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Liberia turns to the private sector in controversial overhaul of failing schools Liberia turns to the private sector in controversial overhaul of failing schools
(8 days later)
Headteacher Daniel Johnson laughs at the question. “What are my biggest issues? That’s an easy answer. Teachers.”Headteacher Daniel Johnson laughs at the question. “What are my biggest issues? That’s an easy answer. Teachers.”
He waves an arm across the playground of Virginia public high school in Virginia community, Montserrado County, north-west Liberia. “I don’t have enough teachers. Many leave the profession because they don’t feel respected or get paid on time,” he says. “I have to go to their houses and beg them to come to work.”He waves an arm across the playground of Virginia public high school in Virginia community, Montserrado County, north-west Liberia. “I don’t have enough teachers. Many leave the profession because they don’t feel respected or get paid on time,” he says. “I have to go to their houses and beg them to come to work.”
His complaints, of an overly bureaucratic, centralised and underfunded education service, are echoed in primary and secondary schools across the country.His complaints, of an overly bureaucratic, centralised and underfunded education service, are echoed in primary and secondary schools across the country.
This year, the government is taking radical steps to improve the failing education system with the introduction of a pilot scheme under which private companies and NGOs will take over the day-to-day running of 120 primary schools (3% of the total).This year, the government is taking radical steps to improve the failing education system with the introduction of a pilot scheme under which private companies and NGOs will take over the day-to-day running of 120 primary schools (3% of the total).
If the pilot, led by the education minister, George Werner, is deemed a success, the project will be expanded, but it is already controversial. The main partner is Bridge International Academies, a company running more than 400 nursery and primary schools across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and India. The decision has prompted outrage from Kishore Singh, the UN special rapporteur on the right to education.If the pilot, led by the education minister, George Werner, is deemed a success, the project will be expanded, but it is already controversial. The main partner is Bridge International Academies, a company running more than 400 nursery and primary schools across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and India. The decision has prompted outrage from Kishore Singh, the UN special rapporteur on the right to education.
“Provision of public education of good quality is a core function of the state,” Singh says. “Abandoning this to the commercial benefit of a private company constitutes a gross violation of the right to education.”“Provision of public education of good quality is a core function of the state,” Singh says. “Abandoning this to the commercial benefit of a private company constitutes a gross violation of the right to education.”
Teachers threatened to strike over the move, but the ministry of education pushed forward, announcing plans to bring in additional partners for another 70 schools. Seven additional partners have been selected and are due to be formally announced within days. They are Rising Academies, which works in Sierra Leone; Omega Schools, a chain operating private schools in Ghana; Brac Liberia, a branch of the Bangladesh-based NGO, which already works in the country operating free schools for marginalised pupils; Street Child; Liberian Youth Network; More Than Me and Stella Maris.Teachers threatened to strike over the move, but the ministry of education pushed forward, announcing plans to bring in additional partners for another 70 schools. Seven additional partners have been selected and are due to be formally announced within days. They are Rising Academies, which works in Sierra Leone; Omega Schools, a chain operating private schools in Ghana; Brac Liberia, a branch of the Bangladesh-based NGO, which already works in the country operating free schools for marginalised pupils; Street Child; Liberian Youth Network; More Than Me and Stella Maris.
The partners will be allowed to implement different teaching methods. Each will provide training, books and administrative systems, but they must use government teachers. At the end of the pilot, external assessors will report back on what and how much the children have learned.The partners will be allowed to implement different teaching methods. Each will provide training, books and administrative systems, but they must use government teachers. At the end of the pilot, external assessors will report back on what and how much the children have learned.
Yet the private operators will not be able to ensure teachers are paid on time. That remains the responsibility of the ministry.Yet the private operators will not be able to ensure teachers are paid on time. That remains the responsibility of the ministry.
Bridge began training teachers this month. Its focus is on tech-savvy teaching and staff monitoring. In an attempt to counter absenteeism, teachers will be required to log on daily to a centralised system. They will also use online lesson plans downloaded daily. Josh Nathan, academic director at Bridge, says the system is about supporting “not oppressing” teachers.Bridge began training teachers this month. Its focus is on tech-savvy teaching and staff monitoring. In an attempt to counter absenteeism, teachers will be required to log on daily to a centralised system. They will also use online lesson plans downloaded daily. Josh Nathan, academic director at Bridge, says the system is about supporting “not oppressing” teachers.
He says: “Watching people is a good first step but our system also makes sure teachers are able to come to school feeling ready to teach – critical factors in making sure people turn up and do the best they can every day.”He says: “Watching people is a good first step but our system also makes sure teachers are able to come to school feeling ready to teach – critical factors in making sure people turn up and do the best they can every day.”
Bridge says proof that teachers “are eager for support” came at a recent training session. All of the 300 invited teachers attended, even though working in pilot schools will mean longer hours.Bridge says proof that teachers “are eager for support” came at a recent training session. All of the 300 invited teachers attended, even though working in pilot schools will mean longer hours.
