of the prospective review, ASDI for funding the Journal of Education Research in Africa (JERA). The amount of the contribution of the Regional Coordinating Office to National Coordinating Offices has passed from 219 552 874 F CFA in 2008 to 225 388 702 F CFA in 2009. This corresponds to constant stability of the number of active projects. The contributions to the ERNWACA member countries are made up of transfers of funds for transnational projects, certain consultation contracts with member countries. The funds were sent to NCs for execution of transnational projects, organization of regional meetings, ERNWACA cafés for dissemination of research findings and equipment. The National Coordinating Offices still need support from the Regional Coordinating Office to ensure a minimum of operations. The Regional Coordinating Office encourages them to invest in resource mobilization enabling them to ensure their sustainability. A reading of the contributions received by the Regional Coordinating Office reveals that eight members have received more than 15 000 000 F CFA. The most limited contribution, for an amount of 5 024 100 F CFA concerns the Congo, with only the ERNWACA Grants programme. Each ERNWACA member country has an obligation to submit a report on its financial situation to the Regional Coordinating Office at the end of every financial year. However, of 14 ERNWACA member countries, only 3 have submitted financial reports showing the country s situation. After examination by the BD members, the 2010 budget was submitted for a second reading with a view to adoption in the near future. It is in this process that the second version of the budget, taking into account the opinions and suggestions of BD members, was finally adopted on April 13th 2010. 4. PRESENTATION OF THE 2010 ACTION PLAN The 2010 action plan was presented by the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator. It is based on two transnational research projects ; Decentralization, PanAf-Phase 2 ; the Research Grant Programme, the African Review of Research on Education, IDRC and SDC Institutional Support. The overall budget for the 2010 Action Plan is for 1 068 110 858 F CFA (One billion, sixty-eight million, one hundred and ten thousand, eight hundred and fifty-eight thousand CFA francs). 5. PRESENTATION OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE PROSPECTIVE REVIEW The Regional Coordinator presented the terms of reference for the ERNWACA prospective review. Effectively, during the ERNWACA Strategy Session on December 13th and 14 th 2009, ERNWACA perceived the need to conduct a 13
prospective review of the five-year plan for 2005-2010, with a view to facilitating elaboration of the network 2011-2016 strategic plan which is a pressing need at this time. Implementation of this programme is funded and monitored by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) The overall objective of the prospective review aims at evaluating implementation of the 2005-2010 strategy plan with a view to facilitating elaboration of the next strategic plan for 2011-2016. The specific objectives resulting from this general objective and the strategic objectives of the 2005-2010 action plan are as follows: 1. Build the capacity of the network s educational research and the quality of national and regional studies. 2. Strengthen the intra and extra network culture of communications and create conditions for scientific publication. 3. Strengthen ERNWACA at national level and increase its financial autonomy. By the end of the mission of ERNWACA s prospective review, the consultants will produce a report to include notably: 1- A brief general diagnosis of implementation of the 2005-2010 strategy action plan. 2- An assessment of ERNWACA objectives, scientific and institutional operations, and performance during the period 2005-2010. 3- Recommendations in order to correct any dysfunction that may be noted. 4- Indications for orientation, proposals to strengthen partnership and strategies for relevant and effective educational research to integrate into elaboration of the next strategy plan for 2011-2016. After having listened to the elements of reply made by the Regional Coordinator, the Board amended and validated the terms of reference (TOR) for the prospective review. At the same time, it underlined the importance of carrying out the prospective review in the framework of design and elaboration of the new ERNWACA action plan for 2011-2016. 6. ERNWACA ORIENTATIONS: WHICH NEW PROSPECTS? In introducing the item concerning new ERNWACA prospects, the Regional Coordinator focused her intervention on the aim of the ERNWACA 2005-2010 action plan by December 2010 and the need to reflect on new orientations for the network, in order to ensure its sustainability. In this way she presented to the BD the idea of the creation of a Training Institute within the network. The Board was of the opinion that the results of the prospective review will serve as a basis for definition of the new ERNWACA orientations and prospects. With regard to new membership and legalization of working documents within the network, the Regional Coordinators submitted the following to the Board for signature: 14
