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Implement: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice. Synthesis of UNICEF Innocenti Research on Education in Africa. Working Paper

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Title: Implement: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice. Synthesis of UNICEF Innocenti Research on Education in Africa. Working Paper
Language: English
Authors: Dita Nugroho, Thomas Dreesen, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti (Italy)
Source: UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. 2024.
Availability: UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. Via degli Alfani, 58, 50121, Florence, Italy. Tel: 39055-20330; Fax: 39055-2033220. email: florence@unicef.org; Web site: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 49
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Reports - Descriptive
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Educational Policy, Program Implementation, Educational Improvement, Barriers, Accountability, Data Use, Governance, Context Effect, Government School Relationship, State Departments of Education, Administrative Organization, Teacher Placement, School Administration, Partnerships in Education, Educational Planning, Intervention
Geographic Terms: Africa
Abstract: Education systems are complex and involve many diverse actors. In order to have an impact on children's outcomes, policies and programmes must take on this complexity. Most education interventions are centrally designed, yet, in increasingly decentralized systems, they need to be adopted -- and often undergo adaptation -- at multiple levels of governance before reaching students in the classroom. A growing body of evidence is finding that the gap between policy and actual practice is a significant barrier to system-wide education transformation in Africa. To support African education policymakers and partnerships, this paper is the final part of a series aimed at contributing to the discussion on education transformation in Africa by synthesizing research conducted by UNICEF Innocenti on education in the continent. It focuses on the governance and accountability structures and processes involved in the implementation of education policies in Africa. In the first section, this paper discusses the governance structures and the role of accountability at the central level. It examines the importance of cross-sector partnerships and the relative strength of accountability structures in the private, rather than the public, school sector, before arguing that to achieve transformative outcomes, these structures need to be strengthened in all sectors. The second and third sections of the paper discuss the different local actors -- including local education offices, school committees and school leaders -- and how they can work together to support quality teaching and learning in the classroom. These sections also present several positive practices from schools and countries across Africa. Finally, the third section discusses the role of harmonized data systems, data use and implementation research in continuous quality improvements to achieve transformative outcomes. Overall, the insights in this paper have four key implications for education policy and planning: (1) Implementation planning; (2) Clarity of mandates; (3) Context-responsive resourcing; and (4) Data and implementation research.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED676233
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Implement: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice. Synthesis of UNICEF Innocenti Research on Education in Africa. Working Paper
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  Data: UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. Via degli Alfani, 58, 50121, Florence, Italy. Tel: 39055-20330; Fax: 39055-2033220. email: florence@unicef.org; Web site: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/
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  Data: Education systems are complex and involve many diverse actors. In order to have an impact on children's outcomes, policies and programmes must take on this complexity. Most education interventions are centrally designed, yet, in increasingly decentralized systems, they need to be adopted -- and often undergo adaptation -- at multiple levels of governance before reaching students in the classroom. A growing body of evidence is finding that the gap between policy and actual practice is a significant barrier to system-wide education transformation in Africa. To support African education policymakers and partnerships, this paper is the final part of a series aimed at contributing to the discussion on education transformation in Africa by synthesizing research conducted by UNICEF Innocenti on education in the continent. It focuses on the governance and accountability structures and processes involved in the implementation of education policies in Africa. In the first section, this paper discusses the governance structures and the role of accountability at the central level. It examines the importance of cross-sector partnerships and the relative strength of accountability structures in the private, rather than the public, school sector, before arguing that to achieve transformative outcomes, these structures need to be strengthened in all sectors. The second and third sections of the paper discuss the different local actors -- including local education offices, school committees and school leaders -- and how they can work together to support quality teaching and learning in the classroom. These sections also present several positive practices from schools and countries across Africa. Finally, the third section discusses the role of harmonized data systems, data use and implementation research in continuous quality improvements to achieve transformative outcomes. Overall, the insights in this paper have four key implications for education policy and planning: (1) Implementation planning; (2) Clarity of mandates; (3) Context-responsive resourcing; and (4) Data and implementation research.
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  Data: ED676233
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED676233
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 49
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Implementation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Accountability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data Use
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Governance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Context Effect
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Government School Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Departments of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrative Organization
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Placement
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      – SubjectFull: School Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Partnerships in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Planning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Africa
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Implement: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice. Synthesis of UNICEF Innocenti Research on Education in Africa. Working Paper
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            NameFull: UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti (Italy)
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            NameFull: Dita Nugroho
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            NameFull: Thomas Dreesen
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              Y: 2024
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            – TitleFull: UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight
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