Participatory practices in policy-making: Negotiating democratic outcomes or manoeuvring for compliance?

This article explores the nature of participatory practices in policy-making in basic education and their impact on the directions and outcomes of policy. Drawing on theoretical developments in policy studies, the focus is on non-formal education as a policy challenge for EFA. Data are presented from a recent field study undertaken in Uganda of the process to establish a policy framework for basic education for disadvantaged children. A multi-dimensional frame is used for the analysis of the practice of policy development. It is argued that NFE, because of its amorphous and marginal nature, is an important arena for contesting the orthodoxy of educational thinking, policies and practices. Yet the full engagement by all stakeholders by itself cannot guarantee a democratic outcome, as the nature of policy processes may allow for counter-actions that preserve the existing education hierarchy.     

Herder identity in Lesotho: implications for non-formal education

This paper reports on selective findings from a larger qualitative PhD study of 30 adult herders in Lesotho. It uses theories of identity and social capital to examine their life histories and educational needs in order to inform the national Non-Formal Education (NFE) policy. The key findings of the study were that the herders demonstrated two distinct identities – public and private. Their public identities were reflected through themes of culture which included notions of masculinity and negative experiences of being ‘othered’. This negative public perception of the herders influenced how they related to wider society and their ambitions to learn. However the findings revealed private identity characteristics which reflected a more positive inner sense of self and freedom to be who they are, supported by strong social capital networks and significant others. The study suggests that NFE should consider including these positive herder identities in a targeted curriculum that would facilitate more harmonious inclusion of the herders into the wider Lesotho society but also address issues of power relations that potentially impact on their access to education. The study also suggests that NFE should further explore the added value of significant others in supporting the provision of learning for the herders.     

Poverty alleviation and integrated service delivery: Literacy,early child development and health

This paper argues that many internationally financed literacy programs do not sufficiently take into consideration important daily life issues of the learners, including nutritional deficiencies that may hinder learning, or of children–parent–society interactions that may improve learning. As a result, many programs have become synonymous with increased supply of a low-quality education. Often, these programs address almost exclusively Education for All (EFA) international policy targets, without sufficiently addressing other poverty alleviation targets, as defined by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This paper further contends that approaches that would generate the greatest effects within an EFA-perspective may not be the best way to alleviate poverty within a MDGs-perspective. Based on a case study of a women's literacy program in Senegal, this paper proposes to look at needs within an MDG perspective, and to use multi-pronged and integrated approaches to intervene in sectors where the poverty alleviation impact is the greatest.