- The membership Act of the National Coordinating Offices of the Congo and the Central African Republic; - The ERNWACA Statutes and Bylaws; - The documents attributing a 15% percentage to projects conducted by the Regional Coordination. At the same time as recognizing the generosity of the Institut Supérieur de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée (ISFRA) for having hosted the ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office free of charge since 1992, Prof. Dr. Djénéba Traoré submitted to the Board of Directors the option of a provisional new headquarters for the Regional Coordination. After consideration, the Board gave its agreement to realizing this initiative. 7. MANDATE OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS In the section regarding the mandates of BD members, the President of the Board of Directors recalled the new context which considered 2010 as Year 1 of current mandates. The renewal of 1/3 having being carried out, the duration of all BD members was renewed and fixed at three (3) years, renewable one time only. Thus the CBD invited all the Administrators to establish specifications so that the Regional Coordinating Office, the Regional Scientific Committee, the Resource Mobilization Committee and Board of Directors can make proposals as soon as possible for transnational research, as well as requests for support at the level of Governments and Institutions in Africa and elsewhere. To effect this proposal, the need to restructure the Resource Mobilization Committee was emphasized, so that it can play its role to the fullest extent. 8. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND OF CONGO BRAZZAVILLE In view of the need to extend ERNWACA further in Central Africa, the Board of Directors adopted the membership of Congo Brazzaville and the Central African Republic as new ERNWACA countries. To effect this decision, the Chairman of the Board of Directors signed the official document validating the official entry of the two countries as the 15 th and 16 th members of ERNWACA. 9. LOCATION OF THE NEXT BD MEETING The BD decided to hold the next session of the Board in Nouakchott in Mauritania. 10. THE BD CLOSING CEREMONY The BD closing ceremony was chaired by the Minister, Maxime Z. SOME who, despite his full agenda, came to the meeting place to honour this commitment. In his intervention, he congratulated the Chairman of the BD on the fruitful and relevant exchanges that had taken place during this major ERNWACA meeting and welcomed the spirit of dialogue and agreement that had characterized all of the discussions. Minister SOME invited BD members to persevere in the new line that they have 15
traced for the network, that is to say opening an era of strengthening scientific and collaborative work, so that the results of research projects conducted by African researchers will contribute to meeting the numerous challenges that African educational systems are encountering. The evening was marked by a cocktail given by M. SOME for the participants. During the festivities, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Regional Coordinator presented ERNWACA awards for Excellence to the Minister, as well as to Madame Bah Aïcha DIALLO as an expression of thanks for their valuable support to the network. 16
MEETING WITH UEMOA After a request for a meeting addressed by the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator to the President of the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA/WAEMU), she was received with Messrs Ernest ILBOUDO Laouali Malam MOUSSA et Mohamed Chérif DIARRA by the Director of the Cabinet for the Department of Social and Cultural Development of the UEMOA Commission, Mr. Augustin NIANGO and Madame Françoise NEBIE, of the Directorate for higher Education. The ERNWACA delegation expressed warm thanks to UEMOA and particularly to the President of the Commission for the support of the UEMOA Programme for support and development of Regional Centres of Excellence (PACER) brings to the promotion of research, notably in training young researchers in methodology and scientific writing. For his part, Mr. NIANGO emphasized the importance of ERNWACA Research projects in improving practices and policies of all educational cycles, and gave assurances of the support of his institution in reaching ERNACA objectives. 17
ANNEXES 18
ANNEXE 1 ADDRESS BY THE ERNWACA REGIONAL COORDINATOR Mr. Minister Delegate in charge of Technical Education and Vocational Training of Burkina Faso, Mr. Chairman of the ERNWACA Board of Directors, Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the ERNWACA Board of Directors, Distinguished guests, Please allow me first to express our delight to meet you together here and to welcome to our Board of Directors Mr. Alex TETTEY-ENYON, Minister of Education of Ghana, who is unable to be present: we wish to express our good wishes for every success in his new mission. Mr. Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen, One year ago, almost to the day, ERNWACA celebrated twenty years of its existence and this event coincided with the previous meeting of the Board of Directors which took place in Lomé on February 13 th and 14 th 2009. Since its creation, ERNWACA has been firmly committed, with the support of its partners, to promoting educational research through several major themes, including improvement of the quality of education, teacher training, integration of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), the impact of HIV/AIDS on the educational system, education in times of crisis, non-formal education and decentralization. In addition the ERNWACA Grants Programme for inter-disciplinary research, currently in its sixth edition, offers young researchers the possibility every year to strengthen their capacities in research methodology, and in scientific writing. ERNWACA aims «to contribute to the development of educational research through a scientific environment that encourages the promotion of researchers and diffusion of their research findings in their respective countries, in Africa and in the world». To attain this objective, the Network conducts activities linked to: 1.- promotion of educational research through building institutional, national and regional capacities ; 2.- realization of relevant research projects with a view to obtaining findings of quality that can be used by decision makers, practitioners and communities; 3.- diffusion of all information that is useful for educational research and adoption of decisions; ; 4.- installation of sustainable collaboration and a space for collaboration between researchers, decision makers and all partners in education; 5.- awakening of an interest in educational research in order to install a real culture of research. 19
