Why educational reforms fail: A comparative analysis

The paper reviews a number of educational policy statements of East African countries ranging from combining education with production at the primary level, to the financing of higher education. An assessment is made of how successful the policies have been in achieving their original intention. The paper's conclusion is that policy outcomes are far from matching expectations, mainly because of insufficient or no implementation. The reason most educational policies are not implemented is that they are vaguely stated and the financing implications are not always worked out. Another reason for failure is that the content of a policy is based on an empirically unsustained theoretical relationship between instruments and outcomes. The paper makes a plea for the formulation of more concrete, feasible and implementable policies based on documented cause-effect relationships.

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Zusammenfassung In dem Artikel werden eine Reihe von erziehungspolitischen Aussagen ostafrikanischer Länder untersucht. Sie reichen von der Verbindung der Erziehung mit der Produktion auf der Grundstufe bis hin zur Finanzierung der Hochschulausbildung. Es wird eine Bestandsaufnahme gemacht hinsichtlich des Erfolgs, der den erziehungspolitischen Programmen beim Erreichen ihrer ursprünglichen Ziele beschieden war, wobei man zu dem Schluß kommt, daß die Resultate der Programme hauptsächlich dadurch, daß diese nicht oder nur unzureichend durchgeführt wurden, weit davon entfernt sind, die Erwartungen zu erfüllen. Der Grund dafür, daß die meisten erziehungspolitischen Programme nicht durchgeführt werden, liegt darin, daß sie nur vage umrissen und die finanziellen Auswirkungen nicht immer ausgearbeitet sind. Ein weiterer Grund für ihr Fehlschlagen liegt darin, daß der Inhalt eines Programms auf einer empirisch unhaltbaren theoretischen Beziehung zwischen Mitteln und Resultaten basiert. In dem Artikel wird daher für die Formulierung konkreterer, geeigneterer und durchführbarerer Programme plädiert, die auf bereits belegten Beziehungen von Ursache und Wirkung beruhen.

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Résumé Le présent article examine quelques déclarations de pays de l'Afrique orientale relatives à la politique éducative, allant d'un système combiné d'éducation et de travail productif dans l'enseignement primaire, au financement de l'enseignement supérieur. Une analyse est effectuée pour savoir combien ces politiques ont réussi à mettre en oeuvre leur objectif premier. Cet article conclut que les résultats de ces politiques sont loin de répondre aux exigences, en raison essentiellement d'une mise en oeuvre insuffisante, voire nulle. La raison pour laquelle la plupart des politiques éducatives ne sont pas appliquées est due au fait qu'elles sont vaguement formulées et les implications financières rarement élaborées. La seconde raison de cet échec est que le contenu d'une politique se fonde sur une relation théorique entre instruments et résultats qui n'a pas été vérifiée empiriquement. Cet article plaide en faveur de politiques concrètes, réalisables et applicables fondées sur un rapport de cause à effet bien documenté.

     

Relationship between science knowledge levels and beliefs toward science instruction held by preservice elementary teachers

Aspects of science background knowledge and attitudes toward teaching science were examined among preservice elementary teachers. The results indicated a low level of science knowledge, a negative relationship between science knowledge and attitude toward teaching science, and a marked lack of confidence toward teaching science among the prospective teachers. Some interesting paradoxes were also found. Recommendations concerning preservice preparation, inclusion of academic science coursework, and collaborative efforts between college departments are offered.     

Circulating Thrombotic Risk Factors in Young Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Who Are on Statins and Anti-platelet Drugs

Thrombotic risk factors may contribute to premature coronary artery disease (CAD), in addition to the conventional risk factors. There is paucity of data on studies evaluating the role of thrombotic factors in premature CAD in Indian patients. Thus a case–control study was performed to evaluate the role of thrombotic and atherogenic factors in young patients with angiographically proven CAD who are on treatment with statins and anti-platelet drugs. 152 patients (≤55 years) with angiographically proven CAD and 102 asymptomatic controls were recruited. Clinical and biochemical data were obtained in both groups. Blood levels of thrombotic factors-fibrinogen, antithrombin-III, tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), von-Willebrand factor (v-WF), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and homocysteine were analyzed. Patients had high levels of conventional CAD risk factors (diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia and positive family history) compared to controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that low antithrombin-III (odds ratio/OR 11.2; 95 % confidence interval/CI 2.29–54.01), high fibrinogen (OR 6.04; 95 % CI 1.09–33.21) and high Lp(a) (OR 4.54; 95 % CI 0.92–22.56), as important, independent risk factors in patients. PAI-1(OR 0.15; 95 % CI 0.03–0.69) levels were significantly lower in patients. But other thrombotic risk factors studied (t-PA, v-WF and homocysteine) were comparable among patients and controls. The treatment using statins and anti-platelet drugs might be contributing to the control of some of the thrombotic risk factors. The strategies aiming at lowering the levels of thrombotic risk factors along with conventional risk factors may be useful in primary and secondary prevention of CAD.