World Bank issued a new report “Facing Forward: Schooling for Learning in Africa” in July this year. The report lays out a range of policy and implementation actions that are needed for countries in sub-Saharan Africa to meet the challenge of improving learning while expanding access and completion of basic education for all. It underscores the importance of aligning the education system to be relentlessly focused on learning outcomes and to ensuring that all children have access to good schools, good learning materials, and good teachers.
Sajitha Bashir, World Bank’s Practice Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa in Education Global Practice, and the co-author of the report, presented its main findings and discussed the challenges and perspectives of education sector in Africa. Eiji Kozuka, JICA’s Director for Basic Education II, served as commentator.
Program
Opening remarks
Masato Miyazaki, Special Representative, Japan. World Bank Group
Keynote presentation
Sajitha Bashir, Practice Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa, Education Global Practice, World Bank
Presentation Material: Facing Forward: Schooling for Learning in Africa （PDF）
Comments
Eiji Kozuka, Director, Basic Education Team II, Human Development Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Presentation Material: Comments on Facing ForwardSchooling for Learning in Africa (PDF)
About Speaker
 Practice Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa, Education Global Practice, World Bank Dr. Sajitha Bashir is the co-author of Facing Forward: Schooling for Learning in Africa. She is currently the Manager for education in the Eastern and Southern Africa region of the World Bank, where she oversees a large portfolio of education projects and analytical work in 20 countries. She has over 25 years of operational and research experience with the World Bank, national and state governments in India and other donor agencies. Within the World Bank, she has worked in Africa, South Asia and Latin America, where her priorities have been leading policy dialogue and supporting countries in the development of national education strategies and sector reform programs, and project design and implementation from primary education to higher education, technical vocational education and science and technology. She played a lead role in setting up a new Partnership for skills in Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (PASET) in Africa, which focuses on skills development, higher education and research and represents the World Bank on its Board of Directors. She has published extensively in education and related fields. Prior to joining the World Bank, she worked as Chief Consultant for Research and Evaluation with the Government of India’s national primary education program. She has a Ph.D. in economics from the London School of Economics. |
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