ERNWACA is currently present in 16 countries of West and Central Africa and brings together 756 researchers. The ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office is based in Bamako, Mali, in the buildings of the Institut Supérieur de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée (ISFRA Higher Institute for Training and Applied Research). The Board of Directors defines the network s strategic orientation and the Regional Scientific Committee supervises and takes care to sustain the quality of the network s research findings and scientific publications. Observing these norms has led the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA/WAEMU) to honor ERNWACA with its label as a Centre of Excellence», thus making the network the first associative structure in the Sub Region to benefit from this recognition. Ladies and Gentlemen, the appreciable results reached by the end of ERNWACA s twenty years of existence are the common work of all the persons who are committed to promote educational research, notably the Regional and National Coordinators, the researchers, the partners We believe that these results oblige us to forge ahead and to increase our efforts and our determination for our network s sustainable development. It is with this in mind, and in order to present the stakes and the prospects for ERNWACA for 2010 and the years to come, that the objectives for the meeting have been detailed as follows: To present the ERNWACA 2009 activity and financial report. To present the ERNWACA 2009 financial audit report. To discuss the 2010 Activity plan and the 2010 budget. To assess the terms of reference for the ERNWACA prospective review. To define the orientations for the new ERNWACA Prospects. Ladies and Gentlemen, as members of the ERNWACA Board of Directors, thank you for agreeing to play an active part in the current meeting, although we know each of you has a very full calendar. We hope that by the end of these two days of meetings, you will be able to provide the Regional Coordinating Office with new strategies to strengthen the network s effectiveness within its member countries. We address our warm thanks to the Government of the Republic of Burkina Faso, and in particular to the Ministers Joseph Paré and Maxime Somé for their constant support of ERNWACA. We also thank the National Coordinator of ERNWACA-Burkina Faso, Dr. Ernest Ilboudo and his organizing committee who have done everything possible to provide this meeting with an agreeable framework to encourage constructive reflection. Finally, we express our sincere gratitude to all of our financial, scientific and operational partners who accompany us in realizing our mission through collaboration based on mutual confidence and respect. Thank you. 20
ANNEXE 2 ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ERNWACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Minister Delegate, responsible for Technical Education, Vocational Training of Burkina Faso, representing the Ministers responsible for Education of ERNWACA member countries Dear Board Members, Madame the ERNWACA Regional Coordinator, Gentlemen, Interpreters and Translators, Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Press, ERNWACA has certainly grown, and is at the very least old enough to be able to begin to organize itself in a mature and sustainable manner. This is precisely the essence and the substance of this meeting. Our meeting coincides with the end of the period of transition. Effectively we are meeting for the first time as the Board of Directors with the new regional coordinator, under the first chairmanship of the very new chairman of the Board. Thus, 20 years after the birth of our network this is the prelude of a new era. Mr. Minister, Ladies, Gentlemen, We cannot begin our remarks without expressing our gratitude to the President of the Republic of Mali, His Excellency Amadou Toumani TOURE, for his influential support during ERNWWACA s 20th anniversary celebrations last December. Our thanks go to all our partners and we wish to cite IDRC in particular for having supported the vision and initiative that supported the birth of the network. The idea at the time was to create a platform for Educational Researchers, political decision makers and Practitioners not only with the aim of intensifying relations between political Decision makers and Researchers thanks to research findings, but also and above all to translate research activities into actions which would thus result from the sphere of purely academic research. ERNWACA was created in 1989 with a clear mandate to: -Build real research capacity founded both on national and regional levels -Produce high quality research to aid the decisions by Education Sector Decision makers. -Communicate and Disseminate research findings in order to stimulate dialogue for quality education. - Increase institutional support to sustain educational research, still a poor relation in our educational systems. It is in this spirit and with these very objectives that ERNWACA has been active for 21
