Education in West Africa

Emefa Takyi-Amoako is Education and Research Consultant with a doctoral degree in Comparative and International Education from Oxford University, UK. She is Executive Director of Oxford University Attaining the Peak (ATP) Student Society, UK, and Director of ATP Global Educate Oxford, UK.

Education in West Africa is essential reading for anyone concerned about providing all children with quality education. Every researcher working on West Africa will give a vote of thanks for such an invaluable resource. The wealth of essential information about the history of eighteen educational systems is complemented by insightful analyses of how colonial and postcolonial politics shaped their national agendas and their abilities to meet contemporary global development goals. The voices from these countries deserve to be heard. Madeleine Arnot, Professor of Sociology of Education, University of Cambridge, UK This excellent book uses a multidisciplinary approach and multi-dimensional methodologies to assess the challenges of education in West Africa within the context of globalization. It suggests practical and valuable action-oriented strategies for investing in Africa's future generation, regardless of gender. Filomina Chioma Steady, Professor of Africana Studies, Wellesley College, USA This is a timely, well-crafted book that comprehensively responds to an urgent need of new ideas and perspectives in the educational terrain in West Africa. Emefa Takyi-Amoako brings together an impressive lineup of both seasoned and emerging scholars who produce a seminal work that achieves a unique regional focus in educational studies. It has the potential to become the main reference work for some time to come and should immediately serve both the research and policy analysis interests of specialized scholars, students, public sector managers and the general public. Ali A. Abdi, Professor and Head of the Department of Educational Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada This collection of rigorously researched and well-presented papers on the dynamics of educational development in West Africa provides adequate lessons from hindsight (what the countries studied did or failed to do), as well as insight (the complex nature of current challenges) and foresight (future directions) for education in the sub-region. In addition to being a rich mine of information the book is more importantly a methodological guide for the study of a subject that lies at the very heart of sustainable human development. These are the characteristics that make it a resource gold mine for a variety of users - teachers and students, development-oriented researchers, development partners and policy-makers. A yawning gulf has in fact been filled in needed tools for study-research-teaching and forward-looking work on educational development in the targeted sub-region and elsewhere. Pai Obanya, Emeritus Professor, Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

• Series Editor's Preface, Colin BrockIntroduction: Education in West Africa: A Regional Overview, Emefa Takyi-Amoako (Attaining the Peak, UK)1. Benin: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Mohamed Cherif Diarra (BREDA, Senegal)2. Burkina Faso: An Overview, Martial Dembele, Touorouzou Herve Some and Fernand Ouedraogo (Universite de Montreal)3. Burkina Faso: Trends and Futures, Touorizou Hervé Somé, Martial Dembélé and Fernand Ouedraogo (Universite de Montreal)4. Cameroon: An Overview, Martha Beyang Egbe (University of Ibadan, Cameroon)5. Cameroon: Trends and Futures, Willibroad Dze-Ngwa, (Savannah State University, USA)6. Cape Verde: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Jose Manuel Marques (Cape Verde)7. Chad: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Galy Panain Dibe and Mohamed Chérif Diarra, (Dakar, Senegal)8.The Gambia: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Makaireh A. Njie (ERNWACA, The Gambia)9. Ghana: An Overview, Ruby Selenu Avotri (Plan International, Ghana)10. Ghana: Trends and Futures, Daniel Justin Eshun (University of Roehampton, UK)11. Ghana: Education Financing, Ato Essuman (Methodist University College, Ghana)12. Guinea: An Overview of Higher Education, A. Tidjane Diallo, M. Kodiougou Diallo and Sékou Konate (Ministry of Higher Education, Guinea)13. Guinea-Bissau: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Akemi Yonemura (Senegal)14. Ivory Coast: An Overview, Trends and Futures, François-Joseph Azoh (ERNWACA, Ivory Coast)15. Ivory Coast: Evolving Gender Representation in Higher Education from Peace to the Era of Political Instability and Post-Conflict Reconstruction, N'Dri Thérèse Assie-Lumumba (Cornell University, USA)16. Liberia: Conflicts and Post-Conflict Trends, Barbara Reynolds (Save the Children, UK)17. Liberia: Citizenship Education in the Post-Conflict Era, Laura Quaynor (University of South Carolina, USA)18. Mali: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Mohamed Cherif Diarra (UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education in Africa, Senegal)19. Mauritania: An Overview, Trends and Futures, Akemi Yonemura (Senegal)20. Niger: An Overview, Nana-Aicha Goza (Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger) and Ibro Chekaraou (Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger)21. Niger: Trends and Futures, Ibro Chekaraou (Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger) and Nana-Aicha Goza (Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger) Ibro Chekaraou (Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger)22. Nigeria: An Overview, Naomi A. Moland (New York University, USA)23. Nigeria: Technical, Vocational Education and Training, Benjamin Ogwo (University of Nigeria)24. Nigeria: Financing Education, Mary Ogechi Esere (University of Ilorin, Nigeria)25. Senegal: An Overview, Lea Salmon-Marchat and Latif Dramani (Universite de Thies, Senegal)26. Senegal: Trends and Futures, Caroline Manion (University of Montreal, Canada)27. Sierra Leone: An Overview, Kingsley Banya (Misericordia University, USA)28. Sierra Leone: Educational Trends and Futures, Kwabena Dei Ofori-Attah (Central State University, USA)29. Togo: An Overview, Philippe Amevigbe (ERNWACA, Togo)30. Togo: Trends and Futures, Kossi Souley Gbeto (University of Lomé, Togo) and Koffi Nutefé Tsigbe (ERNWACA, Togo)Index