Implementing Basic Education: An African Experience

This paper analyses some of the difficulties involved in implementing the recently approved Basic Education Program for primary and secondary education in Sierra Leone. Among some of the problems and difficulties that are discussed and analysed are funding, training and retention of teachers, curriculum reform, language development, equipment and supplies, and evaluation. To effectively implement the new program, teachers' conditions of service, salary, and allowances need to be carefully examined. This analysis will attempt to examine such issues based on empirical data. The article also makes a critical examination of the new continuous assessment system. The paper concludes that political stability is an important factor in the implementation of basic education.