20 years in a participative approach to use, encourage the use of and share research findings and develop a robust culture of communications within and outside the Network. ERNWACA collaborates with the Ministries responsible for Education in the member countries, with United Nations system Agencies, Civil Society Organizations, national and regional Institutions and international Organizations. Today the network includes 16 countries and around 760 Researchers. Our aim is to attract additional Researchers, particularly the best ones and women researchers. ERNWACA will pursue connecting Central African countries, with Gabon and Chad, and an opening towards Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde constituting one of our concerns. We are proud to be able to say that ERNWACA is the only bilingual Educational Research network in West and Central Africa that contributes, in a critical perspective, to capacity building for its members. In an approach based on independence, ERNWACA brings the necessary elements to defining sector policies concerning education to our various educational systems. We are at the end of the 2005-2010 strategic Action Plan, and the moment seems to be right to define new orientations and priorities for the network for the next 5 years. The new tasks are articulated around a largely clear and reinvigorated vision since Ségou in 1995. Today it is relevant to consider in greater detail the Personnel Management policy and respecting the governing texts and setting up more effective governance tools, and indeed to reinvigorate the visibility and legitimacy in each of our member countries and on the international level in clear linkage with a Code of ethics. We will consolidate the achievements and approach other partners. Potential partner networks are beginning to declare themselves, particularly very recently with NORRAG. ERNWACA, let us recall, is oriented towards decentralized cooperation. Mr. Minister, Dear colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, The ambition of ERNWACA is to aim at financial autonomy and stability and this occupies pride of place in our meeting this morning. Effectively, the search for means and particularly financial means, financial stability through diversification of our resources, calls upon us not only for our contacts but for marketing skills. This is why I am realistically optimistic in view of the expertise and potential of certain among us in these areas. We are very proud to be able to count on you and your commitment at the disposal of this meeting. 22
I will conclude in saying that our concern with diversifying our partners seems to be diminishing with the new direction towards Nigeria and the banks. I believe I can say without running too great a risk of being mistaken, that we shall leave here with clearly defined and realistic Recommendations. We have several important tasks before us, but we can count on the commitment of all to carry out many of them. It is on this note that I declare open the deliberations of the Board of Directors being held in Ouagadougou. Thank you. 23
ANNEXE 3 DECISION BD - ERNWACA /.. 2010 : Considering the need for the Educational Research Network of West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) to extend further in Central Africa; Taking into account the interest shown by the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic during the period known as observation from 2008 to 2009; After examining the documents submitted by the Regional Coordinating Office in 2008 and 2009 for appreciation by the Board of Directors; The Board of Directors today, February nineteenth 2010, validates the official entry to ERNWACA of the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, respectively the 15 th and 16 th ERNWACA countries; With this decision, the Board of Directors confirms that from this date, ERNWACA includes sixteen member countries, including thirteen in West Africa and three in Central Africa. The entering countries will be subject to respect of the texts applicable to the national coordinating offices in accordance with the networks statutes and internal rules. In respect of the above, the current decision is committed to writing, to inform all who may be concerned. Chairman ERNWACA Board of Directors Professor Ousmane Gueye ROCARE / ERNWACA Tel: (223) 20 21 16 12, Fax: (223) 20 21 21 15 BP E 1854, Bamako, MALI Bénin Burkina Faso Cameroun Congo Côte d Ivoire Gambia Ghana Guinée Mali Mauritanie Niger Nigeria Sénégal Sierra Leone République Centrafricaine Togo www.rocare.org/ www.ernwaca.org 24
ANNEXE 4 MEMORANDUM As do numerous research institutions throughout the world, ERNWACA applies a minimum rate of 15% to all project grants and contracts in order to cover indirect institutional costs. This amount covers direct costs such as honoraria for administrative personnel, bank charges, and fees for interviews, equipment and fuel. ERNWACA is the only network among a dozen university institutions in Africa to be recognized as a Centre of Excellence by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA) and it capitalizes 21 years of experience in transnational research and regional networking. ERNWACA is governed by a Board of Directors which meets once a year. The quality of the research reports and scientific publications is ensured by National Scientific Committees and by the Regional Scientific Committee. ERNWACA seeks not only to build the research capacities of its members but also to improve educational policies and practices and bring greater visibility to research findings through advocacy and public reporting sessions and finally to contribute substantively to improving conditions for research in Africa. One of the means of contributing to the realization of these objectives is to strengthen the institutional framework of research structures to make them durable. The current existence and survival of ERNWACA are essentially due to our strategy for institutional sustainability with a view to responding to the needs of educational research in member and partner countries. The list below shows ERNWACA partners who systematically pay 15% of grants for projects and contracts, to cover general institutional costs. Thank you for your understanding. Association for Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands ECOBANK Foundation FASAF (Network for Family and Schooling in Africa) International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP) International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Mobile Task Scheme (MTT) United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) PLAN International SchoolNet Africa United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Lifelong Learning (UNESCO-UIL) United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Chairman, ERNWACA Board of Directors Professor Ousmane Gueye ROCARE / ERNWACA Tel: (223) 20 21 16 12, Fax: (223) 20 21 21 15 BP E 1854, Bamako, MALI Bénin Burkina Faso Cameroun Congo Côte d Ivoire Gambia Ghana Guinée Mali Mauritanie Niger Nigeria Sénégal Sierra Leone République Centrafricaine Togo 25
