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This week, the students concerned will receive their Primary School Certificate (CEPE). The Brevet d’études de première cycle (BEPC) and the baccalaureate exams will take place in the coming weeks. In today’s world, information and knowledge are increasingly accessible thanks to new technologies, but this possibility is concentrated mainly among privileged young people in urban areas. Can we therefore consider the present generation to be more educated and educated than their predecessors? Does the person who graduates in 2024 have more knowledge than someone who graduated in 2004 or 1984 or even 1974? Does he have more abilities to think critically and independently, as well as more capable of using these abilities wisely? These questions are important because The educational level of the population directly affects economic and social progress and political stability. This is evidenced by the success of countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Estonia or, closer to us, Mauritius, which have invested heavily in education over the years.
Discourage optimistic diagnoses
Since 1991, the Project for the Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC) aims to provide information on the evolution of the performance of education systems.2003/2004, PASEC 2014 wait PASEC 2019) The situation in Madagascar is similar: most students do not have the expected reading and math skills; teachers are unqualified; and infrastructure and educational resources are inadequate.
This diagnosis was confirmed by a fixture inventory. Education Sector Plan 2018-2022which shows that “overall, 28% of Malagasy people are considered illiterate” and that “few students have access to secondary education: out of 100 students who enter the first grade of primary school, fewer than 12 reach the first grade of regular secondary education and the chances of young people from poor families appearing there remain low.
inside Initial Finance Act 2024the budget allocated to national education is undoubtedly one of the largest (12% of the total budget). However, 77% of this budget is used to pay civil servants’ salaries, which leaves little room for investment in training or equipment.
What level of knowledge and skills can be imparted to students by teachers who themselves lack knowledge and skills? What quality of teaching can be imparted in schools without benches, without roofs and sometimes even without walls? Do today’s Malagasy teachers have the will and means to make their students active citizens of the 21st century? These questions arise especially in public education, if the best private schools in the country are able to maintain a certain curriculum. The fact that every family with the minimum economic means is looking for a private school to send their children, without having to ask many questions about the actual quality of the education provided by the school, is fundamentally disturbing. The bureaucrats of the regime themselves are not mistaken: how many children of the top leaders attend public primary schools (EPP), general education colleges (CEG), public high schools and public universities? Some even stoop to begging for nationality to facilitate their offspring’s secondary and university education in France.
What is the solution?
New York State commits to massive school plan standard At all levels, right up to the tertiary sector. This is indeed a good move to address the problems of dilapidated schools and population growth, as well as the geographical proximity of schools to communities. In fact, there are still too many students who have to walk a long distance every day to the nearest EPP, CEG or high school. For those who have to leave home to go to university, they inevitably face the problem of accommodation conditions in university dormitories, as well as the eternal problem of scholarship distribution.
But an important question arises here: Is the establishment of educational institutions an innate merit? standardI hope they will be more standard How many more years does it take to train teachers than the famous Barea Stadium? Short-term political calculations and Andry Rajoelina’s narcissistic personality have prompted him to increase the number of building completions, trying to leave an image in history as a great builder and erase his image as a “vulgar coup maker in 2009.” But are the support measures for human capital strategically designed for the construction of educational institutions and hospitals? standard ? How many years does it take to train a doctor, university professor or primary school teacher? So who will work in these new buildings until these training courses are completed? Unless the strategy is to take off Peter’s clothes and clothe Paul…
Education Minister Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala launched a balloon about a possible investigation on her Facebook page in January Voluntary donations from citizens To end a deficit of seats that the state budget cannot fill. Even though the idea was interesting and came from one of the few respected people in the government, most of the comments she received were negative, which undoubtedly reflected more distrust of her boss, Andry Rajoelina, than distrust of the idea altogether.
The reform of the Madagascar education system has been complicated by decades of politicization of the sector, the power of unions manipulated by politicians, the lack of resources, and the vigilance of certain major powers that carefully maintain their influence. In Madagascar, two ambitious but poorly thought-out reforms have set the country back in alternations with little concern for the continuity of the state: the reform led by Marc Ravalomanana in 2007/2008, and the reform led by Minister Paul Rabary in 2007/2008 during the era of Hery Rajaonarimampianina. One of the first objectives was to make English a language of instruction and, above all, to extend the primary school cycle to 7 years to consolidate the knowledge base, since many students unfortunately leave school after primary school. One of the second objectives was to bring the school calendar into line with the meteorological reality of the country by shifting the long holidays during the hurricane season. One name emerged in both of these regressive decisions: Andry Rajoelina, who brought these advances to a standstill in 2009 and 2019. Lacking the ability to understand certain strategic aspects of strengthening education, he instead chose the easy construction route.
A solution that works well at the local level is for individuals, NGOs or associations to finance village schools by funding equipment, canteens or books. This is undoubtedly a good way to make up for national deficiencies, and the multiplication of these community initiatives could eventually have an impact on the national landscape. The fact remains that the situation is extremely unfair: those who are neither lucky enough to live in an area that benefits from special facilities nor can afford to pay for quality private education are still doomed to see their children fall into ignorance and poverty.
Paris Education Conference
Therefore, reflection on the problems and solutions of the education sector in Madagascar raises many questions. That is why it is interesting to Think Tank Diapason’s fourth quarter meeting is devoted to education. June 27 in ParisIts objective is to “explore the challenges and opportunities of education in Madagascar, share visions and develop alternatives for the future”. Three panellists with recognized expertise on the subject will share their perspectives: Professor Rabesa Zafera (former Minister of Higher Education and former Rector of the University of Mahajanga), Caroline Meurisse (Principal of School 42 in Antananarivo) and Patrick Ramanantoanina (retired World Bank executive).
But just like any meritorious act of reflection circle or circle Think Tank Focusing on Madagascar, the real challenge for Diapason will be to educate and guide the strategic thinking of those who are currently responsible for the life of the country. In particular, in addition to schooling, the issue of citizenship and civic education should one day also be addressed. This is an area where a country rooted in a coup will find it difficult to claim competence, let alone legitimacy.
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