Teachers will be given electronic tablets. When they arrive at school their tablets link to a smartphone held by the school administrator, prompting an electronic roll call. During the school day, every move the teacher makes is monitored; both attendance and academic results.Teachers will be given electronic tablets. When they arrive at school their tablets link to a smartphone held by the school administrator, prompting an electronic roll call. During the school day, every move the teacher makes is monitored; both attendance and academic results.
Nathan explains: “Each time they download and deliver a lesson plan, the info is relayed to our system. Not only are we seeing that the teacher has arrived but seeing every single period they have taught. That way we can know if the lesson plan we have developed is too long or too short and needs to be revised. At the end of the school day a similar process tells us they have left. A teacher can’t do any of this from home or another workplace. They need to be at school to do it, because it relies on central proximity to the main smartphone.”Nathan explains: “Each time they download and deliver a lesson plan, the info is relayed to our system. Not only are we seeing that the teacher has arrived but seeing every single period they have taught. That way we can know if the lesson plan we have developed is too long or too short and needs to be revised. At the end of the school day a similar process tells us they have left. A teacher can’t do any of this from home or another workplace. They need to be at school to do it, because it relies on central proximity to the main smartphone.”
There are limitations to the system, which relies on 2G network connectivity and a minimum download speed of 50kb per second.There are limitations to the system, which relies on 2G network connectivity and a minimum download speed of 50kb per second.
“The vast majority of schools we have visited do have enough network connectivity,” says Nathan. “But some parts of Liberia don’t have access so clearly the programme can’t happen tomorrow across the country.”“The vast majority of schools we have visited do have enough network connectivity,” says Nathan. “But some parts of Liberia don’t have access so clearly the programme can’t happen tomorrow across the country.”
But he points out that technology has already been used in Liberia to combat teacher absenteeism. “There is a biometric reader in some schools, where teachers must scan their thumb prints, but what we are doing is fully integrated into the school day and how teachers teach. It’s a relatively low-fi and inexpensive way of getting in an advanced technological concept.”But he points out that technology has already been used in Liberia to combat teacher absenteeism. “There is a biometric reader in some schools, where teachers must scan their thumb prints, but what we are doing is fully integrated into the school day and how teachers teach. It’s a relatively low-fi and inexpensive way of getting in an advanced technological concept.”
Sheldon Yett, Unicef’s representative in Liberia, says urgent improvements are needed across Liberian education but particularly at primary level. “Children who should be in school are not and even those kids who are, are often not learning what they should. In some [secondary] schools, children [are] being taught basic fractions by teachers who are barely literate.”Sheldon Yett, Unicef’s representative in Liberia, says urgent improvements are needed across Liberian education but particularly at primary level. “Children who should be in school are not and even those kids who are, are often not learning what they should. In some [secondary] schools, children [are] being taught basic fractions by teachers who are barely literate.”
The 2010-11 national school census reported a net enrolment rate for primary education of 44% (46% for boys and 42% for girls).The 2010-11 national school census reported a net enrolment rate for primary education of 44% (46% for boys and 42% for girls).
Yett says another issue affecting primary education is that children often do not start school until later in life, when they are able to support themselves financially. “If you are a teenager sitting in the front row of a primary class struggling compared with the younger child sitting next to you, the chances are you will get disheartened and drop out. That is why it is so important to get children into primary schooling and to get the foundations of early learning right.”Yett says another issue affecting primary education is that children often do not start school until later in life, when they are able to support themselves financially. “If you are a teenager sitting in the front row of a primary class struggling compared with the younger child sitting next to you, the chances are you will get disheartened and drop out. That is why it is so important to get children into primary schooling and to get the foundations of early learning right.”
At the ministry of education in the capital, Monrovia, there is widespread enthusiasm for the pilot, despite the delays. The deputy minister, Aagon Tingba, is reading The Bee Eater, a biography of Michele Rhee, a polarising educational reformist and former chancellor of Washington DC public schools. “She changed the lives of children in Washington, but people complained her methods were controversial. But she made a difference. So why can’t we do that here?At the ministry of education in the capital, Monrovia, there is widespread enthusiasm for the pilot, despite the delays. The deputy minister, Aagon Tingba, is reading The Bee Eater, a biography of Michele Rhee, a polarising educational reformist and former chancellor of Washington DC public schools. “She changed the lives of children in Washington, but people complained her methods were controversial. But she made a difference. So why can’t we do that here?
“Critics say the government should be responsible for our own schools, but in Liberia we simply don’t have the resources to do it ourselves. That is the reality. Liberian children deserve more. Doing nothing was not an option.”“Critics say the government should be responsible for our own schools, but in Liberia we simply don’t have the resources to do it ourselves. That is the reality. Liberian children deserve more. Doing nothing was not an option.”
• This footnote was added on 8 September 2016. Bill Gates is an investor in Bridge International Academies. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which supports the Global development site, has no involvement in editorial content