ANNEXE 5 www.rocare.org/ www.ernwaca.org Synthetic note relating to the ERNWACA International Colloquium «Educational Research in educational practices and policies in Africa», Bamako, Mali, December 15 th to 17 th 2009 In the framework of the ceremonies commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the creation of the Educational Research Network in West and Central Africa (ERNWACA), the network s Regional Coordinating Office, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Literacy Training and National Languages, and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Mali, organized an International Colloquium on the theme: Educational Research in educational practices and policies in Africa. The colloquium was held in Bamako, Mali from December 15 th to 17 th 2009, under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency Monsieur Amadou Toumani Touré, President of the Republic of Mali, represented by the Minister of Education, Literacy Training and National Languages, Professor Salikou Sanogo. The opening ceremony of the colloquium was chaired by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Mali, Madame Siby Ginette Bellegarde. Among the participants was the Minister delegate responsible for Technical Education and Vocational training of Burkina Faso and Member of the ERNWACA Board of Directors, Mr. Maxime Z. Somé. «Educational research is a discipline that is necessary for better management of the educational system seen holistically. It assists decision makers in designing and implementing policies and programmes, as well as aiding teaching staff to improve participating learners performance. I think this conceptual stock-taking is important. At the beginning of this 3re millennium, we need to ask ourselves a certain number of questions on the new ways of teaching and learning ( ) How can we extend access and improve the quality of the system and the quality of teachers? How can we improve school management? What is to become of university governance? How can we make good pedagogical use of the new technologies? How can education be managed in periods of crisis, or conflict? How can funding for education be ensured? Education is the first form of wealth and knowledge has become the source of the wealth of nations. Peter Drucker notes: "Today knowledge is the only resource that counts. Traditional factors of production, the earth (i.e. natural resources), labour and capital have not disappeared, but have taken a second place. They can be acquired easily, given possession of knowledge. And knowledge, in this new sense has become an economic utility. Madame Siby Ginette Bellegarde, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Speech at the opening of the Colloquium Some hundred participants from Africa, Europe and the United States of America took part in the sessions of the colloquium. The participants were among others the ministers of Education and Research of ERNWACA member countries, representatives of ERNWACA technical and financial partners, including SDC and NORRAG, members of the ERNWACA 26
Board of Directors, members of the ERNWACA Regional Scientific Committee, the ERNWACA Regional Coordinators, researchers, planners, representatives of the Upper Council of Malian Local Government, as well as those of bilateral and multinational organizations. The Colloquium aimed to provide, in a holistic approach, scientific data on the impact of research on African countries with a view to sensitizing political decision makers, researchers, planners, managers and beneficiaries of educational systems to reflect on setting up new strategies likely to facilitate educational research and to improve educational policies and practices in Africa. The specific objectives of the colloquium were defined as follows: To share the impact of research on practices and policies in Africa in general and in ERNWACA member countries in particular; To identify the needs of researchers and the constraints that face them during the course of their research activities; To establish and strengthen institutional partnerships between researchers in the field of research and political decision makers ; To develop an international policy for educational research through creation of a network composed of research associations to strengthen the visibility of African research. Twenty-nine papers in all were presented during the three days of the meeting. They were distributed in the following areas: Six (6) introductory communications, Eight (8) communications on the sub-theme «research and capacity building in Africa» ; Six (6) communications on the sub theme «research, curricula development and the labour market» ; Nine (9) communications on the sub-theme «research, access and quality of education in Africa». In general, the introductory communications retraced the impact of the ERNWACA research and were about both educational practices and policies and the quality of education in our member countries. The eight communications on the sub-theme «research and capacity building in Africa» pinpointed the contribution that research and training may make to capacity building in Africa and also placed an accent on the constraints that confront schools and training establishment, as well as the development of research which faces multiple difficulties, some of which we can define, and prominent among them the thorny question of funding for research and research institutions. The six communications on the sub-theme «research, curricula development and the labour market» generally brought forth the need for reforms to contribute to eventual reduction of certain regional disparities, by taking into account the possibilities of development of each region, in order for research to continue to ensure the visibility and readability of African educational systems. In the same way, it became evident that converging pedagogy needs to be revisited, in order to contribute to these reforms, because numerous hesitations are still perceptible here and there among researchers. In so far as the situation of BMD (LMD) is concerned, the discussions brought to light the fact that to date no university is yet prepared to set up the system, including the vast majority of teachers. 27
The nine communications on the sub-theme «research, access and quality of education in Africa» indicated in general that research is called on to define the conditions of success of all reforms carried out and the flexibility of training institutes to respond positively to this dynamic. Improvement of access, relevance of educational content and motivation of all bodies of teaching personnel should be of a type to reverse the tendency towards the brain drain in Africa. From the round table on «educational research on educational practices and policies», moderated by the Minister delegate responsible for Technical Education and Vocational training of Burkina Faso and animated by the national coordinators and political decision makers that the quality of research produced by a certain number of national coordinating offices gives an adequate reputation to ERNWWACA which thus becomes a sought-after partner in decision making in relation to educational policies and practices. However, it must be noted that theorizing ERNWACA research projects in the majority of ERNWACA member countries remains limited in the framework of implementing national policies and practices, hence the need to strengthen policy dialogue between researchers and political decision makers, and social dialogue with the other actors and partners of schools. The interventions of the representative of the National Assembly of Mali were principally grouped around the constraints and challenges that the educational system faces, as well as around the need to install at State level an adequate budget allocated to educational research. With regard to the discussions that had arisen during the three days of the work of the colloquium and beyond that to the pursuit of ERNWACA research projects, the major questions of educational interest persist and can constitute new axes for investigation by network researchers. Principal among them are: how to mobilize funding for education and research in Africa? How to improve access to education while at the same time insuring the quality of teaching? How to manage overcrowded classes at the level of all teaching cycles? How to ensure training of trainers of high quality? What is the future for contract teachers? How to promote vocational training and valorize non formal education? How to resolve the difficult equation between training and employment? ; How to resolve the problem of children who have dropped out of school and reduce the rates of school dropouts which is increasing with the weakening of family-based education? How to bring the pupils of Koranic schools to give up begging and enroll in a formal school? How can research and advocacy contribute to reversing policy decisions and contribute to significant improvement of the quality of educational systems? At the end of the fruitful deliberations and exchanges during the colloquium, the following recommendations were formulated on the development of education in Africa: Adopt research days in ERNWACA member countries as a space for promotion of dialogue between researchers and political decision-makers; Conduct research projects that respond to needs of the Ministries responsible for education and research in ERNWACA member countries; Orient advocacy towards issues of funding educational research both by cooperation institutions and by national public authorities; Institutionalize the research colloquium to be held every two years. In his closing address, Prof. Salikou Sanogo, Minister of Education, Literacy training and National Languages, representing the President of the Republic of Mali, underlined the opportunity that the creation of ERNWACA represented twenty years earlier and the important role of educational research for promoting the educational system. 28
«Educational research facilitates identification of research problems and questions and analysis of a problem with extremely precise scientific tools. It also aims to promote collaboration between teachers, researchers and decision makers in order to improve the quality of the educational system on the one hand, and on the other, to put in place educational policies for the benefit of all learners. Research is essential for the educational system. It helps the Ministerial Departments responsible for education to design policies and programmes, and assists the teaching personnel in improving students performance. In this sense, we can confidently assert that the creation of ERNWACA 20 years ago came at absolutely the right moment». Prof. Salikou SANOGO Minister of Education, Literacy Training and National Languages of Mali. Closing Address at the ERNWACA International Colloquium. The ERNWACA Regional Coordinating Office addresses a special message of thanks to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Mali and to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Directorate of the NORRAG network for their technical, financial and scientific contribution to the Colloquium. 29